I think he ment buying the locker, shipping, tax, other parts like fluid, gaskets, and the like.. the total package..

Yeah Uh... Uh... Uh... Uh... Uh... Uh..., I meant how much did he end up spending when everything (fill in the blanks_______)was done.

Locker: $620


Compressor: $200


Fuel line (to protect air line): $30


Fun of using it: priceless

Thanks, pretty damn sweet.

Thanks for your info, i am goin to do pretty much everything you told me, however, one more question, i know i shouldnt be asking it here but what tires would you choose between Bf all terrain or the Bf mud terrain
thanks

I am considering arb front and rear air lockers but don't know too much about living with them. I mean, are there tradeoffs in performance at all? How about reliability and maintenance? Headaches that come with them? I would have them professionally installed. Would a typical 4x4 center be familiar enough with my X to be able to be trusted with this job? etc. Your advice is appreciated!

There is no trade off in perfomance, only in the thickness of your wallet. As for maintenance, be sure to always keep spare air fittings, air line, O-rings, and a small thing of grease (axle grease, petroleum jelly, whatever) with you. The O-rings do need replacing occaisonally and the grease really helps out with that, and the fittings and line are for that freak accident when you're trying to get out of the mud, spin your tires, and just happen to launch a rock just right to snap the fitting off of the diff housing.

Justin

I have been SUPER happy with mine. No problems other than I mounted the rocker switches too close together and kept breaking the actuating pin of the face plate. No breakage once I moved the switches a little further apart. No other problems or breakage in two years of use.

The traction you gain on loose surfaces (dirt, gravel, rock) is incredible. Also damn nice when you get a tire or two off the ground.

There is a learning curve, especially with the front locker.

Having both lockers has saved my rear a number of times, Tuesday being the most recent. I am in the back country by my self quite a bit and frequently let my curiousity overcome my 'I shouldn't go there' thought.

I had an ARB dealer install them.

Toy Man

Your last question about AT vs MT...if mud is your thing, the MT is the ticket. I have the BFG MTs on a second set of 15" rims. They clean real well, which is a necessity in thick mud. The X doesn't develop enough power to spin the tires clean when it get deep and thick. On the other hand, the MTs will dig you up to your axle quicker than shit in sand, crusty snow, certain other situations. THe ATs would be better there. Bottom line, the MTs are made to evacuate material, and the ATs are made to grip material. Other mud terrains you may consider are the TRXUS from interco. They're relatively cheap, are siped and thus better in the snow, and have very thick side walls for durability. Just another option.

I am moving closer to setting up the installation of new lockers. The quote is pretty steep, but hell, you only live once.

Them, this would be followed up by new tires....

Hmm, I hope I get a couple more month's of overtime.

Todd

They are supposed to have my arb locker installed and ready to pick up today. You are right about the price! Mine is a 00 se and I had 4wheel parts (charlotte,nc)do the complete install. Compressor,locker,lines,gauges,everythng. $1447 total. Damn, I have an understading wife! Going to the mountains tomarrow will post thoughts on monday.

jason

This must be rear only. I'm hearing that the front end is nearly as much again. I love to hear about a wife that is reasonable.

I love the fact that I have my own money......

Todd

For those who decided to install the locker there is advise:

1) Polish the shaft to almost mirror finish to provide good surface finish for the seals (2 dynamic o-rings). Surface finish on the locker that I received was far from optimal for long and durable seal life. I cannot say the surface finish did not meet standard o-ring requirements because I had no way to check finish in my garage but the rule of thumb is that if you feel bumps using your fingernail the o-ring will feel them too. The bottom line is that I would spend this extra hour now than later 5 hours replacing stupid o-rings. I used 300, 600 and 1000 grit (use only sand paper for metal surfaces).



2) Change fluids often, especially during first few months. The locker break-in may result in metal shavings floating inside your diff. There are a two soft o-rings and rubber member activating the locker, which don’t appreciate slivers attacking them.

3) Backlash was relatively easy to set up however I had not clue how to correctly set up the bearing preload. The service manual was very vague and the torque measurement on pinion gear is useless without extremely accurate, high resolution torque wrench that I was not able to find anywhere. The torque wrench (0-7 N) from NAPA is useless for this application. What I have learned is that it is better to set up bearings slightly too loose than too tight. Too tight bearings will quickly wear where as too loose ones may make more noise but will last longer. To double check I decided to put temp. stickers to see if I did not put bearings too tight. My goal was to not exceed 90°C but I have not measured temperature before I put the locker so I could not really compare. Well , next time I’ll know but this maybe helpful for others…



After almost one year my locker works without leaks. I turn it in al least once a month to make sure that nothing will seize.

Good luck to everybody who decides to install it….

I have been quoted Around $3500 by an arb dealer here in Baltimore for both front and rear installation. They are the dealer that arb recommends in this area and have done r&d work for the company. I hesitate to take it anywhere else to look for a cheaper price because I want it done right. This is a brand new vehicle!

Rick,

What company did you speak with? I know a Nissan dealer tech in the area that can do it for considerably less. He's done a few, and definitely knows what he's doing. Email me.

