Eaton electronic lockers??

[Landcruiser1PZ]

hey guys im lookin at an alternative to ARB ( bit too expensive ) and got a pretty good quote for eaton eloectronic lockers from ironman 4x4 installed for half the price of a arb setup has anyone had experience with these before ? they only going be used for casual 4wding and i know the arb pretty much best you can get but your defintly paying for it.

[SamLogan]

I hate to say this but i doubt it is a genuine Eaton. They are more expensive than an arb.

Sam

[imsohi]

if it is genuine frim what i have seen they are pretty good, a mate is running his in a winch comp truck only issue was wire viabrating loose so he up graded that and hasnt had an issue, best part is people dont know when you are engage/disengageing lockers as there is no compressor noises

[badnuz]

ironman are selling the eatons for $1999+gst according to their add in 4x4 magazines.... thats more than an ARB....

[Landcruiser1PZ]

really? quote i got for arb's from few different placees was 1500 each locker and thats without compressor and install. eaton's were 2000 all up installed and 3 year warrenty genuine too.

[imsohi]

if you are getting 2 lockers ARB would be cheaper $1500 x2 + $450 for compressor total $3450 compared to your $4000 for eaton thats price wise, but in reality its up to personal preferance.

[Sadam_Husain]

going by your username I'm guessing you've got a 1pz cruiser with a front 8" and rear 9" diff, theres 2x secondhand cruiser 9" ARBs already set up and complete in axle housings on TM at the moment for $800 and $1000 respectively, not bad price's when you concider with buying new you've still got to have the C&P's installed and setup correctly by someone that knows what there doing. I'd be pretty happy buying them secondhand at that price and probably would if I didnt already have 4 of them and have run out of trucks to stick any more into


edit*
and if you're planning on doing the front you've got to factor in another $1200-$1400 for a set of longfield axle/cv's or you'll start getting real sick of the crunch crunch crunch everytime you stick the front locker in and spit another cv out

[Landcruiser1PZ]

Nah its actually for my 89 surf lol . i found another post where someone ordered some from china (similar to arb's i think from soong 4x4 offroad with pretty good reviews) they quoted me $1318 nz all up including compressor and shipping. only problem is im unsure on the right codes my mechanic mate said the codes are g285 but i cant find the spec's for this. they sent me a table suggesting ill need RD132 unit. mine is a IFS front and LSD rear diff . the table says for the front 7.5'' dia . RG, 10 bolt IFS 28 ( 1.1") 27 all and that's a RD90 unit, too me this is just numbers haha or the other option for front is 10 bolt live axle thats a RD132. Really need some help with this not keen to order it get it shipped over and be the wrong unit ..

[TJ]

So, you were looking at Eatons at a good price as an alternative to ARBs. And now Chinese knock off is the option? Both Eaton and ARB are comparable, but Chinese copies? Hmmm.

[BlakeJ]

So, you were looking at Eatons at a good price as an alternative to ARBs. And now Chinese knock off is the option? Both Eaton and ARB are comparable, but Chinese copies? Hmmm.

Do you research before you bag shit man, lots of people run chinese lockers and they are all good, just pays to replace the seals in them when you get them which costs f%$ all, only difference is they are cast not billet, but they are still strong, guys run them in comp trucks with no major dramas

[Cameron]

have you looked at one of those cable ox lockers?

[Jerry]

Could look at lockrite/detroit lockers as well ... if you are looking at chinese ones see what the cost to import arbs etc are from the states alternativly wait for sime to come up cheap on tm etc. dont forget tjm lockers as well

spartin? lockers are an optionas well.

[TJ]

Do you research before you bag shit man, lots of people run chinese lockers and they are all good, just pays to replace the seals in them when you get them which costs f%$ all, only difference is they are cast not billet, but they are still strong, guys run them in comp trucks with no major dramas

I dislike cheaper knock offs in principle. All other alternatives suggested have spent time and effort researching and developing their designs, knock offs have just stolen someone else's intellectual property.

As for research, have you ever done it yourself with respect to mean failure rate of new lockers?

I don't intend to hijack this thread, you don't like my opinion then stick to yours. We do live in a democracy.

[BlakeJ]

seach forums on chinese lockers, you will be very hard pressed to find anybad ones, other than little things like seals etc

[imsohi]

a guy in our club had a set of these chinese rip offs, not worth the box they were in, he was smashing diffs left right and centre when he took it to a machinest he found out if the centre was not running true causing uneven wear on the teeth and making them smash. in my opinion stick to the tried proven and tested brands.

