Air Lockers ARB vs TJM
Submitted: Thursday, Aug 03, 2006 at 21:06
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OMan
G'day All,
I am in the process of getting air locker for my GQ Patrol. TJM has just entered in this market (GQ model at least). Anyone with experience with the TJM Air Lockers?
Also, I was looking at the Bushranger onboard air kit or something similar, so I can have a fast way to inflate my tyres plus used for the air lockers. ARB is a bit arrogant about using their own compressor. Anyone with experience with this setup?
Both lockers cost 2100 including air compressor and labour. Is that right?
As a note, I was hoping that by TJM entering in the air locker market will have made air lockers cheaper. That is not the case!
Thanks.
Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Thursday, Aug 03, 2006 at 22:07
Thursday, Aug 03, 2006 at 22:07
Not many will have experience with TJM ones since they have only been out a few mths.
I laughed when people said the prices would drop, nothing in 4wding drops..
Go with ARB,
well proven
AnswerID:
187008
Follow Up By: GUPatrol - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 09:02
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 09:02
I would second the comment from Truckster, having said that though, if everyone did that then TJM would not get to enter the market and there would be no competition.
Although prices may not have fallen, competition is always good, specially since one may make an air locker for a certain brand that is not available on the other.
With regards to the compressor, the small ARB unit is good for the air locker and I would fit that under the bonnet as part of the kit, then get a tyre inflation compressor such as the Bushranger or whatever you choose.
I got the ARB compressor (bigger unit) under the bonnet with the hose kit but also have the higher volume compressor for tyres and other things.
Being able to take the compressor to another car is a big plus, often we are fixing tyres at the
campsite so all the equipment is taken to one central spot.
Besides you then have a backup.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 10:06
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 10:06
G'day mate,
The only things I can add to what has already been said is that ARB's locker has had some issues with leaking "O" ring/s in the past and the TJM reportedly does not use that system; thus eliminating that possible source of trouble.
As for compressors.....I use a pair of Bushranger MaxAirs (but even one is brilliant). I have it permanently plumbed throughout the truck and use a ARB pressure switch to assist with controlling the pressure. It works fine on the Air Locker I have in my front pumpkin.
Cheers
Roachie
AnswerID:
187052
Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 10:40
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 10:40
Ruff the bloke that runs Outerlimits, he has run ARB's for 9 yrs and only done 1 oring, and admits it was an installtion fault.. he would use it more than most users here and harder.
So I wouldnt call it an issue.
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Reply By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 12:40
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 12:40
ARB give me the bleep s with this running "their" compressor for the air lockers. It is a complete waste of money! (not saying that their compressors are not good, just that you DO NOT NEED TWO).
I mean if you want two compressors, do what roachie did and run to decent capacity compressors plumbed into the one tank.
The only thing you need is a tank (cheap second hand from truck wreckers) and an ARB pressure switch (about $30). Then you can hook up any decent compressor and it will not only work your lockers but will pump your tyres and give you one board pressured air.
I've been through this with ARB a few times before, they are such wallies. I mean seriously, all they know how to do is take somthing out of a box and bolt it on, as soon as it get's even slightly more complicated than that, they don't want to know about it.
My suggestion: rig up your air system first.
1. Buy a compressor of your choice, be it blue tounge, max air, whatever.
2. Get a tank from somewhere and mount that under the vehicle.
3. Run an aline from the tank to the compressor and hook up the pressure switch to turn the pump on and off as required (via a relay of course).
4. Put a "T" peice or manifold in with a standard 1/3" barb on it ready for the ARB twats.
5. Take car in and say put air locker in and connect hose here.
Done and dusted.
AnswerID:
187085
Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 12:45
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 12:45
ARB give me the bleep s with this running "their" compressor for the air lockers
You can run any compressor with their lockers.. EG. Blue tounge etc..
Cant wait.. bought a used endless air off dude in club, going to mate to a
old truck air tank when i go to wreckers in dande and grab one.. use that with lockers.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 12:54
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 12:54
Awsome, just awsome. I've seen them run a few times, but never setup properly until the other day. My mate has a wide track feroza and it had no aircon. He recently went to the wreckers and bought an air con compressor off an Applause with the mount bracket and everything (same motor as the frozy, they just mount it east west in the appluase as it's front wheel drive).
He hooked it up with a truck tank, arb switch, pressure guage and put his ferrry horns on it as
well. It is so bleep ING fast.