Who told you this? ARB themselves do NOT advise this. Scroll down:
http://www.nissanoffroad.net/frontier/how_to/arb_polish/default.asp

Brent

Well my rear and front ARB's cost me about $2300 (as I recall) two years ago at a top ARB authorized installer here in Portland Oregon.

Toy Man

My quote of $3500 was from Perry Hall Power equipment in Perry Hall MD.

Rick,
What all do they have there at Perry Hall? I've never been there and don't want to waste my time.

They are the dealer/installer recommended by ARB for the air lockers. The arb brochure lists them. I spoke to Ron there. But Brent has indicated that he may know someone who will do a good job for less $$$. Ron told me that he recently did a supercharged x, but had trouble fitting the compressor under the hood. Said he had to hide it inside the bumper.

Would plastiguage work for this application?

The only way I can justify installing one of these to the wife is if I installed it myself. I am mechanically inclined, and have rebuilt a long block in the past but I have never tackled a diff. I do like the fact you can pull the thing out and work on it on a bench. That makes things much easier...

Xtracurricular,
I am not sure if plastiguage would work to set up bearings.
I have not had any experience with diffs either before I tackled this job. You will need a service manual, couple of special tools (or you can make them by yourself as I did), hydraulic press to press bearings (or have a buddy that have one) and a friend to help you un-torque and torque bolts (air tools will not work – sockets are two thick (wall) to torque bolts of arb diff case with ring gear – I tried regular sockets and I busted two of them).

It took me about one week to install the locker (evenings after work). Compressor, air line and electrical stuff took another few days. I have a picture of every single detail of the install so I you need any info let me know. I have learned a lot and it was a good project.

Brent,
I have read replay from the ARB guy and I disagree with most he said. This is my opinion and I am not trying to convince anybody to polish the shaft or not.
Here is what I found interesting from his replay:

“One major concern in this practise is the effect that polishing will have on the bearing seat.
This area is precision machined for optimum fit of the tapered roller bearing cone and polishing it would undoubtedly destroy that fit, resulting in a spun/destroyed bearing.”
My comment – I was polishing the area where o-rings are seated NOT where the bearing is seated. Look at my picture of the polished shaft – the bearing seats below this surface and it is NOT polished as you can see. Besides I measured the shaft before and after polishing and I was not able to measure any difference with a caliper (resolution 0.01mm). I’ll bet the shaft after polishing was within tolerances they originally specified.

“Secondly, the article does not make mention of exactly how you managed to remove the abrasive grit which would have been dusted over the outside and inside of the differential and certainly would have entered the air hole in the journal and contaminated the air system. This would definitely cause O-ring failure and wear/damage to bearings and gears if it was not cleaned out. “
My comment – I made sure to not make any dust. I “wet” polished the shaft (notice the oil bottle next to the diff case). Just in case I put the red plastic foil but there was absolutely no loose particles and you would think everyone would do this way.

“Lastly, but not least, the compound used in Air Locker O-rings is called 'Viton' and, although more expensive, it is a very hard wearing, durable, heat resistant elastomer, and you will find that after you have completed only a few hundred miles, the O-ring has actually polished the bearing journal for you in exactly the right two spots. In fact, it is this break-in period when the O-rings rub against the machined surface that the fine mould line is removed from the O-ring surface as well. We have found that polished surfaces will not remove this O-ring mould line for a significantly longer period of running.”
My comment: Fluorocarbon elastomer (DuPont trademark: Viton) is not as hard wearing as he thinks. There more durable elastomers such polyurethane, NBR, HNBR etc. The biggest benefit of “Viton” is that it has good high temperature capability and is compatible with various oils. ARB guy’s comment that after break-in o-rings rubbed and polished the shaft gives some directions here. What do you think gave first: steel shaft or o-ring material. I have not seen any excessive parting (“mould”) line on the provided o-rings so I do not really get his last comment.

I would have to disagree the differance in capability from 4wd to 4wd locked is about the same as 2wd to 4wd. In mud its just as important to be locked because many times that you get stuck you still have a tire or two on decent ground and even if you are dragging skids or axles pretty heavily being locked will drag you over stuff you normally get hung up on.

I would have to agree on tires being a better first upgrade just becasue of cost though.

Heres another question i have 31 mt/r's and was debating on a lift, bull bar, rear bumper, and rock sliders ar lockers all around. I have been stuck in mud where i still had two good tires on dry ground and the other two just sat there doing nothing. the credit card is about to be used.

That's the way an unlocked 4WD works. The lockers would fix that. One locker will get three wheels moving, two will get all 4 wheels working.

As for which of those mods to get first it all depends upon the type of 4-wheeling you do.

I think lift and armor are good to do after tires, but most all my 'wheeling is on dry dirt and rocks where traction is pretty good. In Mud a suspension lift and lockers would be better; get the frame out of the mud and all wheels working.

Thank you very much thats what i hought would be the best but you know every one wants looks as well as function but i would rather not get stuck . and most of my wheeling is on trails in the woods or through paths that are covered with mud holes. i just wish that i could find a better place that is close to me. and you know wheneveri get stuck i never have a camera on me.