Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

User avatar
Crawlerer79
Hard Yaka
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:38 pm
Contact:

Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crawlerer79 » Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:04 pm

Guys, I was just wondering what the quality of the knock off air compressors that are copies of ARB ones. There's a locker and compressor combo I'm tempted by.... :D
'The Big Truck' - 2001 TD5 Disco II
'Lando' - 1994 V8 Disco
'The Caramel Trophy Truck" - 1990 Disco Ex-Camel Trophy (?)

MihiT
Hard Yaka
Posts: 355
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2015 12:33 pm
Location: RD8

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby MihiT » Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:06 pm

"Buy once, Cry once"
"Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten"

If you're never far from a tow, go right ahead, personally I avoid any cheap/chinese sh*t like the plague!!

It usually works out false economy. Yes, you can buy a $50 tool for every job you do and bin it after(/when it breaks). OR you can buy one $200 tool that you can pass on to your grandkids...
- 1990 LWB Safari flatdeck, TD42 -
- 1988 LWB 7-seat Safari, TD42 -
1989 LWB 5-Seat parts hack. TD42

User avatar
Crash bandicoot
Hard Yaka
Posts: 2924
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:19 pm
Location: Towing a hilux

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crash bandicoot » Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:25 pm

The Chinese are good at one thing and that is copying. My ridgeryder winch internals are completely interchangeable with that of a warn. We have 12 Chinese lockers fitted to various trucks in our club and they haven't failed yet. But that is just the locker...and once again a copy of the arb locker with interchangeable parts.

I cannot vouch for the compressors but I suspect they will be the same ones that the likes of supercheap sells. I have a 70lpm super cheap compressor in my pajero as a back up to the onboard air. Its certainly not as fast as the big expensive ones bit still does the job in reasonable time inflating 33 inch tyres from 15 psi back up to road pressures.
Waiter...there is a drought in my glass.

User avatar
Crawlerer79
Hard Yaka
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crawlerer79 » Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:36 pm

Here's the ad I was referring to: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... 1150392834

Crash bandicoot wrote:We have 12 Chinese lockers fitted to various trucks in our club and they haven't failed yet. But that is just the locker...


We run a lot of these knock off lockers in our club and they do very well. Guys run 35s with these and take them from vehicle to vehicle and in some cases have been more reliable than the genuine ARBs!!!!

I'm not worried about the locker itself, but the compressor I'm not so sure. I've heard that some of those chinese ones (not necessarily the ARB copies) have plastic pistons and often fail when any real pressure is needed.
'The Big Truck' - 2001 TD5 Disco II
'Lando' - 1994 V8 Disco
'The Caramel Trophy Truck" - 1990 Disco Ex-Camel Trophy (?)

User avatar
lax2wlg
Hard Yaka
Posts: 1437
Joined: Sat May 12, 2012 8:33 pm
Location: Various areas

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby lax2wlg » Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:33 pm

Crash bandicoot wrote:The Chinese are good at one thing and that is copying.


The other thing that they're good at is being extremely diligent workers with much higher than average intelligence - one of the reasons that they have established themselves as the largest and strongest economy in the world, and next to hold reserve currency status (as soon as the US currency collapses, which will happen, its already in progress)

The other thing they're good at is investing in new technologies when they're still in the infancy stage, developing that technology, deploying it on a massive scale and in the process murdering their competitors. Just wait to see what they've got in store for old mate Elon Musk and the Tesla gang.

Important to remember that China has only embraced capitalism in the last 30-40 years. They are possibly the most resiliant and adaptable civilization in human history. Heres a relevant article if you're interested in learning about China's newfound culture of innovation: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan- ... 59026.html

Look at their GDP's growth in the last ten years.
china-gdp.png


The other thing they're good at is...

B-rL0F6W8AAAAB5.jpg


Sorry a bit off topic, not trying to have a go, its just interesting to look at both sides of these things
TOYOTA - The Official Vehicle of ISIS!
And makers of the '92 Camry, where you got your first backseat handjob.

User avatar
churchill
Hard Yaka
Posts: 1128
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 7:28 pm
Location: Auckland

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby churchill » Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:44 pm

My Chinese air locker compressor failed after 2 years, the outlet valve rusted off. I cut a new one from shim steel and it works fine.

