eLocker or air locker?

[nofx]

Hi all

Long post warning. I'm kinda wordy. The title of this post has no doubt been done to death, but I've got my own thoughts on it and another question as well...

So I have a 2012 D22, 32" tyres, chipped, canopy and drawers in the back, always serviced on time with 120k on the clock. The rear diff has also just shat it. My mechanic reckons the people he spoke to say that those diffs are rubbish and prone to failure and that they can't keep reco stock on the shelf. Any thoughts on that? I've been going to this mechanic for years and what's done is done now, but I have been wondering if he has been more "near enough is good enough" lately. I did mention to him that it starting to sound noisy at the two prior services.

I've always favoured the elocker over the ARB locker (with no experience of either) due to lack of airlines and need for compressor to be mounted somewhere, but was never going to get either, I've got a lokka in the front. Now that my diff is cactus though I might as well fit a locker. I know that any item can break, but the first link I read about elockers this week was a two year old forum thread how a number of elockers had failed in a similar manner; a pin had dislodged and become meshed in the gears. Coincidentally, ARB also have a deal at the moment where you buy the locker and they throw in a compressor and tyre pump kit. Price works out to about $2K fitted. eLocker costs about 1500, and I assume might cost up to 500 to fit? I haven't made the call yet to confirm.

So given the similarity is price, which way would you go? What's your real world experience with elockers and your knowledge of the claimed common fault?

Thanks

 

[tony d22]

I don't have any lockers in my 2011 but what your mechanic has told you is rubbish.
Both my diffs are as quiet and as good as new with 260k on the clock.

Myself personally, the way they came from the factory is the best way to go. After all, they were engineered that way.
Bigger tyres don't help with diffs and bearings much either.

If you still insist on a locked diff for the rear, think about tightening up your limited slip plates first. The LSD in the rear diff is very good and coupled with the front locked diff, will help you get through a lot.
As to the price, most people choose the cheapest option but at the end of the day, it all comes down to you.
Air lockers are noisy with the compressor but you will also be able to pump up your tyres. (Need to find somewhere to mount everything too).
E lockers can get chatty but just need the flick of a switch to operate.

Have you searched the forum yet for threads on this?

Good luck.

 

[Horatius]

No idea on the e-locker or air locker debate. I would go neither though, if you have an auto locker in the front. I agree with Tony, an awful lot of people still running around on original diff, some with high mileage that have done a lot of work (on and off road). If it was a common fault it would have been noticed.

 

[ben85]

Front auto lokka, 33s and original rear lsd, 2002 model zd30 260k. Done a fair bit off road, no dramas with the rear diff.

 

[bods]

I think you'll find he was getting confused with the d40 rear diff. Apparently they aren't great, but I've never heard of any common problems with the d22 rears... Do you know it is broken, or are you being told by the mechanic that it is broken?

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

 

[Horatius]

You might find this vid helpful nofx. This fella replaced his e-lockers with TJM air lockers, explains how e-locker, ARB and TJM air lockers work, and why he chose TJM ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nYZo--7Xh4

 

[tony d22]

That's a great video, I learnt a bit more about how it all works.

 

[nofx]

Thanks for your replies. I confess that I had not read of the diff being a problem either. Regarding whether or not if I know it's broken? All I know is that the mechanic said it was stuffed and it sounds like I've got a lion in the back it roars that much. I wouldn't have considered putting a locker in the rear except that this has occurred and I figured if I've got the guts out of this one I might as well add the extra functionality. That, coupled with the advice from the mechanic; I don't want to reco the OEM diff and then potentially have it occur again.

So in relation to the current diff, it sounds like I'm just unlucky? I was aware that bigger tyres and chip would place extra strain on the drive train, but with so many people having done similar I thought that was fine. Mostly I do about 30 km of highway driving a day with 3 or 4 trips to Moreton a year and one big trip every couple of years (just got back from Uluru, the Gulf, Elim Beach, taking the most remote roads we could find).

I'll keep researching, but it sounds like I could save my cash and just reco the original...

 

[ben85]

Id go reco or 2nd hand, which ever is cheaper, lots of d22 parts around.

 

[Horatius]

Sounds like you're just unlucky nofx. As ben mentioned, 2nd/h or a rebuild (with quality replacement parts) should be alright as the standard diffs are not generally known to be a problem.

Out of curiosity, have you got raised breathers? I know in some of the earlier (Japanese made) 22's, some have a raised rear breather from factory while I have seen others with just an ordinary valve type breather.

 

[bods]

Mine is set up similarly to yours, about the same km too. Canopy, drawers, long range fuel tank, 32s and a remapped ecu. I've done all my services myself since being out of warranty, never had any dramas.