[Landcruiser1PZ]

yeah i was looking at lockrite seemed like a good alternative but i would have to change my rear diff as its LSD seems like a bit of messing around. the eatons are 4k for both installed pretty expensive but can be done in dunedin + 3 year warrenty and i know they'll be quality. so it'll be alot easier. If only someone in dunedin did ARB installed + warrenty i'ld be straight in there. I brought this truck with 2.8 diesel intercooled turbo engine pleantly of power compaired to my other 2.4 surf, its manual raised up on 33'' 12.5 maxxis bighorns. so all i really need for it to be fun is diff lockers. going of my other one (being ok ) 4'' lift on 32 wrangler mtr's without diff lockers just doesnt quite make the grade.

[Landcruiser1PZ]

Just some photos of it

[SamLogan]

Talk to suzolla on here. He has sorted me out with 2 brand new diff heads with solid spacers out of the states with arbs already installed for just above the price of an eaton e-locker. That is new bearings and gears. Just another option for you

Sam

[billfish]

Very happy with genuine Eaton Harrop E-Lockers that I picked up in Aussie at Opposite Lock for my 200 series.

Cost me ~ 3k aussie plus about 1.5k to install in Auckland.

Silent runners, state of the art tech and obvious engineering pedigree. Strong lockers that bugger-all can go wrong with compared to ARB which is unnecessarily complex and in my view really is yesterday's tech. For every happy Airlocker customer there are 2 unhappy customers and 1 fretting about his seals.

ARB claim most problems originate at install. Bollocks. The root cause of the failures is because of unnecessary complexity. There is just so much that can go wrong and thus does go wrong. Compare the two 'selectable' locker processes and ask yourself:

A. Airlockers: Generate electricity - to run a motor - to drive a compressor - to hyraulically actuate a lever - to lock a diff.

or

B. E-lockers: Generate electricity and lock a diff.
(With elockers the electro magnet IS the locker.

I note that ARB are quick to point out the benefits of on-board air offers an off roader and I guess it is a handy feature to an extent but with the advent of cheap portable air compressors I reckon that advantage is largely irrelevant. All you really get is one more thing to go wrong.

[yeti]

quite happy with my ox locker ..cable ...easy and simple just like me.....

[badnuz]

Very happy with genuine Eaton Harrop E-Lockers that I picked up in Aussie at Opposite Lock for my 200 series.

Cost me ~ 3k aussie plus about 1.5k to install in Auckland.

Silent runners, state of the art tech and obvious engineering pedigree. Strong lockers that bugger-all can go wrong with compared to ARB which is unnecessarily complex and in my view really is yesterday's tech. For every happy Airlocker customer there are 2 unhappy customers and 1 fretting about his seals.

ARB claim most problems originate at install. Bollocks. The root cause of the failures is because of unnecessary complexity. There is just so much that can go wrong and thus does go wrong. Compare the two 'selectable' locker processes and ask yourself:

A. Airlockers: Generate electricity - to run a motor - to drive a compressor - to hyraulically actuate a lever - to lock a diff.

or

B. E-lockers: Generate electricity and lock a diff.
(With elockers the electro magnet IS the locker.

I note that ARB are quick to point out the benefits of on-board air offers an off roader and I guess it is a handy feature to an extent but with the advent of cheap portable air compressors I reckon that advantage is largely irrelevant. All you really get is one more thing to go wrong.

generally is due to install in the 5 years i been selling them not had one real serious "locker" failure... sure there are worn seal o-rings, and worn trust washers, but given the amount of ARB's sold to "failure" they are very reliable (esp if set up correctly!) sure, some manage to destroy their lockers in competition, but in this instance we are talking a surf, not a LS1 powered trials buggy with 35 inch tahs!


interesting point too that Blake mentions, yes there are a lot of good reviews for the inferior chinese lockers, most of them come from guys who say "yeah they turned up they were sweet and installed ok. now to test them....." you never hear how the "tests" go, and you never hear of catastrophic failures generally because they are too embarressed to admit it! i had one winch comp competitor contact me to BUY and ARB because his SPONSORED chinese lockers kept blowing and costing him DNFs.... yet no-one knew why he wasnt finishing.... you will always hear of failures with ARB lockers due to tall poppy syndrome! what you guys dont see is the amount of lockers sold to contractors and 4x4 Touring people, who never go on any forums
and have no issues what-so -ever!!

anyways, my 10c ( soon to be Australian currency haha, so more like 7.8c)

[Cameron]

do detroit style lockers usually have a fair bit of backlash?

[truckingood]

afew sticks out of the ark do a sweet job too