Chinese Lockers

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Originally Posted by Phat-Customs

Did you fit it yourself Dave? If so, how the the Chi-Locker look/feel quality wise?

EDIT: Just watched the video, ARB (axle) Fail @ 6900 Lbs, Chi-Locker fail at 6400Lbs, what sort of torques/forces can U expect whilst off-roading? Surely nothing even close to 6400Lbs??

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Good question. I also note that, in the vid, the guy say's that the failure of the Chinese locker would be the end of anyone's 4W driving weekend. I would say that an axle failure that required a press to remove the broken bit would amount to the same thing.

I'm not advocating one over the other. You pays your money, you takes your choice, IMV. But, the use of a generic term, such as 'Chinese Lockers", is fraught. The Chinese can build great stuff. So many 'brand names' get their stuff made there, with the same quality controls as they would use anywhere else. I'm thinking Makita, DeWalt, PorterCable. The iMac I'm posting this with is beautifully built.

The Chinese also build absolute rubbish, of course. Circular saws that don't last as long as the edge on the blade, sockets that appear to be made from lead, and so on.
So, there could easily be "Chinese Lockers" that are cheap and brilliant just as easily as there could be those that are cheap and crap. Question is, how do you tell?

This topic seems to go around in circles.
I have used mine for a couple of weeks, and all good.
Finish and quality side by side to an original is very similar.

Still waiting for someone to offer some examples of broken CL's??
Not a youtube vid. !!!

We helped a Patrol that had a CL detonate at Glasshouse a couple weeks ago, I've seen 4 removed in the last 2 months, after they sheared teeth or broke gears.
I am talking from experience, and not telling anyone what to do.
They do look the same, but they are an inferior product. The worst part in my opinion is that they are an illegal design copy of an Australian made, designed and produced item.
RIP more Australian Manufacturing and jobs.

Replaced two failed chinese lockers for people travelling through Tassie.. 1 in a GU, also damaged the housing when it all jamed and locked up. Just as well the tilt tray could get to them and they weren't too far from help.

The other in an 80 series.

Both owners regret the saving. Particulalry in the GU case, had they have been somewhere more remote it would have ruined their trip, not to mention the bank balance. Good luck getting a Chinese manufacturer with no network here to help you out when their product fails.

As said above, what makes this worse is they have ripped off an Australian designed, tested and manufactured product. The compressor Looks the same, even the stickers look the same.

The design they are ripping off is nearly two generations of locker design ago, so not only is the product inferior, so is the design. Your not buying the latest design so shopping $$ is not comparing apples with apples.

Any more movement on this thread???

Interested to see how the CHI-Lock performs??

got a call today from a mate who fitted a chinese air locker over 12 months ago. no rear drive, with locker engaged or disengaged. CDL engaged and will drive and move through the front wheels only. he managed to get it back to his shed. I went round after work, with a smug look on my face expecting to lecture him on how crap his "awesome" purchase 12 months ago, only to find this:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/01/1395.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/01/1396.jpg

i know they were only standard axles, but thats not a bad effort. car runs 31/10.5 tyres, and the guy thrashes it pretty hard as its just his toy.

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Originally Posted by Busman

This topic seems to go around in circles.
I have used mine for a couple of weeks, and all good.
Finish and quality side by side to an original is very similar.

Still waiting for someone to offer some examples of broken CL's??
Not a youtube vid. !!!

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Wow a couple of weeks with no problems, I'm sold on CL now! ;)

"Look the same" is a good comparison, but I'd be wanting the metalurgy before I laid out my $$, after all the labour costs fitting is much the same whether its an original ARB or Chinese forgery.

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Originally Posted by johntins

...
I'm not advocating one over the other. You pays your money, you takes your choice, IMV. But, the use of a generic term, such as 'Chinese Lockers", is fraught. The Chinese can build great stuff. So many 'brand names' get their stuff made there, with the same quality controls as they would use anywhere else. I'm thinking Makita, DeWalt, PorterCable. The iMac I'm posting this with is beautifully built. ...

... So, there could easily be "Chinese Lockers" that are cheap and brilliant just as easily as there could be those that are cheap and crap. Question is, how do you tell?

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There are many quality products made in China, but those products are manufactured using German, US or Japanese quality control and usually carry a Japanese, US or European brand, marketed through their normal distribution.

The day I can get an Chinese locker with ARB or MaxiDrive branding marketed by ARB or MaxiDrive with their warranty, I'll fork out the $$.

The thing with ARB and Maxidrive is if there product did cause an issue, or you want help, parts, servicing etc are available....

If they could have them made cheaper, reliably with the same quality and be able to sell them cheaper they would, lower price equals more sales.....

Quality, cheap, reliable.......... Funnily enough very rarely go together

to use an analogy, it's a bit like using a tamron lens on a nikon or canon camera, they work quite well most of the time but aren't as good as the top dollar lens.

If you want something that is going to last you years and years with faultless performance then buy the very best you can afford, if you are only going to use it as a weekender or lightly then the cheaper may be fine.