Not saying the mechanic did anything wrong, but do you know when the diff oil was last changed and was the correct oil put in? I just use the same oil front and rear, 85w140 LSD is not listed for the front, but with the manual hubs it won't do it any harm...

I do also recall someone on here mentioning similar noise to you and from memory it turned out to be noisy tyres as opposed to the diff. How old and what brand are they?

 

[tony d22]

Out of curiosity, have you got raised breathers? I know in some of the earlier (Japanese made) 22's, some have a raised rear breather from factory while I have seen others with just an ordinary valve type breather.

FYI my 2011 has breathers into the engine bay for rear, front diffs and gearbox/transfer case from factory.

 

[nofx]

Yep, mine has factory breather's too. As for tyres, they're Hankook Dynapro's with about 10k km's on them. I had a set before these and they never made a noise that I can recall now. I really rate these tyres by the way, if anyone is about to buy newies.

Don't think I've described the noise. It is at its worst when travelling greater than 100 km/h, but can be heard throughout the speed range. It is noisiest just at that balance point where you have enough gas on to maintain speed. At full load or fully backed off, it is mostly quiet. It is possible to maintain a relatively quiet journey with an annoying on-off driving style, constantly gently accelerating and then backing off again. I should also say that the noise was relatively minor until part way through our recent journey I mentioned in an earlier post. At which point, it became necessary to turn the radio up and requires you to speak louder than you normally would to your passenger. Mechanic said the oil was fine at the service before the trip but was black when we returned. Did about 9500 km.

 

[tony d22]

I got 153000kms out of my first set of ATM's, the newer Dynapros have 3mm less tread at a depth of 12mm. The older ones had 15mm.

 

[Horatius]

I got 153000kms out of my first set of ATM's, the newer Dynapros have 3mm less tread at a depth of 12mm. The older ones had 15mm.

Are these a genuine "light truck" tyre Tony, or do you know if they make an LT version? They are well priced, but having a look at their advertisements, I can't find info on this.

 

[tony d22]

Yes mate, Light truck tyres.

 

[tony d22]

Printed right there on the sidewall.

 

[Horatius]

Tyroola has these advertised for $179 a tyre fitted, which sounds good.

Have you had them off road much, with reduced pressures?

The mt's I have at the moment are the best all round tyre I've ever owned in all respects except for one. Great grip on the highway in dry, rain or even snow, very comfortable, regularly drop them to 18psi (lower sometimes) off road. Extremely strong especially in the sidewall, doesn't worry them a bit.

Only problem is that at 30k kms they're already a bit worn. Realistically I'm only going to get another 10-15k kms out of them lol.

So I'll be changing them before next trip I think which looks like being mostly desert touring, with lots of highway miles thrown in. Would be a waste wearing out a set of muddies on highway driving and 4wd tracks that amount to basically rough corrugated dirt roads.

These look like they could be a good option for that type of touring. Had Bridgestone at's (in LT) that got me through the Simpson and all around the centre once without a whimper. These are a couple of hundred cheaper though for a set.

 

[KevinE]

Tyroola has these advertised for $179 a tyre fitted, which sounds good.

Have you had them off road much, with reduced pressures?

The mt's I have at the moment are the best all round tyre I've ever owned in all respects except for one. Great grip on the highway in dry, rain or even snow, very comfortable, regularly drop them to 18psi (lower sometimes) off road. Extremely strong especially in the sidewall, doesn't worry them a bit.

Only problem is that at 30k kms they're already a bit worn. Realistically I'm only going to get another 10-15k kms out of them lol.

So I'll be changing them before next trip I think which looks like being mostly desert touring, with lots of highway miles thrown in. Would be a waste wearing out a set of muddies on highway driving and 4wd tracks that amount to basically rough corrugated dirt roads.

These look like they could be a good option for that type of touring. Had Bridgestone at's (in LT) that got me through the Simpson and all around the centre once without a whimper. These are a couple of hundred cheaper though for a set.

I think that the wear you're getting is quite acceptable, especially from MT's on bitumen & rough dirt roads. If you're happy with them, I'd stick with them!

I also do quite a bit of rough/corrugated/bulldusty/rocky roads too & also drop my pressures like you do. I'd be happy with those K's out of tyres doing what we do.

I just did over 1,400km's on those kind of dirt roads & am extremely happy with the tyres I'm running. Not even a flat tyre out of them.

There are some really wild claims on the net about the number of KM's people get from tyres.

 

[tony d22]

Tyroola has these advertised for $179 a tyre fitted, which sounds good.

Have you had them off road much, with reduced pressures?

Not this set of tyres but the last set, absolutely, lowered to around 25psi they were awesome. Enough bulge in the sidewall and never got a flat or came off the bead.
I was pretty sensible where I took the ute though, I had a crack at most obstacles but generally went the safe way if it looked like a ute destroyer.