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Electric Lockers and ARBs in the States

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:02 pm
by Hybrid
I've been reading through pirate lately and noticed a lot of guys talking about toyota electric lockers being about half the price of Air Lockers. Yet the price being quoted for the e lockers was 795 US. Thats a thousand bux australian. What am I missing? Are arbs 2K over there?

I wondered if its because with the e locker you get a whole new 3rd member but still.

Also why dont we here much talk of the e lockers over here? Just not worth it when compared to the arbs? Or is there just a lack of supply here seeing as they only come in 80s as opposed to the tacomas and 4 runners in the states?

John

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 2:56 pm
by dumbdunce
I can't imagine the toyota parts here are any cheaper than the ARB, and the install of the ARB is definitely simpler - toyota e locker needs the electro mechanical actuator, modifications to the axle housing, and slightly more complicated wiring than the ARB. the actuator hangs off the axle and to my mind would be prone to damage on rocks and things, they are also famous for filling with mud and not working when you need them most. ARB's are around $7 - 800 US from memory, so not twice the price of the e locker.

toyota factory diff locks with manual cable actuators would be the shizzle, no air and no electrics to play up.

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 3:30 pm
by Busiboy
dumbdunce wrote:toyota factory diff locks with manual cable actuators would be the shizzle, no air and no electrics to play up.


I'll take a box of em!!!

where when how?

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 3:38 pm
by dumbdunce
Busiboy wrote:
dumbdunce wrote:toyota factory diff locks with manual cable actuators would be the shizzle, no air and no electrics to play up.


I'll take a box of em!!!

where when how?


for a 40? good luck. such a thing does exist but I don't like you chances of finding them, and getting parts if they ever broke - would be a nightmare. for lux or newer cruiser owners, it would be possible to convert the electric lockers to cable operation, was more my point.

air lockers are the go for the 40, no question.

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 5:28 pm
by beanz2
I agree with dumbdunce.

US$600-$800 is the going price for used electric locking diff centres. New ones are about US$1200. Add to that the price of the necessary long splined axle for $230 (40/60/70 series) or $US400 (80 series).

Add to the figure that most US 40 or 60 series still need a full floater axle as they are sold with semi floaters.

Tacomas and 4Runners diff centres do not fit cruiser diffs.

ARB lockers are US$600-700 new and the compressors are about US$250.

Dave

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:32 pm
by theferg
Dave is right on with the prices over here. But if you look real hard, you can find used, working e-lock diffs for a better price than that. I put e-lockers front and rear into my FJ60 for about $1500. And $400 of that was for a full float rear end. And BTW, you don't need to mod a full float axle one bit to get the e-lock diff in. But after doing it without the mod, I would suggest that you do the mod where you notch the housing for the actuator fork. You just get a diff gasket for an 80 series rear with factory locker and trace the notch from the gasket and then notch it. Also need a bunch of new longer diff studs and that long splined axle... Ah hell, if ya wanna know about it, check it out on my site:

http://blake.prohosting.com/hzjsixty/elock1.htm

-Ferg-