Mine tanks about 3-4 minutes at least to fill the tank (using the bluetounge), we released the water trap (he's got inline oilers, water traps the whole works it's sick), and dropped the pressure right down to 0psi. Then he just reached over and gave it a little rev (about 1000rpms) and within about 10-20 seconds his tank was fully charged and there was no noise. The only way you could tell it was doing anything was the guage moving like a bat out of hell and when it cut out all this white steam/water vapour came wooshing out of the compressor inlet hose. Man it's cool. The whole setup cost him less than $300 bucks. Looks like it's factory! ;-) And numatic ferry horns on a feroza are hillarious!
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:00
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:00
Oh I'll add that he's going to add a manual throttle on too. Should be easy as, the throttle body has an extra fitting on it for what must have been an option cruise control or similar. We worked out you could just buy an old type manual choke and hook the cable up to the throttle assebly. So you can just pull the choke lever out to 1000rpms and go pump up your tyres.
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:28
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:28
Hmmmmmmmmm ferry Horns :D got any spares :D :D :D
or some train ones would be the bleep !
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:33
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:33
TD6 doesnt have hand throttle either :(
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:40
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 13:40
Does it have an idle up switch? I know the ZD30's have a "heat" switch that brings the idle up to about 1200rpms. That should be more than enough to get the aircon compressor cranking. With his after about 1000rpms it makes no difference to the performance. If the TD6 has an idle up to 1200 then you'll be laughing.
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Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Sunday, Aug 06, 2006 at 21:53
Sunday, Aug 06, 2006 at 21:53
Not that I know of :(
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (W.A) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 15:16
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 15:16
Ive had many debates on Lockers and still stand by the Detroit NO-SPIN full auto Locker, go on the internet and do some research
www.locked-drive.com.au/product.htm
AnswerID:
187115
Reply By: OMan - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 17:08
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 17:08
Lockers:
I have done some research. I have mates with ARB air lockers and mates with lock-right or Lokkas, and they think they have the best (don't we all do!). I want to be able to control when it is on and when it is off; but the automatic ones are more steerable than the air ones (being very simplistic), plus they are cheaper and do not depend on a compressor (something else that breaks!).
TJM is marketing theirs as the best since they don't have the "O" ring weakness of ARB's, but then again TJM's has not been out long enough to prove itself (your point Truckster). ARB bleep es me off, but by buying the TJM I don’t want to shoot myself.
Air Compressors:
I was thinking to go with the Bushranger kit www.bushranger.com.au/onboard_air_kit.php I am going to cost it buying individual components to
check which way is cheaper. I like the idea of the air tank, since I got to
the beach often with people who doesn’t have compressor for their softroaders.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: ACDC - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 19:21
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 19:21
Oman,
The TJM locker has been around for years it's a Mc namara locker tried and proven.
Also you don't need a tank for any air locker there's enough capacity in the hoses etc as long as you have a pressure switch it will all work OK.
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Follow Up By: mattie - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 22:22
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 22:22
agree with ACDC couldn't remember his name but they bought the design and are making a lot more of them than the previous bloke, i heard they have been around for 20yrs i think i was told.
Mattie
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Reply By: Trevor R (QLD) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 17:27
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 17:27
OMan,
Can you tell me which store was quoting $2100 for both lockers, compressor and labour.
Best I can get is about $2000 for front only fitted with Ox compressor and small tank. Remember that's FRONT ONLY. So if you can get it all for $2100, I'd be most interested where, so I can do some real bargaining or go for a drive to that store.
Regards, Trevor.
AnswerID:
187138
Follow Up By: OMan - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 18:46
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 18:46
Sorry, I was talking about the front locker only . With a Nissan rear LSD no need for locker at the back!
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Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 21:34
Friday, Aug 04, 2006 at 21:34
PHEW !!! I thought I was being had with the quotes I was getting. Agree about the Nissan slippery diff (for now until things get more interesting).
Thanks, Trevor.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Dave from P7OFFROAD Accredited Driver Training - Saturday, Aug 05, 2006 at 12:01
Saturday, Aug 05, 2006 at 12:01
I've just (~5 weeks ago) had a Prolocker fitted to the front of our company GU.
I have no complaints!
But then, the old troopy had two lockrights for 6 years and 200 000kms, and I had no complaints about them either...
AnswerID:
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Reply By: OMan - Thursday, Aug 24, 2006 at 19:45
Thursday, Aug 24, 2006 at 19:45
Just a follow up.
I went for the TJM ProLocker and the OX compressor (I didn’t follow my normal:”better devil that I know, than devil to be known). I have tested in my backyard (I have a mountain of soil) and it locks! I guess any locker is as good as any other locker as long as it locks! Only time will tell how good the TJM will keep locking. The setup was 2100. I also got a 9000lbs TMax winch (1000 installed).
The switch for the locker is in the centre console (the first on the left) and the switch of the compressor is next to the rear wiper switch).
Thanks to you all.
AnswerID:
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