User avatar
Crawlerer79
Hard Yaka
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crawlerer79 » Thu Sep 01, 2016 4:51 pm

Do these knock-off compressors have a pressure cut-off. Because I'd like to plumb it into an external tank and run a 'T' from the tank, one end to the front locker and the other to a connection where I could inflate my tyres from, but I'd like to know whether the pump keeps on pumping until it can't push any more or whether it has a cut-off, and if so whether it's adjustable. Also, would it be the sorta thing that you leave running throughout the whole trip, keeping the tank full or compress once and run the lockers from the full tank throughout a whole trip or whether you flick on the compressor each time before engaging/disengaging the locker. Thanks guys
'The Big Truck' - 2001 TD5 Disco II
'Lando' - 1994 V8 Disco
'The Caramel Trophy Truck" - 1990 Disco Ex-Camel Trophy (?)

derk
Hard Yaka
Posts: 836
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:05 pm

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby derk » Thu Sep 01, 2016 4:59 pm

any compressor you should be running a pressure switch, whether your Chinese one comes with one or not I don't know, they are readily available in 85-105 psi. Don't get too excited about trying to pump your tyres up with it you'll be able to get a bit of air into your tyres with it but don't expect to reinflate them all up to road pressure once those little electric compressors run for a bit under load they get too hot and die, you want a dive bottle or a converted AC compressor to reinflate properly :D

User avatar
Crawlerer79
Hard Yaka
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crawlerer79 » Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:05 pm

So if I run a big enough tank and have the compressor slowly fill that to say 85psi, I should be able to air up from 15psi to 20-22psi ok? I'm thinking of either a 16L or 40L tank from work would be good, however I don't quite know where a 40L tank would go in a Zook
'The Big Truck' - 2001 TD5 Disco II
'Lando' - 1994 V8 Disco
'The Caramel Trophy Truck" - 1990 Disco Ex-Camel Trophy (?)

Lchundy
Hard Yaka
Posts: 415
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:45 pm

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Lchundy » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:34 pm

Crawlerer79 wrote:Here's the ad I was referring to: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... 1150392834

Crash bandicoot wrote:We have 12 Chinese lockers fitted to various trucks in our club and they haven't failed yet. But that is just the locker...


We run a lot of these knock off lockers in our club and they do very well. Guys run 35s with these and take them from vehicle to vehicle and in some cases have been more reliable than the genuine ARBs!!!!

I'm not worried about the locker itself, but the compressor I'm not so sure. I've heard that some of those chinese ones (not necessarily the ARB copies) have plastic pistons and often fail when any real pressure is needed.

I'm of the opposite view I'd rather go genuine arb locker and compressor
The extra money you pay is for quality of materials and testing
Actually my arb compressor had made in china written on the box lol

User avatar
Crawlerer79
Hard Yaka
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crawlerer79 » Thu Sep 01, 2016 7:37 pm

Lchundy wrote:I'm of the opposite view I'd rather go genuine arb locker and compressor
The extra money you pay is for quality of materials and testing
Actually my arb compressor had made in china written on the box lol


Fair enough, We've never had any problems with the Chinese ones tho, so I'm 50/50 :lol:
I guess we'll see, but I am leaning towards a Chinese one.... a bit
'The Big Truck' - 2001 TD5 Disco II
'Lando' - 1994 V8 Disco
'The Caramel Trophy Truck" - 1990 Disco Ex-Camel Trophy (?)

User avatar
Crash bandicoot
Hard Yaka
Posts: 2924
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:19 pm
Location: Towing a hilux

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crash bandicoot » Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:41 pm

And for what ya pay arb after sales service sucks. I chucked a genuine locker in the bin because they reckon they couldn't get the cup shims that sit behind the spiders... Went and brought an auto locker.
Waiter...there is a drought in my glass.

User avatar
Crawlerer79
Hard Yaka
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crawlerer79 » Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:52 pm

Crash bandicoot wrote:And for what ya pay arb after sales service sucks. I chucked a genuine locker in the bin because they reckon they couldn't get the cup shims that sit behind the spiders... Went and brought an auto locker.


