Diff locks! ARB v MAXI

Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Location: gold coast

Dear Forumers, I can get an old Maxi Drive 2nd hand unit for $1000 disc to disc but I have to fit the sucker. My option is to buy a pair of new ARB Air Lockers for $3000.00. Now I know $2000 is a big difference but...
I'm thinking although the maxi is a great price, I still need a good Air compressor (+ $350.00) plus all the crap and time to fit the Maxi and then I'm only 1/2 locked. I'm no grease monkey and have better things to do than crawl around under my truck. Sams feedback has been excellent and he has advised to go a MAXI but for all the fluffing about and stuff I think the drive in drive away thing is more appealing. I'm into general hard offroading but noithing extreme or over stressful. The 10 splines are weakish I know but I just don't have the room or patience to do a rear diff exit and enter. What do you all think?? Maybe someone lives near me (H) Gold Coast (W) Springwood and would be ahppy to retrofit the Maxi for a fair price?? CASH of course.

MATT

Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Location: Melbourne

most MD lockers are vacumn operated - no compressor
if it is disc to disc.....does that include the housing, hub etc.
or is it just the locker and shafts.....
if whole assembly, should be very easy job
if just locker and axles, still not a hard job.... it is a good time to learn how the whole assembly works, in the comfort of your yard/garage with daylight and a manual - as opposed to in the bush, no light, no manual....

Buy the maxi...even though you are only half locked you can always lock the front later, plus you get the maxi axles.

All ofcourse IMHO Wink

Joined: 08 Nov 2002 Location: melbourne

$2000 for arbs then you have a $1000 for heavy duty axles so the difference is $3G which is the price of another maxi......

i say go to the max

Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Location: Sydney,Narrabeen

Gee i would buy the Maxi get nice strong axles then later if you want get an ARB locker(fine spline)for the front run disco fine spline axles ect

Cheers Mal

Joined: 22 Jul 2003 Location: melbourne

do as landyman says, its the smart way to go!
may as well learn in the comfort of the garage and jackstands how to change axles,centres and flanges.
you will eventually break these on the trail. even if you can't replace them , you will have to remove the broken parts to drive home. (3wd is very funny to watch!!)
every diff guy i know has an arb in the shop being repaired at any one time. from what the guys on the forum say mal replaces for free some breakages.??

Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Location: Sydney,Narrabeen

from what the guys on the forum say mal replaces for free some breakages.??

Yeah Mal replaced my mates axles for free when one of them twisted in a slight abuse of the rear diff lol Very Happy

Cheers Mal

Joined: 22 Jul 2003 Location: melbourne

maybe not axles Crying or Very sad

Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Location: Over there

Maxi - end of story

Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Location: gold coast

Thanks guys! Some points I must mention that may have been confused where I still need to get an air compressor on top of the locker for blowing up my tyres. So there goes the $350.00. From the research I have done, the swap over is a fairly big job in that in takes time to do (1 day+) The Maxi for sale is disc to disc so it would be a matter of dropping my old diff out, putting in the new one and then swapping all the brakes etc etc over. To mount a maxi drive in my existing diff is a MAJOR job as a hole has to be cut and squared in the housing and then mounting pkates attached and welded. My concern is this diff has not been used by the seller so it really is a case of "buyer beware". The guy I know is genuine but there is nothing better than new really. Would you all say that the ARB 10 spline lockers are weak and not worth the money or good and a matter of horses for courses??

MATT

Joined: 08 Nov 2002

Make sure you get the vacuum tank, switch, light and all the lines with the Maxi.

Regards
Max P

Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Location: Over there

ARB 10 spline lockers are strong enough but its the 10 spline axles that go with them that are not. To replace these you really need to go with Maxidrive axles or JacMac and you also need to go 24 spline - nobody seriously produces strengthened 10's as its not really worth it. This is where you will lose dollars against the Maxi.

If its a complete axle then its all that much easier - changing the brakes etc over is not a major.

If it helps I have the 10 spline ARB and I wish I had the Maxi! When I upgrade to replace my weak axles I either have to sell the locker and start again or I have to buy expensive 24 spline side gears for the ARB and then buy the Maxi axles... $$$$

Yes I have a pathetic ARB compressor to pump up my tires - but I rarely use it as its sooooo slow Rolling Eyes

Get the Maxi checked by someone who knows what they are looking at and buy it!

I am jealous - the chance of a second hand Maxi coming up in NZ is next to nothing... Crying or Very sad

Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Location: gold coast

Bodge, you running ARB front and rears?? If so, ever broken anything with the old 10 spliners?

I'm hedging back towards the 2nd hand MAXI now.....

MATT

Joined: 07 Dec 2002 Location: Marsden QLD

I would go the MD locker for that sort of money.

You have got the rear unit for a grand, so for another 2 you can get a new front MD locker and have a good strong driveline front and rear. If you wanted to, the Maxi centre is interchangeable, get the front inner axles for the MD when you do decide to fit a front one and put a new MD centre unit in the rear.

LIke I said when I e-mailled you a few days ago (or a week ago times goes so bloody quick!!), I went the ARB because I got it cheap ($1400 including fitting, new bearings and the compressor). I onluy use my air locker when I need it so if I am able to negotiate a hill or an obstacle without it, I will and NEVER engage it on the move or under load (especially the 10 spline rear like mine, too volitiale to do so!!).

IF you want a good compressor and not spend a fortune, those Super Cheap items are quite good value (not the really cheap one, the unit around thre $120 mark I think). You can always run an air tank if you
want for tyrea and the like.

Go the Maxi-Drive set-up and you can't go wrong.

Regards,

Aquarangie

Quote:

If it ain't broke, leave the bastard alone!!!!

Joined: 22 Jul 2003 Location: melbourne

don't let your "opinion" of having a compressor sway towards a diff lock.
look at threads on converting a/c compressor to do duties as an air compressor. if you have ever repaired a trye and nreed to reseat the bead then the electric comp's aren't usefull. most wreckers will sell you a a/c comp. for under $50. they aren't hard to retrofit to most 4b's.
Wink

Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Location: Over there

matta wrote:

Bodge, you running ARB front and rears?? If so, ever broken anything with the old 10 spliners?

I'm hedging back towards the 2nd hand MAXI now.....

MATT

Just rear.

Haven't broken the 10's at the rear yet but I definitely drive conservatively in an effort to make them last. I do engage on the fly but I don't hammer it too much. AND I fully expect the axles to be shagged when I take them out though. Wink

I had a loaner ARB in the front with the standard 10's and without even trying I disintegrated a CV and took out the inner 10 spline axle.

Go the Maxi.

Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Location: gold coast

Thanks guys, seems as though the opinion is strong towards the Maxi. I am going that way based on your opinions. I'll pick up the diff this weekend and get it sussed out by Mal at MAXI DRIVE before I put it in. Then just do the swap over when Indy is on. The track goes straight past my house so I can have a XXXX and watch the cars guy by and work on my RR at the same time. I'll let you all know how I go!

MATTSTER
MAIN BEACH

Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Location: Melbourne

its good to see that at least some people listen and use the advice given.....
unlike some people who ask a question, get a response and then say... nah I'll do it my way...

Enjoy the Maxi mate Wink

Joined: 16 Dec 2002 Location: Neither here nor there

landy_man wrote:

its good to see that at least some people listen and use the advice given.....
unlike some people who ask a question, get a response and then say... nah I'll do it my way...

Enjoy the Maxi mate Wink

Whoever could you mean..... Cool

Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Location: Melbourne

Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Location: Over there

Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Location: gold coast

Just an update to say that I got my Maxi on the weekend and she goes in this week. Glad I did what you all advised!

Now its time for some bigger rubber, rock sliders and a snorkel to finish her off.

MATT 77 Rangie!

Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:36 pm

modman wrote:

don't let your "opinion" of having a compressor sway towards a diff lock.
look at threads on converting a/c compressor to do duties as an air compressor. if you have ever repaired a trye and nreed to reseat the bead then the electric comp's aren't usefull. most wreckers will sell you a a/c comp. for under $50. they aren't hard to retrofit to most 4b's.
Wink

I reseated the bead with a supercheap compressor. It was branded truck air and cost about $120. Only took a few minutes.

Steve

Joined: 22 Jul 2003 Location: melbourne

my opinion is to not be swayed into getting an "air locker" because there is a side benefit to having an air compressor with it to reinflate tyres.
the thread concerned arb vs md lockers.
imho md is a better whole package/solution.if you want a compressor, well buy one!
i was offering solutions to do thejob quicker

modman