Great Review. Thanks for a great insight into the options. I should have watched this before i entered blindly into buying a Harrop E-locker. my experience with Harrop E-locker is as follows. 1. They are a buggy and faulty item (a lot of dropped pins and mysterious "stuck locked" cases-(research for yourself before you buy) 2. Harrop customer care and warranty has to be the worst i have experienced as a consumer..They will blame anything with "could have been" "not defective" 3. My Harrop E-locker self locked on a freeway @90km/h (I have the fuse removed when not off-road) and not only destroyed the crown and pinion but also ripped out some of the front diff mounting on my ford Ranger. It was a horrific self destruction of a diff center that only ever had one off road engagement (just to try it) and under 1,500km since installation. 4. As the video shows the product isn't actually a locker unless you are moving forward they will unlock if you roll back (to adjust your approach.. which we all need to do) and will take ~1/2 a turn to re-lock ( how could this be called a locker?) It took Harrop more than a month to get back to me and refuse the warranty claim and they still haven't returned my diff back to me so i can have a mechanical engineer write a report. It has now been 2 months and i have had to purchase a new front diff assembly just to get the car back on the road. (I will be putting on an air locker as i will not do business with Harrop again) Please do your research and choose wisely
@@marshiano you were not the only one I made the same mistake. I could not find any useful information so thought I better make the video to hopefully save someone some coin and headache
My fj cruiser has factory fitted rear locker electronic type and up front an arb air locker. Never had any issues and was installed professionally by outback 4x4 Bayswater. I do some fairly rugged inclines with ruts and rocks and poke along quietly up them with lockers on. Never miss a beat very happy indeed. I think front and rear is the way to go and know when and how to use and not use them. Excellent video.
Good video Stefan & I totally see your point. I just had soo many problems with my ARB air lockers that when I made the change (15 months ago) to the E-lockers it was almost magical, and haven’t had a problem in this time. But I can obviously see why you’ve changed.
yes mate, I hear you as well and I don't think E-Lockers are bad just not suitable for me, from my research it seems most people who have an issue with ARB's are because of poor installation and unfortunately I heard from a few people who had issues that they had them installed at ARB Francises which sometimes only have fitters...
Thank you for the explanation i was convinced that elockers were the go for my 200 but thanks to your informative video im now going the tjm pro locker.
I used to fit ARB lockers and can tell you they have quality issues. At the end I was dissassembling the locker and inspecting/cleaning the swarf from the units. TJM lockers are the best selectable locker on the market. E-Lockers are temperamental because of the way they lock and wiring in the housings actually move with the shaking which the housing goes through. I personally run a Lokka in the front of my part time 4x4 but nothing except the ramping type LSD in the rear. Im not into the crawling side of driving but I haven't been stuck without trying really hard.
Much appreciation for your time, effort and willingness to do the research for OUR benefit...I am in the process of starting a long expedition throughout the western half of the country (United States) and I want to ensure that all my critical parts are of solid quality and durability. Again, thank you.
Thank you I was surprised how the E lockers work for real, my mind of air lockers just changed very positively. I’ve never heard of the TJM lockers but I’m going to research them this afternoon so I have the best for my 4X4. Not going rock climbing or hot rock bouncing, I’m building a rig for serious bug out and for running the old roads on my maps of the 20’s- 30’s I’m metal detecting old schools an homesteads in the mountains just want an all around 4x4 to tackle going where no one in 50 yrs has driven.
I ran an ARB Air Locker in my 1990 Toyota 4Runner (5 spd, 22r-e) for about 25 years of daily town driving, wildland travel and occasional technical four-wheeling. While the sound and vibration of the compressor took getting used to, it never failed. I would buy another for my current '05 4Runner without hesitation if I still drove in conditions where it would be helpful.
Thx for the great and accurate review. I personally have a ARB locker fitted for 10years in my Lux. I recently had to change a leaking air seal on the locker. It was a unpleasant exercise for small problem. Thx again for the useful info.
Thank you. I was one of the many who didn't know about the disengagement of the e-locker with direction change and that it would take a .25 rotation to engage in the first place. This will defiantly play into my locker buying decision as I drive a manual transmission and it is difficult to avoid a bit of rocking back and forth over obstacles.
yes you were not alone and even with an auto you may have sometimes non-deliberate but often deliberate small movement in reverse so for me I rather bee in full control of my locker
Just like any big purchase thorough research is needed, choose the wrong thing equals $3K or better mistake. None of these units are cheap, that’s including installation, I like the positive engagement of the pro- locker, however I never knew until now how all these functioned this was a very informative video.
Great explanation of all the lockers. I appreciate your honest transparent view. I was favouring the pro locker but after this detailed (very German 🙂) explanation of all 3, pro locker is the one I’m going to go with. Thanks for helping me decide. Great review.
Glad I could help, I believe TJM unfortunately discontinued the ProLocker I have now ARB installed by a Diff Specialist with 5 year warranty in the Hilux
Great video. I have ARB in the front and rear of a Jeep TJ. So far I have had no problems. I Like the TJM Pro Locker design, the air line and piston can be replaced in the trail. Anything that can be repaired on the trail is worth having. Thanks for your videos
Spot on review. It really comes down to your choice and what will work for your needs. In the end, failure of your locking diff, isn't an option. Awesome review!
Great combination video with actual technical operational information. Agree the fact the TJM is not pressurised is a big plus, but till a friend pointed this out I had no idea about the elockers disengaging when rolling back.
My Gu Patrol it's ARB Airlockers fitted December 2001 , 21 years later there still going strong although the air compressor has been replaced 3 times... The Airlockers were factory fitted and have never missed a beat and the vehicles has played pretty hard over the years and 500.000 kms. I wouldn't worry about those "O" rings to much ! :)
@@AlloffroadAu I just bought a ARB locker for my 94 4runner, should I worry about the o-rings on the new design? Do they go bad more often than the old design?
Just fitted a TJM Pro Locker to my rear diff after having originally wanting the e locker. Thanks for a great video and my installer reinforced my decision as he also agreed that its the best of the 3.
this is why one must have a Detroit locker in the rear. and never use the clutch while climbing. as you never "lose" the lock, and should never "roll: back. slide yes... but that is traction a different thing.
Hi Stephan, good choice. I had tjm prolockers installed 7 years ago on my 105 landcruiser still work ok, little air leak somewhere, but still do their job. I did choose Tjm above Arb, also because Arb would not give me warranty with their lockers, because I run 35 inch tyres on my cruiser and Tjm did. Maybe Arb do now, I have not checked.
It's called reverse rotation or high pinion. The southern hemisphere is reverse cut and rotates opposite of the northern hemisphere to make sure the earth doesn't spin off keep course and keep traction while rotating around the sun.
ARB redesigned their air lockers. The older ones had o-rings that would wear out when the diff was unlocked and being driven on the road, resulting in blown out axle end seals, oil being pushed out by the air pressure when activated, ect. Definitely something to consider if purchasing a second hand one
I’ve had my ARB lockers front and rear since 2003 in an 80 landcruiser diesel manual. Both lockers leak oil out the pneumatic solenoid upon disengagement. It’s like a puff of oil vapour and my firewall is covered in diff oil. Ive had three diff rebuilds in the rear, often after rock crawling. The lockers used to shear bolt heads which then floated around the diff centre until they smashed into the crown wheel and pinion and that was always a horrible sound and experience. Then I got it modified with more bolts. The o rings are always worn and the elastomer loses elasticity over time.. It’s just not a durable design in my opinion and I’m a mechanical engineer for almost 20 years. Just waiting for the upcoming fourth diff rebuild 😬
Mate thanks for that. I have the ARB Air Lockers in the front and rear of my 100 series Cruiser and I do love them. They've been in since 2006 and the only trouble I've had is after putting a 3" exhaust on the car, at full flex the exhaust would break the air fitting as it exits the diff. I have since redesigned that exit system and it's fine now. I have noticed over the years that the compressor kicks in more often than it used to, so I guess a service to replace some o-rings might be worth it. It doesn't fail though,, so I'm still happy with them
If they are well installed they usually seem to be good, if there was no TJM I would have also gone ARB but installed by ARB HQ with the 5 year warranty
thankds for the technical breakdown I am looking for a pair of lockers to go on either my patrol or my Isuzu trooper neither 4x4 is new they are both used as tractors to pull broken down vehicles back to the public road where they can then be put on the recovery truck and brought back to the garage I have previous experience of mechanical limited slip diffs but in the muddier fields the 2 4x4s could do with a little help( so locking diffs to the rescue )
Thank you for all the work you put into this video. Fantastic review. It was professional and insightful. Explaining the clear differences between all three lockers. You have made my decision as a not so full on enthusiast to keep it simple.
Nice comparison, although it would be helpful "for newbies" to see the purchase price differences as well as installation cost differences. I agree - if you have the budget, TJM is the way to go.
yes prices do vary though quite a bit and change with time. Elocker is usually cheapest as install is quick and hence often promoted by workshops quick in and out money
This video would have to be one of the best on UA-cam. Very professional. I think I am leaning toward TJM but not 100% sure. I sit on the fence deciding for so long that something new usually comes on the market. Lockers are so confusing to pick the right one; it is a pity there isn't one on the market that is foolproof and reliable. I hope you keep making these videos for everyone, as it helps so much, especially as there is no sales and marketing BS to con us out of our hard earned money. More power to you man.
