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arb vs detroit...worth the extra coin?

arb vs. detroit

  • arb's are the tits! get 'em front and rear

    Votes: 9 18.8%

  • arb front to select on the trails, detroit rear

    Votes: 21 43.8%

  • detroit in front, arb in rear for better tire wear on street

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • arb's are over rated...stick with detroits!

    Votes: 14 29.2%

  • im nekkid and run around open

    Votes: 4 8.3%
  • Total voters
    48
muddybuddy

muddybuddy

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is it worth the extra money for the arb's over detroits? ive got a 60/70HD and the arb's are "only" another $200 or so over the detroits. of course then i gatta do onboard air and such as well. the axles are going under a rig that will see a decent amount of street use and offroad when i get a chance. i was thinkin at least maybe 1 arb and 1 detroit, but if i get onboard air for one, might as well get another. is it worth the extra money, or should i just get the detroits? what would you do? if you say i should get 1 of each, should i get it for the front or rear? thanks guys
 
jms said:
I just have to chuckle.... more than 7000 posts to your name, and then you ask this question on CK5? So you haven't been paying attention over the last three years?
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well i dont have any experience with arb's, but alot of people praise them for being selectable on the trails. my previous rig had detroits front and rear. if i was running a 14b in the rear itd be a no-brainer, cuz the detroit is $400 cheaper, but with the d70 the price difference isnt as significant, which is why i asked. im just asking for opinions for what people would do who have had experiences with them. you've never asked for opinions before? im glad you are all knowing and dont need to seek advice, congrats.
 
im just a noob.. but been around with the jeeper's for awhile.. that being said the ARB is a nice locker but think if you brake that air line you stuck unlike the detorit.. that being said i would go with the e locker in the front if you rip the power to off find a hot wire and boom you got your locker back! easy trail fix!

just my 2 cents
 
I would go with ARB's front and rear regardless of whether it was trail only or a street driven rig (this is coming from a guy with Detroits front and rear).
 
I would go with the detroits bc they are simple and less coin.
Never tried arbs bc I am happy with my detroits.
 
Ive had detroits f/r for about a year now and have no complaints. my rig is not a daily driver, if it where i might go with an arb in the rear axle, maybe in the long run it would save on tire were.
 
I am not a huge ARB fan, never have been. They work well for what they do but the hole idea of needing an air source to have lockers scares me a little bit. I would never do double ARB's. I would do a Detroit rear & ARB front but that is as far as I would go. I know alot of people do it with success but it still scares me personally and I wouldn't do 2 ARB's on the same rig. Just my personal opinion and choice.

I have had way to much luck with my mechanical lockers to go to selectables. I have been running a welded or Detroited rear axle for 7 years now and a Lockright'ed front axle. No problems with any of them sofar, so I don't have any plan to change. My buggy will be built with a welded/spooled rear and a Detroited front.

Harley
 
The idea of a selectable locker is great, it works well.......when it's actually working. The majority of people I have seen with selectable lockers (most have been ARB, but several have OX also) have had troubles at one point or the other. And even if they don't have issues, I can't count the number of times I've seen them get in bad situations because they forgot to lock them in.
 
Seeing how I don't wheel or know what wheeling is, I guess my oponion don't mean chit. Anyhow go with the ARB front and Detroit rear. If you are going to street drive it in the snow and wheel in the snow then this would be a good set up. ARB's front and rear is a good option but if for some reason you lose your air (witch will happen when you need a locker) then you will wish you had at least one Detroit.
 
I trust Detroits more so I run em front and rear and love em. I actually could have gotten a 60 ARB for the front for the same price due to a clearence sale but I still chose the Detoit.
 
Since you said you will be doing a fair amount of street driving is a detroit really a good thing in the front??? I'd go with an ARB front and maybe something like an Auburn in the rear. That is just my opinion since my K5 is driven about 90% street.

BTW, why is JMS so butt-hurt on us "non-wheelers"????? We must be his social club or something. Leave the chip on your shoulder at Pirate. Because there are noooooo noobs over there?!?!

So exactly how many hours of wheeling a month does it take to be a "wheeler"? Just curious.
 
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Big Blzn said:
Since you said you will be doing a fair amount of street driving is a detroit really a good thing in the front??? I'd go with an ARB front and maybe something like an Auburn in the rear. That is just my opinion since my K5 is driven about 90% street.

BTW, why is JMS so butt-hurt on us "non-wheelers"????? We must be his social club or something. Leave the chip on your shoulder at Pirate. Because there are noooooo noobs over there?!?!

So exactly how many hours of wheeling a month does it take to be a "wheeler"? Just curious.
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Along with what pauly said as long as you are not in 4wd the Detroit will not lock up so it will act like an open dif when going around corners.

Readymix would drive his on the California Highway system with a detroit in front and the hubs locked with no ill effects.

My front is welded and I drive it to and from the trail with no issues. I ran all the way to Truckhaven from San Diego with 1 hub locked and other than mileage sucking I did not notice it until I went to lock the hubs in to go off the road :)


Dik
 
just cuz im gona drive the truck on the street a good amount doesnt mean its not gona get wheeled. not everybody can afford to have a designated trail rig, trailer, and tow rig. i had detroits front and rear in my last 60/14 combo and had hydro assist and never had any issues on the street or trails. ive heard some of the horror stories about no air and getting in a situation that you wouldnt encounter if you just had a mechanical locker. i remember seein a couple guys on here that run arb's front and rear, im hoping they will chime in to give their opionions about arb's.

yea ive got locking hubs, so the non-selectable locker up front works fine on the street. ive never had a chance to drive my last set up (detroits f/r) in the snow, but unless its really deep, id think in 2wd with good tires wouldnt be that much of any issue?
 
I hear ya about a trailer . Way above my income . I had to drive my Blazer to Moab with my pop up camper behind it !!
 
i wasnt directing my post to you pauly since u said detroits front and rear. i was happy with that setup last time and so far sounds like i should do that setup again and put that extra arb money to other stuff.
 
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