Thread: Diff lockers front and rear

I got a Jack McNamara for the Salisbury. I did not consider the KAM to be the best. For me it was between the JacMac and the Maxi-Drive for the rear. Although simple in operation I thought the Maxi as too agricultural and the actuator needing to cut and weld into the axle tube put me off.

My mechanic then talked me into the ARB when it came time to replace the Rover front centre. The main reason was for the readily available spares.

I too wanted a locker that was under my control ad not one that would work when going around a roundabout when I did not expect it.

The idea of an ATB for the centre diff has come to mind and it would be the Ashcroft when I get one ( Review: Ashcroft LT230 ATB centre diff )

Good luck with your selection

Not sure where you've been doing your research, but I don't think you'll find any consensus about KAM being the best. Not sure they even do a locker for a Sals.

Personally, I'm 100% happy with the Detroit I've got in the rear (I know you don't think you want an "auto-locker"), and the Ashcroft in the front. Don't often use the front one, but both perform flawlessly.

Steve

Originally Posted by slug_burner

I got a Jack McNamara for the Salisbury. I did not consider the KAM to be the best. For me it was between the JacMac and the Maxi-Drive for the rear. Although simple in operation I thought the Maxi as too agricultural and the actuator needing to cut and weld into the axle tube put me off.

My mechanic then talked me into the ARB when it came time to replace the Rover front centre. The main reason was for the readily available spares.

I too wanted a locker that was under my control ad not one that would work when going around a roundabout when I did not expect it.

The idea of an ATB for the centre diff has come to mind and it would be the Ashcroft when I get one ( Review: Ashcroft LT230 ATB centre diff )

Good luck with your selection

Unless its changed recently, unfortunately Ashcroft aren't doing a LT95 version of the ATB centre-diff that would suit the OP's Perentie.

Each to their own, but I've been running my Detroit no-spin in the rear for about 5 years, and NEVER experienced this "locks around roundabouts when I don't expect it" issue. Sure, if I give it a bootful in a roundabout it will probably lock - but unexpected - no.

Steve

I was happy with my ARB's......never failed or let me down.

They did suck the smallest amount of oil back through the solenoid.

I wouldn't hesitate in fitting them again.

Re: parts availability, haven't really come across major failure of components...

My rear ARB locker would push oil back up the air line. It ended up leaking at the compressor and dripping on the brakes!

A $1 replacement seal fixed that problem, plus some time and effort removing the diff centre to take it somewhere. I then over tightened the pinion bearing and the diff ate itself, but thats another story...

Other than the oil leak and my incompetence I LOVED the airlockers (in a D1). They would work every time and due to the 4 gear centre were quite a bit stronger than the standard diff. Got me plenty of places and in and out of plenty of trouble. Good times

Cheers

Dan

Nobody talking up the Ashcroft air locker yet? I'll chime in!

They are stronger than an ARB air locker
They engage further than an ARB air locker
They seal better than an ARB air locker
They are cheaper than an ARB locker

I've never heard of anyone breaking an Ashcroft air locker, in fact, the very ones we buy are the same as used in comp trucks. Go figure!

6 years of punishment in two different P38's and mine is still coming back for more!

Cheers
Keithy

I have had ARB lockers F&R since last century, have never had a mechanical problem.
I had the oil in the solenoid problem, supposedly caused by a faulty "O" ring in the locker, which I thought was oil getting past the O ring and working it's way up the air line to the operating solenoid, you would get a strong smell of diff oil when this happened.
I went to purchase this O ring when a mate who works at ARB suggested I check for a blocked Diff breather. Sure enough the hose off the Diff breather was plugged solid with a Wasps nest.
This was 10 years ago and since that blockage was cleared I have had no further problems.
I also have upgraded to Maxi-Drive axles and flanges, all Australian products.
Each time I sell my Disco I transfer the diffs/lockers/axles etc. to my new disco, these diffs have been driven by a chipped 3.5 V8, a warm 4.0L V8 and a 300TDi and they will be going in the next Disco as well, Regards Frank.

Originally Posted by 3lud13

Doing some research lately on diff lockers as I plan on getting some early in the new year and would like advice from others who have them and without all the advertising hype the good and the bad much prefer to hear from real world experience than a boardroom of advertising executives.
So ARB seem to be the choice of most I think mainly due to how readily available they are and the lower price to some of the other options.
Maxidrive seem to be quite a popular choice but the sending away and waiting for the parts to return seem to put a few people off quality wise seems better than ARB
top of the line seems to be the KAM difflocks not done alot of research on them but consenses seems to be if you can afford them they are the lockers to go for.
Those seem to be the most popular diff locks for a landrover that I have found
I will be putting them in a 91 110 perentie RFSV so have the Salsibury rear diff and the 4 pinion front diff.

Im not interested in a auto locking diff I would much prefer a switch I can flick on and off as required.
And please before people say are lockers really required well sure I can do without them but it just means I spend more time having to get the winch out when alot of the times I have had to use the winch so far its due to a wheel spinning and a difflock would eliminate this

Advice suggestions any research you have done and real world experience greatly apprieciated

I won't offer an opinion on the ARB airlocker, just a couple of facts; the one on the rear of my 130 was not working when I bought the vehicle and has been out 4 times since due to failure to operate, currently it is working but also pumping oil back up the air line.
The Ashcroft locker that I put in the front has worked flawlessly since installation.