Wow!! I didn't know the Elocker actually had a temporary disengagement like that. That is some great info! I've been doing a lot of research myself and thankfully came across your video. Thank you!
Excellent video. This has me leaning toward the TJM. I have been researching for months and am still undecided as there isn't one locker that is perfect. I don't like that disengagement with elockers, and am wary about ARB O-rings in particular. This video has been the most honest and best explained one that I have come across so far. You appear to be very honest, and don't appear to be promoting any locker, even though you have gone TJM. Honesty works for me, and I disregard information given by others who I can 99% tell are promoting something for a company and what they can get out of it.
I had an ARB lock for over 23 years only problem was the air compressor died after 22 years so couldn’t complain got my moneys worth. Locker never failed and it got smashed all across the top end. 👍
Well for the weekend warrior/occasional off roading, the e-locker would be the way to go. But for the more dedicated people. Air lockers plus an air system that can also inflate your tires should be the setup you would want.
Great video fella, thanks. I knew from the onset there were differences. When I got my lockers, in my 2003 Hilux SR5, four years ago, I don't think I'd heard of the TJM locker, I was sold solely on the ARB. My mate told me about the 'E' locker, and having never gelled with the notion of a cable (such as the OX locker) I did most of my research around the ARB and the Eaton 'E'. As mentioned my preference was with the ARB, and it takes a lot for me to change my mind once I get set on something, however, once I found out that they required a seal inside the diff, and reading someone's write-up stating that they were a mechanic dealing with a lot of the ARBs, and saying "who would want to fill their diffs with compressed air? I mean 'seriously'"? I started to focus on the 'E' lockers. The notion, like you mentioned, that these things undid between forwards and reverse, really didn't sit well with me at all, and psychologically still don't, however, that's what I ended up going for (front and rear, very simple operation installed by myself a 'meat worker') and have not had a single problem with them. I'm 'only' a hunter, requiring four wheel drive to get me safely back up the odd track that I encounter, however, I've never noticed them unlock whilst I've been out there doing it. Perhaps I'd change my mind if I got into more serious 'technical' wheeling, I don't know, but I'm certainly not about to rip them out, for me, they're perfect. Thanks.
Great information, presented in an easily understood way, with what I thought to be a very balanced approach. Appreciate your efforts in making this video. Now I'm armed with some very relevant knowledge, I know which diff locker I'll be going with. Glen
Excellent review. I have a factory rear locker in my NP300. As an "e-locker" it works fine (so far). I was thinking an air for the front, but I am convinced now thanks to your video. I have an on-board tank and twin compressors, so air supply will be a breeze. Really enjoying your videos. Keep up the great work....
Was just about to Pull the trigger on a Rear E-locker for My Dmax but rememebered this Vid so thought I'd rewatch it again just to be sure, but after going through the comments, I might save up the further $600 for a TJM Pro Locker, seems it'll save me money in the long run, Love your video mate and thanks for putting it together
You seem to have closely analysed the merits of each diff lock. I tend to agree with you and your choice - however - this internal air line fracturing business is IMO due to the flexing of the diff housing. I have had experience with ARB diff locks and this has happened in a number of occasions over the years. It doeth shittith me to tears since when you need it most it fails! This is why i found you as i was wondering about electric activation as a means of negating this frankly unnaceptable internal airline BS. I now find the e Locker has a severe limitation. Look all we really need is an electric or cable dog clutch to stay in foward and reverse on a decent 4 pinion carrier. I ask why does it need to be this hard?
An excellent explanation. I was looking to get either an ARB Air Locker or TJM Pro Locker in my new LC 200 series. I will now have the TJM Pro Locker installed.
Not happy with my e locker at all. Northwest hill climbing were you have to back up and try again, the lock unlock mannerisms are a pain. Will switch to ox
Good explanation, I have e-lockers in my Landcruiser and am happy with them, despite having one explode and destroy my diff!-was repaired under warranty but did have to drive 100 kms in front wheel drive! Only other problem has been with a poor quality fuse holder which caused locker not to work due to no power. If I was to buy again though I would consider the pro locker for the same reasons you mention.
we have two people in our club who recently found a sheered of small bolt on the magnet in the diff looks like a grub screw, must come from E-Locker will see how Harrop handles the warranty...
AllOffroad 4x4 Adventures TV yes the spider gear shaft is held in place with three small cap screws, they fell out in mine allowing the shaft to come free and reek havoc! Eaton said it was due to a bad batch of thread locker?! Locker and all damaged parts replaced under warranty
First of all that’s a good informative video.I had arb lockers installed on my new hilux and I’m now on my 4th set of lockers after travelling only 87,000kms. The last failure absolutely destroyed my rear diff and housing when a crown wheel bolt FELL OUT!!!! As they don’t use locking tabs but recommend lock tite.to keep it together. With a bit of luck the car should be back on the road this Friday and come Monday I’m going the Tjm to get the pro lockers fitted. I no longer feel that my car is reliable and I can’t take it anywhere I can’t get a tow truck and after researching all the lockers I’m hard pressed finding negative feedback about the tjm’s. This video helped me make up my mind. Thanks again
Ps the new arb lockers will only travel around 50kms from the ARB workshop to the TJM workshop where they’ll be cheerfully ripped out n replaced. Anyone want to buy some cheap arb lockers for a 2013 hilux SR5, they’ve only done 50kms $750 for both front n rear
Your bolt falling out has nothing to do with the locker. That is purely installer fault. You can most certainly use locking tabs on the arb. No matter what brand you choose, if you don't run locking tabs, locktite on clean oil free threads, you run the risk of bolts falling out.
Interestingly we had this happen to all 5 people in our club with e-lockers, one vehicle needed the whole axle housing and centre replaced twice within 12 month, the second vehicle twice within 2 years installed by Harrop so doubt this is just an installation issue. My theory is that they come loose with heavy use as all of us use the lockers on a weekly base.
I just installed an Eaton e locker in the rear and noticed how it disengages and reengages. I like to do some pretty hardcore wheeling and that may prove to be a con for me. I suppose I’ll have to wait and see to find out. As long as constant momentum is kept it should be fine. Lockers allow you to spin tires when stuck, so just keep momentum is my fix. We’ll see
I have the stock LSD on the rear of my LWB Trooper and an Aussie Locker in the front. As it has 2/4 option the front doesn't affect handling but care is taken when in 4. Works great for me in the UK. I could buy a used trooper for the price of an ARB so, no argument. NO WIRES, NO TUBES, NO FAILING. As long as you remember not to abuse the half shafts.
Love my ARB lockers. However, it's very important that the air hose is installed correctly and away from heat. Last winter, while wheeling in 5' deep snow my front locker failed duento melted air supply line. The company who installed my lockers ran the supply line too close to the exhaust and it melted. It was also out of reach and so I had no lockers.
Great video Stefan, I didn't know this about the eLockers, it wouldn't really be much of a problem for me with how and where I drive, but I can see how it would be a critical problem for the tech stuff you do. Also great to see a factual video presenting real information rather just more heresay that forums etc get flooded with. Great stuff!
Excellent and well explained video. I have an '05 Jeep TJ Rocky Mtn, and I'm looking to do more challenging off roading, will be getting either the TJM or ARB lockers with 32" BFG MT's.
Great info. I also watched Filthy Motorsports video before making the tough decision. I went with Harrops as I didn’t want to add additional failure points - air compressor, air lines and O-Rings. TJM lockers are not available in USA. Also, I am not usually rock crawling like in your video when off-roading and I do have an automatic transmission and left foot brake to prevent roll backs, most of the time.
Great video thanks. I've also watched the full filthy motorsport video. I'm far from an experienced off roader of my 80 series but to me it looks like TJM is the way to go. Having a compressor onboard is vital for tyres anyway, so I'll have it to do both. Cheers.
Another quality video stepan i thought of an e locker for my front diff before but since one of our fellow drivers in his disco had one installed and failed twice i have stuck to my auto lokka in the front only no air lines or switches and has been bloody awesome the only thing wrong with them they cant be switched of but they are a bit savage when first installed i would not put an auto lokka in the rear btw
I used to have an Ashcroft ATB in the Disco 2, liked it for 99% of applications but still was reactive so stuffed up a few rock climbs hence I changed to an Air Locker at the time
Do you find it a bit clunky. I used to run a lokka in the rear of my old hilux and whilst it worked well it was very noisy and clunky when turning. I presume they are a similar design.
Great info! My factory locker in mitsubishi challenger has started playing up so looking at drop-in options I found only harrop do a suitable one. Interesting your findings with the elocker and something I need to seriously consider as do alot of technical driving! cheers
What I would like to know about air locker is can moisture freeze in the line in below freezing temps. Like in North Central USA where temps can go to -30 F .
my 79 cruiser came out standard with a Toyota factory locker...hasn't missed a beat since iv used it. in saying that the rear diff lock took awhile to engage because it was new but its pretty good now, my only bad remark about it is it wont engage without 4wd (H4 or L4) and its either: rear lock or front AND rear. I know 9/10 times if you want the front the rear should be engaged anyway but I like having full choice over a vehicles abilities. if I could pick or choose at the end of the day id still pick ARB Airlockers
Very good detailed Information. I don‘t have the posibility to do what you do and i never will, but i love all the details. Thanks for making al that stuff.
...bit of a shame that the Aussie made Maxi-Drive locker also wasn't included (vacuum operated); granted that they are only made for the Landrover / Rangie scene, I guess it is fairly limited.
