Thread: First Impressions ATB Diff Centres

Can i ask who in Perth supplies and fits these, I've had a Quote for ARB lockers but the ATBs interest me. Id love to know which works better in the soft wa sand

Hi Pete

I bought the centres from Ashcroft in the UK and got Auto Transmissions R Us in Balcatta, to fit and set them up. Given the age of the car I also got all the bearings and seals replaced and they also did the front axle seals which were starting to weep while they were in there.

As to which works best in soft sand, I think it comes down to shades of grey. I certainly didn’t have any insurmountable problems running open diffs in soft sand, previously, but the ATBs have taken a load off the traction control system and make progress that little bit easier.

I’m not into ultra hard core 4wd off-roading activities so the ATBs suit my usage style and are a set and forget solution. I don’t have to worry about locking diffs in and out or the added complexity of another air compressor system to go wrong.

Cheers

Steve

Originally Posted by Rok_Dr

.... I don’t have to worry about locking diffs in and out or the added complexity of another air compressor system to go wrong.

Cheers

Steve

That's a good point.
Few weeks back, brother (in TD5 D2) and I (D1) headed out to VHC for a week, and I had a few tyre issues to deal with.
Thought to get my cheapo compressor out to fill one up on a track, and as the tack was a bit slow and arduous, better just to fill, and deal with the puncture at camp in a couple of hours.
So I was about to upack stuff out the back of my D1, brother chimes in, to use his onboard mounted ARM compressor.
Oh! yeah!!! .. much easier .. or so I thought at first.

I reckon we wasted about 10-15mins trying to work out why his compressor would only run for 5 sec or so continuously, and cut out???
Couldn't get any air in my tyre .. so I then upacked my D1 a little, reached in for the cheapo Chinese compressor I've had for close to 17 years now .. and away I go. Up to 40PSI(just to hold the tyre up till we got to camp).

Then it struck me as we drove along slowly and bumpily ... the ARB mounted close to the turbo(where some folks install an second battery under bonnet) .. just got hot from the turbo, and went into self defence mode .. hence why the 5 sec run time.

When we got to camp, I thought to test the theory out .. so after a couple hours, bonnet up motor much cooler now .. ARB compressor ran fine.
So it pays to be careful where/how if you have lockers, where to install the compressor for the diffs.
Last thing you'd want is to be stuck .. relying on the compressor to lock diffs, and it being too hot to run for long enough to lock the mechanisms up.

I have a pair of ATBs coming for my D1 .. for just those types of reasons you posted too!

I do quite a lot of soft sand driving and even when doing a beach launch/retrive with a 1.5t boat I haven't felt the need for modifying/upgrading the diffs on my D2a.
All I have to do is drop the air in the tyres, lock the centre diff and the Disco just floats over the soft stuff
The ATB's and lockers look to be a great bit of kit But personally I can't see any Real value in fitting them to my D2a as the truck will do everything I ask from it in stock form.

Originally Posted by trout1105

All I have to do is drop the air in the tyres, lock the centre diff and the Disco just floats over the soft stuff

No arguments from me on that note. I bought only them in a moment of weakness to avoid the GST changes mid last year and at the time the $ was higher against the pound...... not because i actually needed them, which we could all say at some stage when we buy accessories for our cars..


Cheers

Steve