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ARB vs. OX

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Poohbair

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One of my buddies is looking for a selectable front locker for his front. Which is better, the ARB or the OX... and why? Does anyone here run an OX?
 
No air line to leak, o rings to go out, and the ox has its own list of problems all related to the cable and getting it to engage.

The E-locker is a limited slip when it's off, and a spool when it's on. I saw one on display at RTC with the Precisin gear rep. Pricey, but worth it for anyone that insists on selectable IMO. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

All that said, I prefer auto lockers.
 
I seriously looked at the Electrac when I was building my D60. After talking to several shops, and posting here and on Pirate, many stories were related to me about the Electrac also having its own set of problems that hadn't been worked out yet. I preferred the design of being in limited slip when not locked, but opted for the ARB for reliability. Although I don't like the fact it requires an air line to engage, it has been around for many years and is tried and proven. The ARB also has some drawbacks however too. At the time, OX I believe had gone through some ownership changes due to lack of sales. Not sure how they are now.
 
I have a ARB!!! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

I've only had it for 2 years...
But...I wheel almost every weekend..

I run mud...no problems...at all...very reliable!!!
 
The ox lockers are still very much available in case there is any question.

Auburn has their version of an electric locker out, too.
 
A couple of my buddies have'm...
They're working well...

But I'd like to see how they do over time..

Also...what happens if you need a coil???
That could be pricey...

The ARB is a air-clutch..that has NO bladder...just o-rings..
Easy to rebuild...

I work on Air and electric clutches at work..
Air clutches are more reliable...cheaper to maintain...
from my experiance...

That's why I went ARB. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
A couple of my buddies have'm...
They're working well...

But I'd like to see how they do over time..

Also...what happens if you need a coil???
That could be pricey...

The ARB is a air-clutch..that has NO bladder...just o-rings..
Easy to rebuild...

I work on Air and electric clutches at work..
Air clutches are more reliable...cheaper to maintain...
from my experiance...

That's why I went ARB. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

That's ok, I rode with you Jerry. You ARB owners, "save" your locker until you need it because you can't steer with it engaged. IMO that's like saving toilet paper or saving your 4wd until you're stuck. I love my auto lockers. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
I agree on detroit style lockers being superior choice.
I disagree that having something electrical in a differential is a good thing.
air is by far a better idea then electric activation.
air lines are extremely quick and easy to repair, corrosion resistance is far better then copper wire.
ask any trucker what system he prefers to fix on his truck air or electrical.
 
I think that I am just going to go w/ a Lock-Rite in my 60 in the near future, but my buddy, who currently has a detroit in the front of his Bronco... wants to upgrade to a 60 and wants to go selectable locker. I am just going to try and convince him that all selectable lockers have their issues.
 
I like the ones that have the selectable bits in the dif cover.

I think that pulling the carrier to change air seals is a bit too hardcore.
also on some ARB you have to notch or drill the caps IIRC
no thanks.
air lockers are common in OTR trucks
the backlash of a Detroit locker is very tricky to drive in an OTR truck and I have only seen/driven them in one truck
 
[ QUOTE ]
I agree on detroit style lockers being superior choice.
I disagree that having something electrical in a differential is a good thing.
air is by far a better idea then electric activation.
air lines are extremely quick and easy to repair, corrosion resistance is far better then copper wire.
ask any trucker what system he prefers to fix on his truck air or electrical.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everyone is just afraid of electricity.

You know it yourself, vehicle owners are lazy.

Electricity is already on a light duty rig, air isn't.

On a truck the option is already there....so air works out better.
 
comming from this industry 4x4s and all i must say that the only locker out there to use that is selectable is the arb. i gave the electrax two trys and both times detroit left me hanging. give the electrax the time to perfect the lock and unlock solenoid operation it will most likely be the best on the market if your compfortable driving with the front a posi. ive ran arbs in alot of previous 4 wheelers with zero problems. the most common problem with arbs is that the installer sets up to much carrier preload and the 2 piece cases crush, the bolts holding them together get loose and you ruin the seals inside and outside from the metal shavings getting in the diffs. the second most common reason arbs fail when the differentals get filled with water its most likely not clean water and the seal housing o rings fail. so in short if you maintain your rig the arb should last as long as your rig does. /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif just my two bits
 
hate to bring it up all the time, but Watson's ARB let him down in TTC. IMO arbs are great lockers, but they can and do fail. The fix may be "easy" or "fast", but sometimes you don't need a quick fix, you need something that won't break in the first place. All of that said, I'd run an ARB in my rig if I felt the $ was worth it... personally, I'm sort of a cheap azz and like bulletproof parts, so I went detroit front and rear.

j
 
I agree with you on that.

Out east here that really isn't an issue. If I ever feel my front locker pulling me somewhere I don't want to go, a quick burp of the throttle pulls it right around, because the rocks are usually wet/muddy. There is no, "paved road" type wheelin' like you guys do out west.
 
That locker problem at TTC ended up being a blown fuse. The arb was fine. Human error was to blame for that.
I prefer the ARB over others for the simple fact that it is all internal. I.e. no goofy shift fork attached to the front cover. But I also drive by brail quite a lot so my diffs take a beating.
The thing that I like about an ARB is the fact it is either on or off, and the air portion of them rarly fails. The electrics part of the ARB has caused most problems that I have heard off and if they fail all it takes is 80 psi to engage the locker. You can use a co2 tank for the air supply if needed.
The nice thing about selectable lockers is that in some situations an unlocked front end is more helpful than a locked front end. Going down a hill and needing to make a sharp turn a locked front will tend to push because both front tires are turning at the same speed, the unlocked front will turn better, easier, and sharper in that situation.
 
I'm no expert, but here's my two cents! I live in the west. In the Sierra's, about 15 miles from the Rubicon Trail. It's nothing but ROCKS here. My blazer is street/trail and we have lots of snow here. For all those reasons I'm putting ARB front and rear. I can choose to run both diff's open in the snow, locked for the rocks, or lock just the front to climb our snowy street(wonder how well that would work?) /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif. Customer support and parts availability are good with ARB. Don't know if that's true with OX.
 
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