Hi Have MaxiDrive lockers in Tiny and also had them in my 110. Best lockers in my opinion but not included as they are not made anymore for years so no way to purchase unless you buy a used one.
Damn I was all about the Harrop E-lockers, but now watching this knowing it might not work if u roll back is a no go for me. Cause I get myself into sketchy situations pretty often and I need my lockers to work when I need them to. Definitely getting an air locker now most likely Tjm... thanks for the insight.
This video has just given me ammo for my warranty claim that has been denied by harrop. My locker does not engage anymore and they are claiming I turned it on while the wheels were spinning which damaged it. I told them I have only ever turned it on while stationary or going very slow with no load. This video shows the e locker disengages when going from drive to reverse and then from reverse to drive. The exact same situation that happens when you get bogged on the beach. You get stuck so you put it into reverse, then forward, then reverse etc. This situation is usually under high load as the wheels are stuck, the high load and change of direction unlocks and then re locks with high torque on the diff centre and was what put the force on the diff when the wheel re locked in. This is clearly how the damage has occured which is 100% a design fault. A locker is used to give extra traction but what's the point if it unlocks itself and then causes major damage to the diff?? I thought it may have been an electrical fault but obviously not Looks like my diff will getting fixed now under warranty after all!!
Didn’t think about that but yes you probably need to be careful when changing direction under load with elocker engaged like in sand or mud as that would engage and disengage locker under load which is not really advisable
@@AlloffroadAu I was never at any stage told about this unlocking stage on change of direction, I have never engaged my locker unless I was stopped or rolling straight forward slowly with no throttle however Harrop are accusing me of this and not covering the damage under warranty because of this. I bought a locker so I could have both wheels locked for maximum traction but the fact that it unlocks and re locks on change of direction is definitely a problem especially in a boggy sand condition however Harrop refuse to admit it as of yet. They claim the locker does not unlock on change of direction even though you can clearly see the locking pins sliding down the forward ramp to the unlocked position and then sliding up the reverse locking ramp and then re locking at the end of the ramp and in a situation where removing a car from being bogged requires forward and backwards driving under high load to rock a car out of the situation causes damage to the locker due to the design fault. They are clearly denying responsibility for the design issue to avoid future warranty issues. I will be getting an independent engineers report assessing the damage and how it occured and contacting consumer affairs in regards to this if harrop does not repair my locker.
yes, I can see how the locking mechanism of the e-locker under the circumstance you described could cause failure, if you reverse under load with the lockers engage Harrop says the locker will not disengage however I have seen different in many circumstances. If Harrop suggests to not engage and disengage under load I would think they would also need to say don't make reveres and forward changes under load if the locker is engaged. I like the electronic concept of the e-locker but the engagement mechanism is not well-thought through. If it's not warranted I would contact Fair Trading
Daine Batchelor mate dump them and go tjm. I’m on my 4th set of arb lockers in 87,000kms. The first failure was the air leak both front and rear after 21,000kms then a failure at 41,000kms that saw both front and rear diffs replaced and to top it of I had a catastrophic failure when a crown wheel bolt fell out at 87,000kms that destroyed the diff and housing and crown and pinion plus the locker itself. I’m biting the bullet and going tjm even though these new arb diffs and lockers will have clocked up 50kms and that’s from arb,s workshop to tjm,s workshop.
Good point Daine about sand or mud forwards/backwards driving dis-engagement/re-engagement & the Harrop E-locker design issue & damage, I was going to buy & fit the Harrop E-locker to the front diff of my Landcruiser VDJ79R but after reading your post I have ruled the Harrop E-locker out along with the ARB air locker.
After seeing this video I performed a check on the e-locker in the back of my Mitsubishi Triton. I jacked one wheel off the ground and engaged the locker. Turning the tailshaft backwards until the difflock engaged, I then marked 12 o'clock on the tyre. Then I turned the tailshaft forward until the difflock engaged in the other direction. The mark on the tyre was at about 2.30, not quite 90 degrees of rotation on the tyre. I checked it back and forth a couple of times to make sure of my results. So while it is true that the difflock dis-engages and has to re-engage with a direction change, I can live with the minimal amount of rotation it takes to do this. Have put over 50,000 km on my locker with no issues and it has never failed to operate, and was simple enough for me to install myself on the driveway at home.
yes in most instances the disengage wont be noticed, what tyre size? Keep in mind the bigger the tyre the more it will affect you when lining up for rock climbs
Haha. Great vid. Thankyou. I have e lockers. They get a good work out for sure. As you say all good in the area you play in. A mate of mine John said it in great words on the track one day as I had an issue with e locker but didn’t know it haha , the thing is you can hear an airline that is pinched and know there is an issue , as with a broken wire you don’t know till it’s to late. Keep up the good work. Steady steady mate.
I think I have settled on the OX locker. It essentially can be a mechanical, air, or electronic locker and you don't need to open up the diff to change it from one to the other.
I have the newest ox locker cable setup that has thread in piece at each end so it now grabs the mechanism and always unlocks and disengages and you get a cover with it for free and you can by a cheap piece and get out and push it in if something broke your cable you sir would be very smart to get their new setup it is AMAZING! Hope this helps your decision take care wheel fir life!🙂
Good information, I wish the Grizzly or Detroit Locker was available for my Toyota 8.2 Diff. I have a Grizzly Locker in my Nissan and it has been flawless for over 30k miles now. Probably going to go Harrop for my Toyota 8.2 despite its minor disadvantages.
So if you have an e-locker. You should use your left foot to hold the brake while you roll on the throttle. This way you don't slip back. An additional step, but may be a helpful trick even with an air locker. I do it even in 4lo without my locker engaged and it seems to help heaps with gaining tracking because you aren't fighting the rearward momentum before gaining traction to move forward over an obstacle.
The issue is more if you need to wriggle yourself in a better spot in tight conditions no foot on the break helps there. But when driving Technical we often drive double footed right accelerator and left brake.
Ah yes, in this situation you might be out of luck with the elocker. I have the Tacoma TRD Offroad with the OEM elocker in it. Haven't had this issue when stopping right before popping the rear up a little ledge, but I don't wheel as hard as you do. I'm sure I would notice the issue if I hit what you hit.
I’ve been running the locker for about a year now and it’s been fantastic. The things I like about it over the ARB is price and the fact that you don’t have to run an air compressor in a bunch of airlines to your diffs. Wires are much more flexible than hoses and for the trails that I do the locker is plenty Durable.
Yes it all depends on how you use it, just make sure you don’t get stuck and switch between forward and revers under load as even though your locker is engaged it will diss and re engage under load and a few people have broken the locker with it
I love your accent and the way u talk lol. TJM is your recommendation for reliability and toughness for expedition? Your expert opinion is of great value
Keep the vent on the diff itself clear, and clean lube and the O-rings will last many years. You MUST clean out all the air passages several times. I have seen crap in the passages and the 1st time you engage them, its fine, but when you disengage it, it spits the crap out and in between the o-rings. They do a nice job keeping them clean, but the surface is ground, and you have a good chance of getting some crap out of it. I ALWAYS get crap out of the copper tube. All that will end up in the o-rings. Surgical clean and you are good to go.
Always have Air lockers installed by a professional. I went ARB as they were cheaper than both the Elockers $6000 , TJM $ 4700 , ARB $ 3800 . These are actual written quotes . Don’t always assume that ARB is expensive. They were supplied and fitted cost for front and rear lockers for a Gen4 Pajero. They worked fine and never had any issues. No leaks and they were used often. Btw the ARB price was for the upgraded air compressor to air up tyres too. Please note these prices were 2014.
I think the Airlocker need to work constantly (work often) minimum once a week. If the locker rest a half of the year the o rings fail often.After some o ring fails i am now happy with a Spartan locker in my Samurai.
Love your videos. Also about to pull the trigger on a TJM Pro (air) Locker for my 60 which I had decided a few years ago was the best option (but didn't have the funds), only to find out now you can't get them anymore. I called a few dealers and they didn't even seem to know themselves, so must be recent. I also heard parts issue but that doesn't make sense. Might have to go ARB but I really don't like the o-ring leaks you year so much about. This video just makes me want the TJM pro even more. Surely there is some stock lying around somewhere???
I’m not putting air lockers down because I know they are widely used and pretty reliable but I think there is something to be said for simplicity in this matter. Air lockers have more points of failure because there are more needed components and the installation is more complex. If your compressor stops working, failure, if the airlines get damaged, failure, if the seals around the locker and airline connection develop a leak, failure. Pretty much the only point of failure with a elocker is the electrical connection which can be something that might be a lot easier to fix on a trail. The sacrifice is you may have to perform a minor maneuver to re-engage the elocker if you roll one way or another. For properly equipped 4x4 with a winch a failure or disengagement of a locker really shouldn’t be that catastrophic to becoming unstuck.
Would disagree in some of your points, the elocker wires usually rip out inside the diff with no way to fix this. I fixed airline leaks in the bush. The TJM locker has no moving orings and also internally a better design the elocker and ARB Air Locker. The elocker is also known to loose one of the grub screws which hold the spider gears this in return destroys the diff and often even the housing. I know of 3 of this cases among our driving friends.
AllOffroad 4x4 Adventures TV if what you say is so why did you not make comment this in the video, air locker by arb fail 99% of the time on orings and then blow the diff seals and oil out well known issue that they didn't want to warrant instead forcing the owner to buy a full new replacement unit. The tjm is air activation and what seals the piston in the housing. You say technically driving I've managed to get all places with a manual transmission and both open diffs as the trustee Landcruiser has a pathetic LSD not knocking your statement just in case you are thinking so I believe that there is more testing then 1 drive required to get a valid point in either units
I didn't make the comment about the Spider gears in the video as two of the broken diffs we had in our group were still investigated by Harrop and I was not sure if we just had bad luck and I don't want to make assumptions. After the video went up I had quite a few more people contacting me who had the same issue and our two diffs turned out as well with the broken bolt. Not sure if you go the same place we go? However you will get most places also with the e-locker just with more tries and more effort and track damage. I personally buy a diff locker to have a locked diff, not a partially locked diff which disengages in certain situations, that's just me though. If you have an e-locker and you happy with it no need to change, if you about to buy one my video may help you to make the right choice for you. and I agree with ARB air locker O ring issue hence I went with the TJM. While the TJM has a O ring it's not a moving part and very different design and I don't know anyone who had one fail so it does not seem to be a common issue. If I needed to purchase a ARB Locker (TJM Locker is not available for all vehicles and makes) I would only purchase and get it installed by ARB direct (not a franchise) as it then will come with 5 year warranty which also includes labor. Yes I agree that more then 1 drive is needed however we have a few people with E-lockers in the club which purchased slightly before me and the same issue manifested there once I then started looking in to why I did not need more driving as the design explains the shortcoming quite well.
@@dainebatchelor9382fuck man, its hard not to read your comments, you are posting them several times here and on the Harrop clips as well. Chill man. Shit happens, just get their analysis and then get an independent analysis, if they don't come to the party go to fair trading. so simple.
Have any of you gentlemen tried OX brand lockers? According to a lot of off roaders these lockers are supposed to be the strongest most reliable lockers you can get. Maybe you can include them in your next comparison?
You won't hear much about Ox lockers because they are only made for American axles with a removable cover. But they are a good option if you have this type of axle.
even though lockers are just a bit down the road for me, this is exactly the info i'd like to get started. my '01 F150 has 422K+ miles on its oem IFS. adding a locker suggests i upgrade the ifs at the same time for robustness. as we all know, you aussies know best how to get the most from your offroading hardware, what kind of ifs do you suggest for an aging truck destined to do more offroad as she gets older?? Thx!!!
Like the vid and info but you did not provide vid footage of technical obstacle navigation with the TJM locker set. I would really appreciate an update with video footage please and thank you very much for your time, resources and testing!
Thanks, man. Good and very informative. Made me wonder how the locker in my Toyota LC79 works. Knowing its electrical it will be good to see how those lockers work
@@AlloffroadAu: I would agree. I have a 1999 Toyota Tacoma TRD with an electric locker, which has been fabulous. Sometimes I get stuck, just so I can hit that button and crawl out of the sand or up the rutted trail. I have never noticed the differential unlocking with my truck.
Its interesting that the eaton uses a ball ramp design but I guess thats what you have to do to apply large reliable force with a small current. I've got the Toyota e-lockers in my 80 series and I think its the best way to do it as you don't have to deal with air but it is a locking collar design. but I realize that if your axle wasn't designed to accommodate a shift fork and actuator its no good.
Eaton uses 3 different designs the ball ramp, pin ramp and the new Elocker4 which does not have the shortcomings but it is only available for a Dana 60/70
Stefan, great video. I'm limited for options, either Harrop e-locker or ARB air locker, because the vehicle is a 2018 Holden Colorado (stop rolling your eyes). They don't make a TJM or Lokka for this ute. Having considered your views, I think ARB might be the better option for me...
Didn’t roll my eyes mate everyone has different requirement if the Colorado works for you it’s all good. I agree would also go ARB (did actually in the Jeep) get it installed by a diff place who still offers the 5 years warranty if you in Sydney see Jmac
I have an e-locker as well. My Jeep has been to Moab many times and has done all but the crazy-hard trails (i.e. Pritchet Canyon) and has never once had a problem. I think the roll back issue is really no issue at all.
from what I have seen Moab is pretty straight forward driving not much realignment needed so the disengagement would not make much difference for very technical driving of big rock steps it definitely makes a difference.
@@AlloffroadAu Ahh that makes a bit more sense. I do take some tough trails but usually walk them just to make sure it is possible for my 80 series to get through plus I have never really done exceptionally tight turning or overly technical stuff. Cheers for the reply.
Thank you for this video! I been searching on a locker and came across the tjm pro locker not long ago an read up good things about there design and quality and this video has helped me made my decision on which locker to go with in the future. Seems like allot of technical off roaders choose tjm over Arb
The TJM Pro locker Is my dad's diff lock. Dad invented it 40 years ago. It used to be called the McNamara locker, he sold the design to TJM. just before he sold the design to TJM he rang up ARB and told them, "would they like to buy the design and call it the ARB locker 2 so they have no competition because TJM wants to buy it". But ARB said nahh not really. I bet they wish they bought the paintent off him now hahahha
@@AlloffroadAu TJM makes the pro locker all wrong. The pneumatic cylinder throws further than the locking ring and there is a few other mistakes they do when they're manufacture this Pro locker. we have told them over and over and over for the past 10 years what they're doing wrong and they keep making them wrong
all these large companies that make all this aftermarket stuff just don't care all they do is make this crap as quick as possible and try and get as much profit you tell them what would make it better what they're doing to make it wrong all this all that nobody ever listens. Corporations are disgusting
Every single time we fit a TJM Pro locker to a customer's diff we have to start modifying a brand new diff lock because they're made in correctly.the normal person wouldn't even pick up that they're made wrong. And would just fit them as they are. And then while in operation/diff locked it all jams up and where's out
@@differentials Can i get some TJM "fixed by McNamara" lockers from you? As I have finally got the wife onboard with forking out for lockers and this is my one chance to get them and I want it done right. In Tas btw so a fix and ship kind of thing.
Well I am in Arizona United States and I’ve had E lockers in both ends of my jeep for four years I’ve never experienced the issues that you speak of in your video I think the Elockers are the best way to go you don’t have to chase down air leaks don’t have to worry about compressors just flip the switch and go
You should have included the 4WD Systems LOKKA that is made in Adelaide as it is a very capable diff lock and also very cheap in comparison to the others. I have had on in my 1997 Hilux and a friend has hade on in his 2005 Navara and apart from breaking the pins in the Navara, Which only cost $40 to replace, out have performed flawlessly
Great Review. Thanks for a great insight into the options.
I should have watched this before i entered blindly into buying a Harrop E-locker. my experience with Harrop E-locker is as follows.
1. They are a buggy and faulty item (a lot of dropped pins and mysterious "stuck locked" cases-(research for yourself before you buy)
2. Harrop customer care and warranty has to be the worst i have experienced as a consumer..They will blame anything with "could have been" "not defective"
3. My Harrop E-locker self locked on a freeway @90km/h (I have the fuse removed when not off-road) and not only destroyed the crown and pinion but also ripped out some of the front diff mounting on my ford Ranger. It was a horrific self destruction of a diff center that only ever had one off road engagement (just to try it) and under 1,500km since installation.
4. As the video shows the product isn't actually a locker unless you are moving forward they will unlock if you roll back (to adjust your approach.. which we all need to do) and will take ~1/2 a turn to re-lock ( how could this be called a locker?)
It took Harrop more than a month to get back to me and refuse the warranty claim and they still haven't returned my diff back to me so i can have a mechanical engineer write a report.
It has now been 2 months and i have had to purchase a new front diff assembly just to get the car back on the road. (I will be putting on an air locker as i will not do business with Harrop again)
Please do your research and choose wisely
Wow, thanks for sharing that is bad, I’m so glad I removed my ones again
AllOffroad 4x4 Adventures TV
Thanks for the pin.
Purchasing on The perception of quality and simplicity was my mistake.
@@marshiano you were not the only one I made the same mistake. I could not find any useful information so thought I better make the video to hopefully save someone some coin and headache
Sounds like you did a bad install
Forget the complexity check out OX locker. I’ve had an OX in a 60 since it was released for sale, in a F-350
My fj cruiser has factory fitted rear locker electronic type and up front an arb air locker. Never had any issues and was installed professionally by outback 4x4 Bayswater. I do some fairly rugged inclines with ruts and rocks and poke along quietly up them with lockers on. Never miss a beat very happy indeed. I think front and rear is the way to go and know when and how to use and not use them. Excellent video.
Good video Stefan & I totally see your point. I just had soo many problems with my ARB air lockers that when I made the change (15 months ago) to the E-lockers it was almost magical, and haven’t had a problem in this time. But I can obviously see why you’ve changed.
yes mate, I hear you as well and I don't think E-Lockers are bad just not suitable for me, from my research it seems most people who have an issue with ARB's are because of poor installation and unfortunately I heard from a few people who had issues that they had them installed at ARB Francises which sometimes only have fitters...
Thank you for the explanation i was convinced that elockers were the go for my 200 but thanks to your informative video im now going the tjm pro locker.
I used to fit ARB lockers and can tell you they have quality issues. At the end I was dissassembling the locker and inspecting/cleaning the swarf from the units.
TJM lockers are the best selectable locker on the market.
E-Lockers are temperamental because of the way they lock and wiring in the housings actually move with the shaking which the housing goes through.
I personally run a Lokka in the front of my part time 4x4 but nothing except the ramping type LSD in the rear. Im not into the crawling side of driving but I haven't been stuck without trying really hard.
Got front and rear ARB air lockers in my 91/92 Swb Pajero.
Wanted them all my life,,,Very happy.!
Much appreciation for your time, effort and willingness to do the research for OUR benefit...I am in the process of starting a long expedition throughout the western half of the country (United States) and I want to ensure that all my critical parts are of solid quality and durability. Again, thank you.
Sounds great mate enjoy your journey
Thank you I was surprised how the E lockers work for real, my mind of air lockers just changed very positively. I’ve never heard of the TJM lockers but I’m going to research them this afternoon so I have the best for my 4X4. Not going rock climbing or hot rock bouncing, I’m building a rig for serious bug out and for running the old roads on my maps of the 20’s- 30’s I’m metal detecting old schools an homesteads in the mountains just want an all around 4x4 to tackle going where no one in 50 yrs has driven.
I ran an ARB Air Locker in my 1990 Toyota 4Runner (5 spd, 22r-e) for about 25 years of daily town driving, wildland travel and occasional technical four-wheeling. While the sound and vibration of the compressor took getting used to, it never failed. I would buy another for my current '05 4Runner without hesitation if I still drove in conditions where it would be helpful.
Thx for the great and accurate review. I personally have a ARB locker fitted for 10years in my Lux. I recently had to change a leaking air seal on the locker. It was a unpleasant exercise for small problem. Thx again for the useful info.
I reckon 10 years is good, bit annoying is that you take whole diff out and a 10c part cost $700 in labour
AllOffroad 4x4 Adventures TV sounds way more expensive to maintain than an OX locker
Thank you. I was one of the many who didn't know about the disengagement of the e-locker with direction change and that it would take a .25 rotation to engage in the first place. This will defiantly play into my locker buying decision as I drive a manual transmission and it is difficult to avoid a bit of rocking back and forth over obstacles.
yes you were not alone and even with an auto you may have sometimes non-deliberate but often deliberate small movement in reverse so for me I rather bee in full control of my locker
Just like any big purchase thorough research is needed, choose the wrong thing equals $3K or better mistake. None of these units are cheap, that’s including installation, I like the positive engagement of the pro- locker, however I never knew until now how all these functioned this was a very informative video.
Thank you very much....
Great explanation of all the lockers. I appreciate your honest transparent view. I was favouring the pro locker but after this detailed (very German 🙂) explanation of all 3, pro locker is the one I’m going to go with. Thanks for helping me decide. Great review.
Glad I could help, I believe TJM unfortunately discontinued the ProLocker I have now ARB installed by a Diff Specialist with 5 year warranty in the Hilux
Thanks for the time you've taken to put this together.
Great video. I have ARB in the front and rear of a Jeep TJ. So far I have had no problems. I Like the TJM Pro Locker design, the air line and piston can be replaced in the trail. Anything that can be repaired on the trail is worth having.
Thanks for your videos
Spot on review. It really comes down to your choice and what will work for your needs. In the end, failure of your locking diff, isn't an option. Awesome review!
Thanks for sharing
Great combination video with actual technical operational information. Agree the fact the TJM is not pressurised is a big plus, but till a friend pointed this out I had no idea about the elockers disengaging when rolling back.
thank you
My Gu Patrol it's ARB Airlockers fitted December 2001 , 21 years later there still going strong although the air compressor has been replaced 3 times... The Airlockers were factory fitted and have never missed a beat and the vehicles has played pretty hard over the years and 500.000 kms. I wouldn't worry about those "O" rings to much ! :)
was a different design then mate o rings indeed where no issue in old design.
@@AlloffroadAu I just bought a ARB locker for my 94 4runner, should I worry about the o-rings on the new design? Do they go bad more often than the old design?
Same in my LC105. 20 years and no problems with my ARB Airlockers F & R, or the compressor.
Just fitted a TJM Pro Locker to my rear diff after having originally wanting the e locker. Thanks for a great video and my installer reinforced my decision as he also agreed that its the best of the 3.
Great to hear!
this is why one must have a Detroit locker in the rear. and never use the clutch while climbing. as you never "lose" the lock, and should never "roll: back. slide yes... but that is traction a different thing.
Hi Stephan, good choice. I had tjm prolockers installed 7 years ago on my 105 landcruiser
still work ok, little air leak somewhere, but still do their job. I did choose Tjm above Arb, also
because Arb would not give me warranty with their lockers, because I run 35 inch tyres on my cruiser and
Tjm did. Maybe Arb do now, I have not checked.
elockers do work differently in australia vs america, they work upside down
lol that's good one
It's called reverse rotation or high pinion. The southern hemisphere is reverse cut and rotates opposite of the northern hemisphere to make sure the earth doesn't spin off keep course and keep traction while rotating around the sun.
ARB redesigned their air lockers. The older ones had o-rings that would wear out when the diff was unlocked and being driven on the road, resulting in blown out axle end seals, oil being pushed out by the air pressure when activated, ect. Definitely something to consider if purchasing a second hand one
Not that I know off, a friend of mine just had new set installed by ARB in December 2018 and they were leaking oil out the breather in January
I’ve had my ARB lockers front and rear since 2003 in an 80 landcruiser diesel manual. Both lockers leak oil out the pneumatic solenoid upon disengagement. It’s like a puff of oil vapour and my firewall is covered in diff oil.
Ive had three diff rebuilds in the rear, often after rock crawling. The lockers used to shear bolt heads which then floated around the diff centre until they smashed into the crown wheel and pinion and that was always a horrible sound and experience. Then I got it modified with more bolts.
The o rings are always worn and the elastomer loses elasticity over time.. It’s just not a durable design in my opinion and I’m a mechanical engineer for almost 20 years.
Just waiting for the upcoming fourth diff rebuild 😬
Thanks Stefan......
We're in the process of putting front & rear lockers into our Wrangler JK.....
So, that's good info....
Mate thanks for that. I have the ARB Air Lockers in the front and rear of my 100 series Cruiser and I do love them. They've been in since 2006 and the only trouble I've had is after putting a 3" exhaust on the car, at full flex the exhaust would break the air fitting as it exits the diff. I have since redesigned that exit system and it's fine now. I have noticed over the years that the compressor kicks in more often than it used to, so I guess a service to replace some o-rings might be worth it. It doesn't fail though,, so I'm still happy with them
If they are well installed they usually seem to be good, if there was no TJM I would have also gone ARB but installed by ARB HQ with the 5 year warranty
thankds for the technical breakdown I am looking for a pair of lockers to go on either my patrol or my Isuzu trooper neither 4x4 is new they are both used as tractors to pull broken down vehicles back to the public road where they can then be put on the recovery truck and brought back to the garage I have previous experience of mechanical limited slip diffs but in the muddier fields the 2 4x4s could do with a little help( so locking diffs to the rescue )
Thank you for all the work you put into this video. Fantastic review.
It was professional and insightful. Explaining the clear differences between all three lockers.
You have made my decision as a not so full on enthusiast to keep it simple.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks your explanation helped me understand the differences between the lockers and i now know which locker is suitable for me, well done .
Nice comparison, although it would be helpful "for newbies" to see the purchase price differences as well as installation cost differences. I agree - if you have the budget, TJM is the way to go.
yes prices do vary though quite a bit and change with time. Elocker is usually cheapest as install is quick and hence often promoted by workshops quick in and out money
This video would have to be one of the best on UA-cam. Very professional.
I think I am leaning toward TJM but not 100% sure. I sit on the fence deciding for so long that something new usually comes on the market. Lockers are so confusing to pick the right one; it is a pity there isn't one on the market that is foolproof and reliable.
I hope you keep making these videos for everyone, as it helps so much, especially as there is no sales and marketing BS to con us out of our hard earned money. More power to you man.
Hi John, thanks for that the TJM locker is not new it’s the old McNamara locker the design is on the market for many many years
Wow!! I didn't know the Elocker actually had a temporary disengagement like that. That is some great info! I've been doing a lot of research myself and thankfully came across your video. Thank you!
Glad I could help!
Excellent video. This has me leaning toward the TJM. I have been researching for months and am still undecided as there isn't one locker that is perfect. I don't like that disengagement with elockers, and am wary about ARB O-rings in particular. This video has been the most honest and best explained one that I have come across so far. You appear to be very honest, and don't appear to be promoting any locker, even though you have gone TJM. Honesty works for me, and I disregard information given by others who I can 99% tell are promoting something for a company and what they can get out of it.
thanks, mate
I had an ARB lock for over 23 years only problem was the air compressor died after 22 years so couldn’t complain got my moneys worth. Locker never failed and it got smashed all across the top end. 👍
yep the old ARB's where even better unfortunately ARB changed the design at some stage
Well for the weekend warrior/occasional off roading, the e-locker would be the way to go. But for the more dedicated people. Air lockers plus an air system that can also inflate your tires should be the setup you would want.
Great video fella, thanks.
I knew from the onset there were differences. When I got my lockers, in my 2003 Hilux SR5, four years ago, I don't think I'd heard of the TJM locker, I was sold solely on the ARB. My mate told me about the 'E' locker, and having never gelled with the notion of a cable (such as the OX locker) I did most of my research around the ARB and the Eaton 'E'.
As mentioned my preference was with the ARB, and it takes a lot for me to change my mind once I get set on something, however, once I found out that they required a seal inside the diff, and reading someone's write-up stating that they were a mechanic dealing with a lot of the ARBs, and saying "who would want to fill their diffs with compressed air? I mean 'seriously'"? I started to focus on the 'E' lockers.
The notion, like you mentioned, that these things undid between forwards and reverse, really didn't sit well with me at all, and psychologically still don't, however, that's what I ended up going for (front and rear, very simple operation installed by myself a 'meat worker') and have not had a single problem with them. I'm 'only' a hunter, requiring four wheel drive to get me safely back up the odd track that I encounter, however, I've never noticed them unlock whilst I've been out there doing it. Perhaps I'd change my mind if I got into more serious 'technical' wheeling, I don't know, but I'm certainly not about to rip them out, for me, they're perfect. Thanks.
The Ox uses a cable, air, or electric. The cable is a push cable not a pull. I’ve had 7 years and over 80,000 miles of trouble free problems in my D60
Great information, presented in an easily understood way, with what I thought to be a very balanced approach. Appreciate your efforts in making this video. Now I'm armed with some very relevant knowledge, I know which diff locker I'll be going with.
Glen
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent review. I have a factory rear locker in my NP300. As an "e-locker" it works fine (so far). I was thinking an air for the front, but I am convinced now thanks to your video. I have an on-board tank and twin compressors, so air supply will be a breeze. Really enjoying your videos. Keep up the great work....
Thank you Darrin glad it helped
Was just about to Pull the trigger on a Rear E-locker for My Dmax but rememebered this Vid so thought I'd rewatch it again just to be sure, but after going through the comments, I might save up the further $600 for a TJM Pro Locker, seems it'll save me money in the long run, Love your video mate and thanks for putting it together
Thank you very much.... Glad it helped.
You seem to have closely analysed the merits of each diff lock.
I tend to agree with you and your choice - however - this internal air line fracturing business is IMO due to the flexing of the diff housing. I have had experience with ARB diff locks and this has happened in a number of occasions over the years. It doeth shittith me to tears since when you need it most it fails!
This is why i found you as i was wondering about electric activation as a means of negating this frankly unnaceptable internal airline BS.
I now find the e Locker has a severe limitation.
Look all we really need is an electric or cable dog clutch to stay in foward and reverse on a decent 4 pinion carrier.
I ask why does it need to be this hard?
An excellent explanation. I was looking to get either an ARB Air Locker or TJM Pro Locker in my new LC 200 series. I will now have the TJM Pro Locker installed.
Good choice! They have not let me down so far
Have a 200 also. How did it go?
Not happy with my e locker at all. Northwest hill climbing were you have to back up and try again, the lock unlock mannerisms are a pain. Will switch to ox
Good explanation, I have e-lockers in my Landcruiser and am happy with them, despite having one explode and destroy my diff!-was repaired under warranty but did have to drive 100 kms in front wheel drive! Only other problem has been with a poor quality fuse holder which caused locker not to work due to no power. If I was to buy again though I would consider the pro locker for the same reasons you mention.
we have two people in our club who recently found a sheered of small bolt on the magnet in the diff looks like a grub screw, must come from E-Locker will see how Harrop handles the warranty...
AllOffroad 4x4 Adventures TV yes the spider gear shaft is held in place with three small cap screws, they fell out in mine allowing the shaft to come free and reek havoc! Eaton said it was due to a bad batch of thread locker?! Locker and all damaged parts replaced under warranty
First of all that’s a good informative video.I had arb lockers installed on my new hilux and I’m now on my 4th set of lockers after travelling only 87,000kms. The last failure absolutely destroyed my rear diff and housing when a crown wheel bolt FELL OUT!!!! As they don’t use locking tabs but recommend lock tite.to keep it together. With a bit of luck the car should be back on the road this Friday and come Monday I’m going the Tjm to get the pro lockers fitted. I no longer feel that my car is reliable and I can’t take it anywhere I can’t get a tow truck and after researching all the lockers I’m hard pressed finding negative feedback about the tjm’s. This video helped me make up my mind. Thanks again
Ps the new arb lockers will only travel around 50kms from the ARB workshop to the TJM workshop where they’ll be cheerfully ripped out n replaced. Anyone want to buy some cheap arb lockers for a 2013 hilux SR5, they’ve only done 50kms $750 for both front n rear
4 lockers, under 100k, holy shit, should not even have gone past one set!
Your bolt falling out has nothing to do with the locker. That is purely installer fault. You can most certainly use locking tabs on the arb. No matter what brand you choose, if you don't run locking tabs, locktite on clean oil free threads, you run the risk of bolts falling out.
Interestingly we had this happen to all 5 people in our club with e-lockers, one vehicle needed the whole axle housing and centre replaced twice within 12 month, the second vehicle twice within 2 years installed by Harrop so doubt this is just an installation issue. My theory is that they come loose with heavy use as all of us use the lockers on a weekly base.
I just installed an Eaton e locker in the rear and noticed how it disengages and reengages. I like to do some pretty hardcore wheeling and that may prove to be a con for me. I suppose I’ll have to wait and see to find out. As long as constant momentum is kept it should be fine. Lockers allow you to spin tires when stuck, so just keep momentum is my fix. We’ll see
I have the stock LSD on the rear of my LWB Trooper and an Aussie Locker in the front. As it has 2/4 option the front doesn't affect handling but care is taken when in 4. Works great for me in the UK. I could buy a used trooper for the price of an ARB so, no argument. NO WIRES, NO TUBES, NO FAILING. As long as you remember not to abuse the half shafts.
Love my ARB lockers. However, it's very important that the air hose is installed correctly and away from heat. Last winter, while wheeling in 5' deep snow my front locker failed duento melted air supply line. The company who installed my lockers ran the supply line too close to the exhaust and it melted. It was also out of reach and so I had no lockers.
Great video Stefan, I didn't know this about the eLockers, it wouldn't really be much of a problem for me with how and where I drive, but I can see how it would be a critical problem for the tech stuff you do.
Also great to see a factual video presenting real information rather just more heresay that forums etc get flooded with.
Great stuff!
Thanks a lot mate, I tough the video may save someone the 4K I spend on elockers
Literally every bit of information I was looking for. Superb video. Thanks so much
My pleasure 😊
Excellent and well explained video. I have an '05 Jeep TJ Rocky Mtn, and I'm looking to do more challenging off roading, will be getting either the TJM or ARB lockers with 32" BFG MT's.
Glad it was helpful!
Great info. I also watched Filthy Motorsports video before making the tough decision.
I went with Harrops as I didn’t want to add additional failure points - air compressor, air lines and O-Rings. TJM lockers are not available in USA. Also, I am not usually rock crawling like in your video when off-roading and I do have an automatic transmission and left foot brake to prevent roll backs, most of the time.
TJM is available in USA. Search for them on JustDifferentials.com
Great video thanks. I've also watched the full filthy motorsport video. I'm far from an experienced off roader of my 80 series but to me it looks like TJM is the way to go. Having a compressor onboard is vital for tyres anyway, so I'll have it to do both. Cheers.
Another quality video stepan i thought of an e locker for my front diff before but since one of our fellow drivers in his disco had one installed and failed twice i have stuck to my auto lokka in the front only no air lines or switches and has been bloody awesome the only thing wrong with them they cant be switched of but they are a bit savage when first installed i would not put an auto lokka in the rear btw
I used to have an Ashcroft ATB in the Disco 2, liked it for 99% of applications but still was reactive so stuffed up a few rock climbs hence I changed to an Air Locker at the time
I have used the Detroit locker in the FORD 9 inch , on my 85 full-size BRONCO. Best dif lock on the planet
More of a unlocker but heard they work quite well
Do you find it a bit clunky. I used to run a lokka in the rear of my old hilux and whilst it worked well it was very noisy and clunky when turning. I presume they are a similar design.
Great info! My factory locker in mitsubishi challenger has started playing up so looking at drop-in options I found only harrop do a suitable one. Interesting your findings with the elocker and something I need to seriously consider as do alot of technical driving! cheers
What I would like to know about air locker is can moisture freeze in the line in below freezing temps. Like in North Central USA where temps can go to -30 F .
my 79 cruiser came out standard with a Toyota factory locker...hasn't missed a beat since iv used it. in saying that the rear diff lock took awhile to engage because it was new but its pretty good now, my only bad remark about it is it wont engage without 4wd (H4 or L4) and its either: rear lock or front AND rear. I know 9/10 times if you want the front the rear should be engaged anyway but I like having full choice over a vehicles abilities. if I could pick or choose at the end of the day id still pick ARB Airlockers
Toyota Factory Elocker is a very different design to Harrop Eaton does not have the issue Harrop has.
Very good detailed Information.
I don‘t have the posibility to do what you do and i never will, but i love all the details.
Thanks for making al that stuff.
...bit of a shame that the Aussie made Maxi-Drive locker also wasn't included (vacuum operated); granted that they are only made for the Landrover / Rangie scene, I guess it is fairly limited.
Hi Have MaxiDrive lockers in Tiny and also had them in my 110. Best lockers in my opinion but not included as they are not made anymore for years so no way to purchase unless you buy a used one.
Damn I was all about the Harrop E-lockers, but now watching this knowing it might not work if u roll back is a no go for me. Cause I get myself into sketchy situations pretty often and I need my lockers to work when I need them to. Definitely getting an air locker now most likely Tjm... thanks for the insight.
Thanks for that insight into lockers. Very helpful in choosing which is most suitable.
This video has just given me ammo for my warranty claim that has been denied by harrop. My locker does not engage anymore and they are claiming I turned it on while the wheels were spinning which damaged it. I told them I have only ever turned it on while stationary or going very slow with no load. This video shows the e locker disengages when going from drive to reverse and then from reverse to drive. The exact same situation that happens when you get bogged on the beach. You get stuck so you put it into reverse, then forward, then reverse etc. This situation is usually under high load as the wheels are stuck, the high load and change of direction unlocks and then re locks with high torque on the diff centre and was what put the force on the diff when the wheel re locked in. This is clearly how the damage has occured which is 100% a design fault. A locker is used to give extra traction but what's the point if it unlocks itself and then causes major damage to the diff?? I thought it may have been an electrical fault but obviously not Looks like my diff will getting fixed now under warranty after all!!
Didn’t think about that but yes you probably need to be careful when changing direction under load with elocker engaged like in sand or mud as that would engage and disengage locker under load which is not really advisable
@@AlloffroadAu I was never at any stage told about this unlocking stage on change of direction, I have never engaged my locker unless I was stopped or rolling straight forward slowly with no throttle however Harrop are accusing me of this and not covering the damage under warranty because of this. I bought a locker so I could have both wheels locked for maximum traction but the fact that it unlocks and re locks on change of direction is definitely a problem especially in a boggy sand condition however Harrop refuse to admit it as of yet. They claim the locker does not unlock on change of direction even though you can clearly see the locking pins sliding down the forward ramp to the unlocked position and then sliding up the reverse locking ramp and then re locking at the end of the ramp and in a situation where removing a car from being bogged requires forward and backwards driving under high load to rock a car out of the situation causes damage to the locker due to the design fault. They are clearly denying responsibility for the design issue to avoid future warranty issues. I will be getting an independent engineers report assessing the damage and how it occured and contacting consumer affairs in regards to this if harrop does not repair my locker.
yes, I can see how the locking mechanism of the e-locker under the circumstance you described could cause failure, if you reverse under load with the lockers engage Harrop says the locker will not disengage however I have seen different in many circumstances. If Harrop suggests to not engage and disengage under load I would think they would also need to say don't make reveres and forward changes under load if the locker is engaged. I like the electronic concept of the e-locker but the engagement mechanism is not well-thought through. If it's not warranted I would contact Fair Trading
Daine Batchelor mate dump them and go tjm. I’m on my 4th set of arb lockers in 87,000kms. The first failure was the air leak both front and rear after 21,000kms then a failure at 41,000kms that saw both front and rear diffs replaced and to top it of I had a catastrophic failure when a crown wheel bolt fell out at 87,000kms that destroyed the diff and housing and crown and pinion plus the locker itself. I’m biting the bullet and going tjm even though these new arb diffs and lockers will have clocked up 50kms and that’s from arb,s workshop to tjm,s workshop.
Good point Daine about sand or mud forwards/backwards driving dis-engagement/re-engagement & the Harrop E-locker design issue & damage, I was going to buy & fit the Harrop E-locker to the front diff of my Landcruiser VDJ79R but after reading your post I have ruled the Harrop E-locker out along with the ARB air locker.
After seeing this video I performed a check on the e-locker in the back of my Mitsubishi Triton. I jacked one wheel off the ground and engaged the locker. Turning the tailshaft backwards until the difflock engaged, I then marked 12 o'clock on the tyre. Then I turned the tailshaft forward until the difflock engaged in the other direction. The mark on the tyre was at about 2.30, not quite 90 degrees of rotation on the tyre. I checked it back and forth a couple of times to make sure of my results. So while it is true that the difflock dis-engages and has to re-engage with a direction change, I can live with the minimal amount of rotation it takes to do this. Have put over 50,000 km on my locker with no issues and it has never failed to operate, and was simple enough for me to install myself on the driveway at home.
yes in most instances the disengage wont be noticed, what tyre size? Keep in mind the bigger the tyre the more it will affect you when lining up for rock climbs
Just 32's which are fine for my local tracks at Jellore. I have a front Lokka though which is always there providing drive to the front wheels.
Thanks for the time and effort you put into this comparison and video. It helped me make my choice of a necessity.
Thank you comments like this are appreciated
Thank god i watched this. And thanks guys!! Im going to put lockers in my D40 as the limited slip is well and truely stuffed.
Haha. Great vid. Thankyou. I have e lockers. They get a good work out for sure. As you say all good in the area you play in. A mate of mine John said it in great words on the track one day as I had an issue with e locker but didn’t know it haha , the thing is you can hear an airline that is pinched and know there is an issue , as with a broken wire you don’t know till it’s to late.
Keep up the good work. Steady steady mate.
thanks mate
I think I have settled on the OX locker. It essentially can be a mechanical, air, or electronic locker and you don't need to open up the diff to change it from one to the other.
I have the newest ox locker cable setup that has thread in piece at each end so it now grabs the mechanism and always unlocks and disengages and you get a cover with it for free and you can by a cheap piece and get out and push it in if something broke your cable you sir would be very smart to get their new setup it is AMAZING! Hope this helps your decision take care wheel fir life!🙂
There is a separate piece for emergency situations if you broke or ripped out your cable forgot to say that
Good information, I wish the Grizzly or Detroit Locker was available for my Toyota 8.2 Diff. I have a Grizzly Locker in my Nissan and it has been flawless for over 30k miles now. Probably going to go Harrop for my Toyota 8.2 despite its minor disadvantages.
So if you have an e-locker. You should use your left foot to hold the brake while you roll on the throttle.
This way you don't slip back. An additional step, but may be a helpful trick even with an air locker.
I do it even in 4lo without my locker engaged and it seems to help heaps with gaining tracking because you aren't fighting the rearward momentum before gaining traction to move forward over an obstacle.
The issue is more if you need to wriggle yourself in a better spot in tight conditions no foot on the break helps there. But when driving Technical we often drive double footed right accelerator and left brake.
Ah yes, in this situation you might be out of luck with the elocker. I have the Tacoma TRD Offroad with the OEM elocker in it. Haven't had this issue when stopping right before popping the rear up a little ledge, but I don't wheel as hard as you do. I'm sure I would notice the issue if I hit what you hit.
Awesome video mate I was debating on the TJM or the Harrop locker but now this has helped make up my mind
I’ve been running the locker for about a year now and it’s been fantastic. The things I like about it over the ARB is price and the fact that you don’t have to run an air compressor in a bunch of airlines to your diffs. Wires are much more flexible than hoses and for the trails that I do the locker is plenty Durable.
Yes it all depends on how you use it, just make sure you don’t get stuck and switch between forward and revers under load as even though your locker is engaged it will diss and re engage under load and a few people have broken the locker with it
I love your accent and the way u talk lol. TJM is your recommendation for reliability and toughness for expedition? Your expert opinion is of great value
yes TJM Pro Locker seems to be the best option...
Keep the vent on the diff itself clear, and clean lube and the O-rings will last many years.
You MUST clean out all the air passages several times.
I have seen crap in the passages and the 1st time you engage them, its fine, but when you disengage it, it spits the crap out and in between the o-rings.
They do a nice job keeping them clean, but the surface is ground, and you have a good chance of getting some crap out of it.
I ALWAYS get crap out of the copper tube.
All that will end up in the o-rings.
Surgical clean and you are good to go.
Always have Air lockers installed by a professional. I went ARB as they were cheaper than both the Elockers $6000 , TJM $ 4700 , ARB $ 3800 . These are actual written quotes . Don’t always assume that ARB is expensive. They were supplied and fitted cost for front and rear lockers for a Gen4 Pajero. They worked fine and never had any issues. No leaks and they were used often. Btw the ARB price was for the upgraded air compressor to air up tyres too. Please note these prices were 2014.
I think the Airlocker need to work constantly (work often) minimum once a week. If the locker rest a half of the year the o rings fail often.After some o ring fails i am now happy with a Spartan locker in my Samurai.
I just got quoted $3800 to fit a rear only TJM pro locker to my 80 series. Surely they're taking the piss?
I got quoted 2k plus the compressor for a rear tjm pro locker fitted to my d40 navara. I paid nearly $2100 for the e locker fitted.
Great one thank you for clearing that up now it’s a lot more understandable between the makes 👍🏻
Love your videos. Also about to pull the trigger on a TJM Pro (air) Locker for my 60 which I had decided a few years ago was the best option (but didn't have the funds), only to find out now you can't get them anymore. I called a few dealers and they didn't even seem to know themselves, so must be recent. I also heard parts issue but that doesn't make sense. Might have to go ARB but I really don't like the o-ring leaks you year so much about. This video just makes me want the TJM pro even more. Surely there is some stock lying around somewhere???
just get ARB installed and warranted by a good diff place and you should have no prong issues
Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Definitely helps to understand which way to go 👍
Thank you very much....
I’m not putting air lockers down because I know they are widely used and pretty reliable but I think there is something to be said for simplicity in this matter. Air lockers have more points of failure because there are more needed components and the installation is more complex. If your compressor stops working, failure, if the airlines get damaged, failure, if the seals around the locker and airline connection develop a leak, failure. Pretty much the only point of failure with a elocker is the electrical connection which can be something that might be a lot easier to fix on a trail. The sacrifice is you may have to perform a minor maneuver to re-engage the elocker if you roll one way or another. For properly equipped 4x4 with a winch a failure or disengagement of a locker really shouldn’t be that catastrophic to becoming unstuck.
Would disagree in some of your points, the elocker wires usually rip out inside the diff with no way to fix this. I fixed airline leaks in the bush. The TJM locker has no moving orings and also internally a better design the elocker and ARB Air Locker. The elocker is also known to loose one of the grub screws which hold the spider gears this in return destroys the diff and often even the housing. I know of 3 of this cases among our driving friends.
AllOffroad 4x4 Adventures TV if what you say is so why did you not make comment this in the video, air locker by arb fail 99% of the time on orings and then blow the diff seals and oil out well known issue that they didn't want to warrant instead forcing the owner to buy a full new replacement unit. The tjm is air activation and what seals the piston in the housing. You say technically driving I've managed to get all places with a manual transmission and both open diffs as the trustee Landcruiser has a pathetic LSD not knocking your statement just in case you are thinking so I believe that there is more testing then 1 drive required to get a valid point in either units
I didn't make the comment about the Spider gears in the video as two of the broken diffs we had in our group were still investigated by Harrop and I was not sure if we just had bad luck and I don't want to make assumptions. After the video went up I had quite a few more people contacting me who had the same issue and our two diffs turned out as well with the broken bolt. Not sure if you go the same place we go? However you will get most places also with the e-locker just with more tries and more effort and track damage. I personally buy a diff locker to have a locked diff, not a partially locked diff which disengages in certain situations, that's just me though. If you have an e-locker and you happy with it no need to change, if you about to buy one my video may help you to make the right choice for you.
and I agree with ARB air locker O ring issue hence I went with the TJM. While the TJM has a O ring it's not a moving part and very different design and I don't know anyone who had one fail so it does not seem to be a common issue. If I needed to purchase a ARB Locker (TJM Locker is not available for all vehicles and makes) I would only purchase and get it installed by ARB direct (not a franchise) as it then will come with 5 year warranty which also includes labor. Yes I agree that more then 1 drive is needed however we have a few people with E-lockers in the club which purchased slightly before me and the same issue manifested there once I then started looking in to why I did not need more driving as the design explains the shortcoming quite well.
Read my comments above about my failed e locker. Lasted less kms than a set of tyres
@@dainebatchelor9382fuck man, its hard not to read your comments, you are posting them several times here and on the Harrop clips as well. Chill man. Shit happens, just get their analysis and then get an independent analysis, if they don't come to the party go to fair trading. so simple.
Thanks for the comparo. Informative and non biased.
Thank you very much....
Have any of you gentlemen tried OX brand lockers? According to a lot of off roaders these lockers are supposed to be the strongest most reliable lockers you can get. Maybe you can include them in your next comparison?
I have heard of them but never run them nor know anyone who has. It's not a readily available locker in Australia hence I did not include them.
You won't hear much about Ox lockers because they are only made for American axles with a removable cover.
But they are a good option if you have this type of axle.
I’ve had a D60 fo 7 years OX locker, absolutely a pleasure to own. No problems, I use the cable type. I just ordered one for my Ford 10.25 rear.
thanks , so much for the great info, your advice is always very good and i think tjm is my choice also ive herd so many bad things about ARB lockers
What’s he best locker for the front diff?
even though lockers are just a bit down the road for me, this is exactly the info i'd like to get started. my '01 F150 has 422K+ miles on its oem IFS. adding a locker suggests i upgrade the ifs at the same time for robustness. as we all know, you aussies know best how to get the most from your offroading hardware, what kind of ifs do you suggest for an aging truck destined to do more offroad as she gets older?? Thx!!!
I have OX lockers in my 97 F-350 7.3. Flawless operation for years!!!
Like the vid and info but you did not provide vid footage of technical obstacle navigation with the TJM locker set. I would really appreciate an update with video footage please and thank you very much for your time, resources and testing!
Check out a my Chanel there are a few videos of doing harder tracks with the Cruiser
Thanks, man. Good and very informative. Made me wonder how the locker in my Toyota LC79 works. Knowing its electrical it will be good to see how those lockers work
Could not tell you exactly but they don’t have the shortcomings of the Harrop
@@AlloffroadAu: I would agree. I have a 1999 Toyota Tacoma TRD with an electric locker, which has been fabulous. Sometimes I get stuck, just so I can hit that button and crawl out of the sand or up the rutted trail. I have never noticed the differential unlocking with my truck.
Its interesting that the eaton uses a ball ramp design but I guess thats what you have to do to apply large reliable force with a small current. I've got the Toyota e-lockers in my 80 series and I think its the best way to do it as you don't have to deal with air but it is a locking collar design. but I realize that if your axle wasn't designed to accommodate a shift fork and actuator its no good.
Eaton uses 3 different designs the ball ramp, pin ramp and the new Elocker4 which does not have the shortcomings but it is only available for a Dana 60/70
In regards to protecting the air line I recommend running it through some vacuum line or similar tubing that will keep it well protected and insulated
Yes that’s even better then cable shroud
Stefan, great video. I'm limited for options, either Harrop e-locker or ARB air locker, because the vehicle is a 2018 Holden Colorado (stop rolling your eyes). They don't make a TJM or Lokka for this ute. Having considered your views, I think ARB might be the better option for me...
Didn’t roll my eyes mate everyone has different requirement if the Colorado works for you it’s all good. I agree would also go ARB (did actually in the Jeep) get it installed by a diff place who still offers the 5 years warranty if you in Sydney see Jmac
11:36 When the air line broke in your diff did it blow gear oil out of your seals?
I have no issues with the E-locker unlocking but I also have an auto that prevents roll back.
the issue is there but you will only notice doing rock crawls reversing to line yourself up, most normal driving you wont notice.
I have an e-locker as well. My Jeep has been to Moab many times and has done all but the crazy-hard trails (i.e. Pritchet Canyon) and has never once had a problem. I think the roll back issue is really no issue at all.
from what I have seen Moab is pretty straight forward driving not much realignment needed so the disengagement would not make much difference for very technical driving of big rock steps it definitely makes a difference.
@@AlloffroadAu Ahh that makes a bit more sense. I do take some tough trails but usually walk them just to make sure it is possible for my 80 series to get through plus I have never really done exceptionally tight turning or overly technical stuff.
Cheers for the reply.
Thank you for this video! I been searching on a locker and came across the tjm pro locker not long ago an read up good things about there design and quality and this video has helped me made my decision on which locker to go with in the future. Seems like allot of technical off roaders choose tjm over Arb
Glad I could help!
Straightforward and transparent review, thanks. Very helpful for when/if I get a locker for my Prado.
Glad it was helpful!
Would be good to know more about factory lockers like Toyota
Trained, experienced techs to install in the USA is a huge problem. Probably half or more of the installers don't know what they are doing..
same here in Australia mostly fitters install them and that causes issue especially with ARB lockers
Good info.. Issue for me is not all brands fit my axle..but an e-locker
Don’t know how to thank you for sharing this deep knowledge . I never knew these facts. I appreciate that 🙋♂️
Very good information! I put a TJM Pro locker in the Patrol rear. VERY happy with it!!
Right on
The TJM Pro locker Is my dad's diff lock. Dad invented it 40 years ago. It used to be called the McNamara locker, he sold the design to TJM. just before he sold the design to TJM he rang up ARB and told them, "would they like to buy the design and call it the ARB locker 2 so they have no competition because TJM wants to buy it". But ARB said nahh not really. I bet they wish they bought the paintent off him now hahahha
Lol they should have bought it pity TJM does not do much with its locker.
@@AlloffroadAu TJM makes the pro locker all wrong. The pneumatic cylinder throws further than the locking ring and there is a few other mistakes they do when they're manufacture this Pro locker. we have told them over and over and over for the past 10 years what they're doing wrong and they keep making them wrong
all these large companies that make all this aftermarket stuff just don't care all they do is make this crap as quick as possible and try and get as much profit you tell them what would make it better what they're doing to make it wrong all this all that nobody ever listens. Corporations are disgusting
Every single time we fit a TJM Pro locker to a customer's diff we have to start modifying a brand new diff lock because they're made in correctly.the normal person wouldn't even pick up that they're made wrong. And would just fit them as they are. And then while in operation/diff locked it all jams up and where's out
@@differentials Can i get some TJM "fixed by McNamara" lockers from you? As I have finally got the wife onboard with forking out for lockers and this is my one chance to get them and I want it done right. In Tas btw so a fix and ship kind of thing.
Added your video to my arb install playlist. I chose arbs and installed my own gears. Thank you for helping me explain my decision.
Glad I could help
Well I am in Arizona United States and I’ve had E lockers in both ends of my jeep for four years I’ve never experienced the issues that you speak of in your video I think the Elockers are the best way to go you don’t have to chase down air leaks don’t have to worry about compressors just flip the switch and go
I wonder if you are running the Eaton Direct Engaging Elocker 4?
Exactly!
It's a no nonsense simple design, I agree.
This is making me like my 3rd gen 4runner style locker a lot more
You should have included the 4WD Systems LOKKA that is made in Adelaide as it is a very capable diff lock and also very cheap in comparison to the others. I have had on in my 1997 Hilux and a friend has hade on in his 2005 Navara and apart from breaking the pins in the Navara, Which only cost $40 to replace, out have performed flawlessly
The LOKKA is not a manual diff lock though, I did not include any automatic locking devices like a True Track, LOKKA, ATB etc