Guys in our club seem to have more probs with ARBs than Chinese ones. Got a friend in Nelson who's ARB unlocks when under load and he's been fluffing round with ARB trying to fix it.... taking ages. A club member's had to rebuild his ARB 3 times in the same amount of time (and similar kms, driving style etc.) in the amount of time another guys rebuilt his Chinese one once....
'The Big Truck' - 2001 TD5 Disco II
'Lando' - 1994 V8 Disco
'The Caramel Trophy Truck" - 1990 Disco Ex-Camel Trophy (?)

User avatar
gary_in_nz
Hard Yaka
Posts: 636
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 12:00 pm
Location: Hawkes Bay
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby gary_in_nz » Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:13 pm

Evening.

I run a Chinese one in the rear of my Safari. I deal to my poor truck, runs 35 mickey t Baja claw's, quite a heavy tyre, never had any issues with it.

The compressor supplied has a pressure switch that knocks off around 90psi.

Before I installed it I did mic up all the components to check the machining accuracy and it was pretty sharp (fitter turner here). However I did ditch the bearings supplied for the carrier and bought some Timken's.
"If it ain't V8, take it back"
Warning: Opinions and Expressions may offend.

basics
Hard Yaka
Posts: 1511
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 12:00 pm
Location: Wellington
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby basics » Wed Sep 14, 2016 4:53 pm

lax2wlg wrote:
The other thing they're good at is...



this alone just sold me on the chinese compressor :lol:
99 pajero exceed 3.2

User avatar
Pedro
Hard Yaka
Posts: 902
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2002 12:00 pm
Location: Wellington

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Pedro » Wed Sep 14, 2016 7:13 pm

Run Chiense lockers in my disco (80 series diffs) for the last 5 years, had to replace the rotating seal once, ARB one slotted straight in, front and rear, always engages when i want it, front can be a touch finicky to come out, but happy enough with them

Pedro

User avatar
Crawlerer79
Hard Yaka
Posts: 305
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crawlerer79 » Wed Sep 14, 2016 7:16 pm

Pedro wrote:Run Chiense lockers in my disco (80 series diffs) for the last 5 years, had to replace the rotating seal once, ARB one slotted straight in, front and rear, always engages when i want it, front can be a touch finicky to come out, but happy enough with them

Pedro


Nah that's good to hear. Thanks for that :D

I've gone ahead and bought the locker, so now I just gotta pick it up, fit it and abuse it :D :D :D :D
'The Big Truck' - 2001 TD5 Disco II
'Lando' - 1994 V8 Disco
'The Caramel Trophy Truck" - 1990 Disco Ex-Camel Trophy (?)

User avatar
Crash bandicoot
Hard Yaka
Posts: 2924
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:19 pm
Location: Towing a hilux

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby Crash bandicoot » Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:15 pm

Can we make this a sticky Jerry....probably one of the more informative threads we've had with a fair and broad feed back over a range of trucks on these things.
Waiter...there is a drought in my glass.

User avatar
coxsy
Hard Yaka
Posts: 5200
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:00 pm
Location: mangere auckland
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby coxsy » Mon Dec 31, 2018 2:30 pm

mates got a chinese locker in the rear axle, ARB compressor,
problem being diffoil is returning up the airline at disengagement, then out solinoid beather ideas
89 safari, pto winch, 33x15 simexs. sliders,75mm lift . turbo intercoolered

monterey
Driver/Navigator
Posts: 45
Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:46 pm
Location: Invercargill

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby monterey » Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:02 pm

Air leak in the diff housing causing a pressure buildup in the diff??

User avatar
coxsy
Hard Yaka
Posts: 5200
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:00 pm
Location: mangere auckland
Contact:

Re: Chinese 'ARB Knock-Off' Air Compressor - Quality

Postby coxsy » Tue Jan 01, 2019 2:15 pm

found a answer on facebook, we just put the exhaust line back to the diff ,
89 safari, pto winch, 33x15 simexs. sliders,75mm lift . turbo intercoolered

Return to “Tool Shed”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests