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Diff Lock Comparisons I need Feedback before i buy

Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:32 pm
by Wozza244
For my 60series ute conversion im after lockers now

ARB, TJM Lock Rite, Detroit??

Im thinking a Detroit in the rear, and ive been told to get TJM instead of ARB for the front, can anyone speak from experience??

Cheers

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:16 am
by joeblow
and what are those reasons you have been told?

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:00 am
by MUD000
Check the 4 sale section there is 2 in there in centres
ARB all the way
If its a daily driver
Cheers Dan

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:16 am
by Ben
Well I'm running a Lockright in the front, and ARB in the rear. I'd heard only good things about the Lockright, and as the heep is in 2wd on road I don't know it's there unless I want it. And when it's working it's brilliant.

As for the rear, went ARB so I can turn it off. Whilst I'm sure I'd adapt my driving style to suit a Detroit rear, if anyone else drives it they won't, and in a short wheelbase manual it'd be a handful if you didn't know, so I'd rather have the choice to turn it on when I want.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:19 am
by GRIMACE
Buy what you can afford.

I do beleive the TJM has the best design.
ARB has also made changes to the design of their lockers.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:07 pm
by ISUZUROVER
I agree with Grimace.

TJM have the best design, however ARB are tried and tested and there are plenty of them out there.

If it was me, I would buy whichever of the above I could get a better deal on.

I am not a big fan of auto lockers, however, there are lots of happy detroit users.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:12 pm
by joeblow
been there and done that with lock-rights and detroits, never again, but you pay for a cheap shitty locker, you get a cheap shitty locker. all the people i know who have had an auto locker then switched to an airlocker of somesort have allways said they will never go back. but at the end of the day depends on budget and application. and something like the lock-right will have to be taken out and re-shimmed every so often to maintain its proper locking abillity, something they don't tell you when you purchase one.
as for the tjm locker if they were the best on the market they wouldn't be having all sorts of dramas with them. they are a complex design and have thier weak points, and your paying good money for something that looks like its been machined and assembled in a backyard. don't only look at the lockers but also the service you get afterwards, took me ages to get lock-right spares.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:20 pm
by WICKED
I had a detroit front in a short 40 on 37" boggers. LOVE IT! Never a single problem!

Now have dual ARB's. Better still but still its all about the cost!

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:11 pm
by ISUZUROVER
joeblow wrote: as for the tjm locker if they were the best on the market they wouldn't be having all sorts of dramas with them. they are a complex design and have thier weak points, and your paying good money for something that looks like its been machined and assembled in a backyard. don't only look at the lockers but also the service you get afterwards, took me ages to get lock-right spares.
??? wtf???

The TJM locker is based on the tried and tested McNamara locker, which has been available for about 30 years for rover and dana style diffs (and maybe toyota 8"?). It is SIMPLER in design than ARB.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:59 pm
by joeblow
simpler....no it aint.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:10 pm
by ISUZUROVER
joeblow wrote:simpler....no it aint.
Looks that way to me:
ARB:
Image

McNamara (same as TJM) - NEED TO CLICK LINK
http://www.mcnamaradiffs.com.au/difflockmech.html

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:19 pm
by joeblow
here is the correct view of a prolocker. what it doesn't show is its agricultural engaging solenoid.

Image

Image
and the attractive air solenoid set-up.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:24 pm
by ajsr
joeblow wrote:been there and done that with lock-rights and detroits, never again, but you pay for a cheap shitty locker, you get a cheap shitty locker. all the people i know who have had an auto locker then switched to an airlocker of somesort have allways said they will never go back. but at the end of the day depends on budget and application. and something like the lock-right will have to be taken out and re-shimmed every so often to maintain its proper locking abillity, something they don't tell you when you purchase one.
as for the tjm locker if they were the best on the market they wouldn't be having all sorts of dramas with them. they are a complex design and have thier weak points, and your paying good money for something that looks like its been machined and assembled in a backyard. don't only look at the lockers but also the service you get afterwards, took me ages to get lock-right spares.

lockright spares hard to get??????? $15 rebuild kit from low range in stock now

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:08 pm
by ISUZUROVER
joeblow wrote:here is the correct view of a prolocker. what it doesn't show is its agricultural engaging solenoid.
and the attractive air solenoid set-up.
:rofl: so your single argument about the Prolocker is that the solenoid looks "agricultural" and you don't think it is pretty... :roll: :lol:

Do you work for ARB???

you won't like the Maxi-Drive actuator then... :roll:
Image

The way the McNamara/Prolocker engages is one of its biggest advantages compared to the ARB. No o-ring to leak compressed air into the diff housing. Who cares what it LOOKS like - it is inside the diff housing and you can't see it...

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:19 pm
by Gwagensteve
ISUZUROVER wrote: Do you work for ARB???
Yes he does. :rofl: You thought Joe was just being objective?

Steve.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:23 pm
by sierrajim
I've not used TJM before, i have ARB's in 2 zooks and a hilux, lockrite's in a hilux and a zook. They all work but if you can afford selectable lockers you will be a lot better off.

Lockrite parts are easy to get.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:28 pm
by joeblow
good to this snowballing.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:29 pm
by ISUZUROVER
Gwagensteve wrote:
ISUZUROVER wrote: Do you work for ARB???
Yes he does. :rofl: You thought Joe was just being objective?

Steve.
Ahh - that explains it - I figured it was either that or he is saying ARBs are the best because he has them...

One-eyed/uninformed posts like that give ARB a bad name.

At least d.bongard (ARB Engineer) posts good tech and doesn't just dismiss cometitors products as "agricultural" based on looks.

And for the record, in my vehicles I have a Maxi-Drive, and an ARB (soon to be installed). I also have absolutely no connection to TJM, McNamara, or any other company that makes or sells lockers. So unlike mr blowfly, I think I am fairly objective.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:34 pm
by joeblow
mmmm....i'm looking...but still can't find the quote where i siad the best. and do believe my original comments were over simplicity, nothing more than that.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:55 pm
by sierrajim
joeblow wrote:mmmm....i'm looking...but still can't find the quote where i siad the best. and do believe my original comments were over simplicity, nothing more than that.
You called Lockrites and detroits cheap and shitty, you then further went on to can TJM Pro lockers. You didn't need to say that ARB are the best when you can every other locker on the market.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:04 pm
by GRPABT1
joeblow wrote:I love snowballing.
It's just Joe, you get used to it.

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:14 pm
by ISUZUROVER
joeblow wrote:mmmm....i'm looking...but still can't find the quote where i siad the best. and do believe my original comments were over simplicity, nothing more than that.
Oh please. What about the unsubstantiated failure claims...

Anyway, as for your claim of the ARB being simpler - doesn't hold water (or gear oil :D ):
Image

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:50 pm
by ajsr
OUCH NASTY

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 4:52 pm
by DIRTY 60
Bought a 60 on the weekend and it has a lockright front i think, and i'm wanting to put a locker in the rear. The previous owner wanted a thing called an e locker, any ideas?

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 5:03 pm
by ISUZUROVER
DIRTY 60 wrote:Bought a 60 on the weekend and it has a lockright front i think, and i'm wanting to put a locker in the rear. The previous owner wanted a thing called an e locker, any ideas?
e lockers are factory toyota electric lockers (there are also other (aftermarket) electric lockers available these days). They are much more popular in the US than here. I have heard some reports of failure - but I suppose the same principles apply as for any electrical system - keep the contacts clean and dry and keem them out of the way so they can't get damaged.

I am not sure I would want to run one - looks like it would be all to easy for a stick or rock to damage something:
Image

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 5:27 pm
by sloshy
ISUZUROVER wrote:
joeblow wrote:mmmm....i'm looking...but still can't find the quote where i siad the best. and do believe my original comments were over simplicity, nothing more than that.
Oh please. What about the unsubstantiated failure claims...

Anyway, as for your claim of the ARB being simpler - doesn't hold water (or gear oil :D ):
Image
Mines better than all of yours so you both can stop crying about it :finger:

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 5:34 pm
by DIRTY 60
ISUZUROVER wrote:
DIRTY 60 wrote:Bought a 60 on the weekend and it has a lockright front i think, and i'm wanting to put a locker in the rear. The previous owner wanted a thing called an e locker, any ideas?
e lockers are factory toyota electric lockers (there are also other (aftermarket) electric lockers available these days). They are much more popular in the US than here. I have heard some reports of failure - but I suppose the same principles apply as for any electrical system - keep the contacts clean and dry and keem them out of the way so they can't get damaged.

I am not sure I would want to run one - looks like it would be all to easy for a stick or rock to damage something:
Image
Do aftermarket ones look like these?

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:41 pm
by 4x4 guy
oh no! somebody better tell arb that there diffs are crap and tjm's are better!
i bet they are shaking with fear as the prolocker outsells and outlasts there diff.people everywhere will be taking out there airlockers and upgrading to this mechanical abortion.

how many comp trucks use arb airlockers?

arb manufacture 5000 airlockers in australia every month.how many do tjm build?

arb use quality cnc machining for there diffs,tjm can't even spell cnc.

to the original poster.buy whatever you can afford,just don't listen to keyboard warriors that will always bag the arb product regardless of the truth or common sense.

ARB AIRLOCKER ALL THE WAY!!!!!

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:02 pm
by ajsr
4x4 guy wrote:oh no! somebody better tell arb that there diffs are crap and tjm's are better!
i bet they are shaking with fear as the prolocker outsells and outlasts there diff.people everywhere will be taking out there airlockers and upgrading to this mechanical abortion.

how many comp trucks use arb airlockers?

arb manufacture 5000 airlockers in australia every month.how many do tjm build?

arb use quality cnc machining for there diffs,tjm can't even spell cnc.

to the original poster.buy whatever you can afford,just don't listen to keyboard warriors that will always bag the arb product regardless of the truth or common sense.

ARB AIRLOCKER ALL THE WAY!!!!!


I bet that detroit and lock right make and outsell arb lockers two to one per month and they probably cnc machine as well BUT it doesn't mean theyre any good :finger:
arb stuff all seems like top shit and I bet the tjm locker are too

id buy the lockright but I only offroad

Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:03 pm
by ISUZUROVER
4x4 guy wrote:oh no! somebody better tell arb that there diffs are crap and tjm's are better!
i bet they are shaking with fear as the prolocker outsells and outlasts there diff.people everywhere will be taking out there airlockers and upgrading to this mechanical abortion.

how many comp trucks use arb airlockers?

arb manufacture 5000 airlockers in australia every month.how many do tjm build?

arb use quality cnc machining for there diffs,tjm can't even spell cnc.

to the original poster.buy whatever you can afford,just don't listen to keyboard warriors that will always bag the arb product regardless of the truth or common sense.
Who bagged ARB lockers??? I don't think anyone did. In fact, in my first post, I said "I would buy whichever I could get a better deal on" - which is why I have an ARB myself.

or are you another blinkered ARB employee like blowie??? :roll: