ARB line routing (from inside the cab)

[Brian894x4]

You know it's funny how quickly space gets used up in what's suppose to be a full size vehicle.

I tried to find a place to mount my ARB full size compressor in the engine compartment. I even got Slee's mount and after losing half a dozen bolts and the studs, I said screw it. It's a great design, but I don't know how anyone gets the thing mounted in such a tight spot.

With no place to go except inside the cab, I found a place to mount it in the rear. No pics yet, but I'm also hooking up a small tank I had lying around to it and it should be a great air source for airing up tires.

The only problem is how do I run an air line from inside the cab to the under the truck without (and this is the key) drilling a hole in my floorboard? Are there any hidden drain pucks somewhere on the floor or especially behind the panels in the rear of the 80? If I could find one say on the driver's side that would be great. I can tap a hole through the drain puck and seal it up and not do any major damage. Any ideas?

I was also thinking about just using the big ARB compressor as an air source for my air tank, and getting the mini compressor that might fit inside engine compartment a little better as my locker air source, but that's getting redundent and spendy.

 

[Desertdude]

With how much noise that ARB compressor produces, I toughed it out and installed it using Slee's bracket. Once in that corner I have had no problems with it. I also used Slee's manifold for distribution. I have an Extreme aire compressor in the back of the 80 under the drawer deck but use it only to fill tires when I am out of the vehicle

( the manifold in the photo was moved slightly to the right of its temp location, and the air valves rotated down)

 

[adventureduo]

I wouldn't use a ARB air compressor with a tank. It cant fill it fast enough to matter. I've tried it. The only time it works good is at the beginning when the tank is already full. After that, the compressor just runs forever. Not to mention it takes forever to fill your tires.

I too, would probably mount it under the hood still. They are noisy even from under the hood like Desertdude said.

 

[Brian894x4]

Ya, I don't expect the ARB compressor to be all that great. I ran the one in my truck to air up tires and it took forever, but I don't air up/down very often so I don't mind the wait and I don't want to spring for a more expensive compressor.

What I'm using is a small 2 gallon air tank that I've found a nice little cubby hole in the back next to the AO drawers to stuff it in. There's enough air in that tank to at least partly air up one tire, should the compressor fail or to run the air locker a few times, if the compressor fails, which is mainly what I plan to use it for.

I've run the compressor where I have it mounted and it's surprisingly quiet. I remember the one in my truck being much louder, but it might be the surface that it's mounted on. In my truck it was mounted on metal and the ARB mount doesn't have any shock absorber. In my 80, I have it mounted on the wood floor of my AO drawers, which I think absorbs a good deal of noise.

In any case, I don't expect to be running for more than a few seconds at any one time, while I'm driving.

Well see how this comes out. I may upgrade the compressor later on.

 

[DaveInDenver]

One thing I was wondering is the locations of the solenoids. Mine spit gear oil and if they were inside I'd get tired of the smell lingering in my cab. Is this less of a problem with the Air Lockers in the bigger Cruiser axles?

 

[MaddBaggins]

I fabbed up a bracket and mounted mine in the stock jack location. I ran the air line (sleeved in 1/4" fuel line) and wires under the drivers side carpet in the wire chase. The wires went up into the dash from there and the air line went thru the upper firewall to the front diff. I have an Aussie in the rear so no air line there. The compressor holds air really well so it only runs when I first turn it on and then only after a couple of cycles of the locker, so noise is not a factor to me.

 

[Desertdude]

One thing I was wondering is the locations of the solenoids. Mine spit gear oil and if they were inside I'd get tired of the smell lingering in my cab. Is this less of a problem with the Air Lockers in the bigger Cruiser axles?

Its been an issue for me;

Christo sent me small fittings that screw on where the solenoids release the air. I was able to use the arb blue plastic line and run this into a small capped plastic jar. I can monitor how much gear oil is coming back up, and not have it spray inside the engine compartment.

I had to go into the rear diff and replace the air assembly along with two seals ( the copper tube snapped off inside after 30K miles) this may have been the source of the gear oil...

 

[Mlachica]

Christo sent me small fittings that screw on where the solenoids release the air. I was able to use the arb blue plastic line and run this into a small capped plastic jar. I can monitor how much gear oil is coming back up, and not have it spray inside the engine compartment

That's a great idea. Before I regeared, my front locker solenoid would spew oil not only when disengaged but when the diff would warm up. After the regear I've been lucky and the solenoid has been dry.


My arb compressor mount arrived wed and now I get to see what you're talking about Brian. I have the larger compressor as well. We just use the existing holes to mount the mount correct? We're not replacing any bolts with the threaded studs?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Keep an eye out for the new ARB compressor, it has over double the volume of the older RDCKA (2.18 CFM versus 1.00 CFM @ 29psi).. .

 

[cruiseroutfit]

One thing I was wondering is the locations of the solenoids. Mine spit gear oil and if they were inside I'd get tired of the smell lingering in my cab. Is this less of a problem with the Air Lockers in the bigger Cruiser axles?

Technically, none of them should expel more than say a teaspoon of oil over an extended period, if you have more than that in any locker you should start looking for internal locker problems. If the locker seems to function fine, and your ok with the oil "spewage", I would get one of the solenoid fittings so you can at least direct the gearlube somewhere

Here is some related information:
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_ARB_troubleshoot.html

 

[DaveInDenver]

Technically, none of them should expel more than say a teaspoon of oil over an extended period, if you have more than that in any locker you should start looking for internal locker problems. If the locker seems to function fine, and your ok with the oil "spewage", I would get one of the solenoid fittings so you can at least direct the gearlube somewhere

Both of mine have done it since day one, the front is worse than the rear. But the lines fill up just driving and when I actuate the lockers my engine bay and hood get a nice rustproofing. Got the RD90 in front and RD23 in the back. There doesn't seem to be anything functionally wrong, so I've just lived with it. When you say teaspoon over an extended period, how do you quantify that? Over the course of a week or two my driver's side fender is dripping in gear lube. The only thing ARB could come up with was to drill out the breather holes and retap them for something bigger. Their thinking is my axles are over pressurizing. For the time being I have put those solenoid fittings on and directed the exhaust under the truck, but now my garage floor has gear lube puddles.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

... When you say teaspoon over an extended period, how do you quantify that? Over the course of a week or two my driver's side fender is dripping in gear lube...

Thats the trick... I honestly don't have a cut/dry answer for that... but here are some examples. Im my FJ40, they lockers have been installed for 8 years now, and have enough gear lube "mist" around the top of the solenoid to collect a bit of dust, not enough to drip, nor spray anything else under the hood. I did update these lockers recently with the new o-rings, but I had my axles apart for PM service anyhow, they were working fine.

In other setups, (my FJ62 for example), it will "mist" enough to leave an oily spot on the hood, 6-8" above the solenoids, but never enough to drip, just make an oily spot.

I guess the way I would quantify it, if it drips, its likely too much IMHO. At some point the air lines will fill up, and when you go to push that back into the locker, it may not let the locker engage all the way (as we experienced in our case study).

All that said, I have customers that have had "leaky" solenoids for years, they live with it and it works just fine... Your results may vary

... The only thing ARB could come up with was to drill out the breather holes and retap them for something bigger. Their thinking is my axles are over pressurizing. For the time being I have put those solenoid fittings on and directed the exhaust under the truck, but now my garage floor has gear lube puddles.

This is a very good idea... we have used this method sucsessfully in the past, I can't call it the end all solution, but it works in some cases. We did do this on our case study, while it slowed the leaking... it came far from stopping it all together. You should run your exhaust fittings back to the differentials, a closed loop system

 

[Brian894x4]

Wow, the leak solenoid is something to think about if mounted in the interior. That definately makes me think twice, although I've never any oil leak whatsoever on my truck's front ARB set up.

Mlachica,

My Slee mount didn't come with instructions, but I guessed that the supplied studs go into a couple of threaded holes on the side of the fender. I think if I didn't lose the studs, and was able to get them installed, it would have gone on better. The other problem is that my compressor mount wouldn't fit the bracket without some jerry rigging. Minor flaw in the manufacture, probably.

It's a very interesting and unique design that Slee came up with and with patients, it's a great place to mount the compressor...really the only place, once you have duel batteries installed.

I think I would rather use the smaller ARB compressor though with that bracket as it would be less of a tight fit. Does anyone know if you can use the smaller compressor and hook the solenoids up stock, or do you still need the external connection block?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...I think I would rather use the smaller ARB compressor though with that bracket as it would be less of a tight fit. Does anyone know if you can use the smaller compressor and hook the solenoids up stock, or do you still need the external connection block?

I've used the small compressor (CSKA12) with Slees bracket, and mounted a single solenoid and the pressure switch.... I'd think you could have two solenoids but without one here to look at I honestly couldn't tell you.

 

[rusty_tlc]

One thing I was wondering is the locations of the solenoids. Mine spit gear oil and if they were inside I'd get tired of the smell lingering in my cab. Is this less of a problem with the Air Lockers in the bigger Cruiser axles?

I think you need to replace your o-rings. You shouldn't get oil back through the solenoid.