ARB Working? Dunno...

[Cliffy23]

I bought a 92 jeep YJ and it has a front and rear ARB and I simply do not know if how to really test the lockers. Any advice would be wonderful. Should I hear some click or anything when they engage? Also, should I see the PSI gage of the compressor go down a bit when I engage them? The guy who installed these put in three toggles, one as a safety switch to ensure that you must switch that #1 toggle for doing the rest. THen the other two are simply the front and rear switches, but they constantly stay lit no matter if I have pressed them or not; i am thinking this is due to installing that #1 safety switch.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cliffy23]

Well, I did some work on this and found the install manual and followed the instructions on how to test the locker after install. The things are not working. I lifted the rear on jackstands and with the locker not engaged the tires could rotate independently and then after engaging with the switches the tires were still independent of eachother still. Anyone have skills in this area or anyone know a good company here local to SLC that can assist? I worry that it is just a selonoid problem or a wiring issue. My jeep has a VLair onboard air compressor that the ARB's are connected to.

 

[waynehartwig]

Follow the directions and hook everything up correctly. With ARB it's not difficult, as everything has it's place and pretty much can only go one way.

After you get everything hooked up correctly, take the lines off of the solenoids and switch them on. You should then have air coming out of both. You can do one at a time if you want...

After done, you should ahve three switches - 1st for the compressor only. The second is the rear and third is the front. The front will not engage unless the second switch is flipped. There are ways around that, but if they are hooked up per the directions this will be the case.

No,they don't make noise when engaging. Depending on the style of solenoid, you could hear the PSSST when they dissengage. When engaging, the compressor guage could drop ~5 psi.

 

[UNSTUCK]

If you use any compressor other then the ARB compressors, you need to run a pressure regulator to cut back the pressure going to the lockers. ARB says you need something like 87psi (cant remember the number off the top of my head). My Viair puts out around 105psi. Without the regulator, you can blow out the o-rings. You'll know this because the compressor will continue to pump and not shut off and you will have air leaking out your breather tube.
I will be in our shop Friday if you need someone to check it out for you. The Rad Jeeper. We are in SLC. Good luck with them.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Some info here: http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_ARB_troubleshoot.html
And here: http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=13549

Lockers need ~65-85 psi to engage, anything more and you can cause damage, anything less and it won't engage fully.

I have a ARB testing setup that we can test the pressure on the compressor as well as verify your axle is holding pressure too. I won't be around much until after the first of the year though. With hybrid setups (ie non ARB compressor used) it very common to have solenoid or pressure issues.

 

[waynehartwig]

The ARB switch is 70 on and 100 off. In hybrid setups like Kurt mentioned, I recommend using the actual ARB switch and not a regulator. It seems those with regulators have more problems with o rings than others with the actual ARB compressor - IMO of course, because I know people that run regulators for years without failures.

 

[Bart]

Make sure he didn't wire the fronts as the rears. For the ARB wiring the rears need to be engaged before the fronts will work. If he wired them backward the front will need to be engaged before the rear will work.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Make sure he didn't wire the fronts as the rears. For the ARB wiring the rears need to be engaged before the fronts will work. If he wired them backward the front will need to be engaged before the rear will work.

Very good call Bart, thats been an issue for more than one person I know.

FWIW here is the independent locker schematic, super easy to do:
http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/tech_ARB_Independent.html

 

[RockMonkey]

Why are the lights on regardless of the position of the switches, though? There has to be an electrical issue here somewhere...

 

[Bart]

They are supposed to come on when the lights come on. I'd imagine they were wired to an ignition hot wire instead of a light wire. Sounds like whoever did it was guessing a lot.

 

[RockMonkey]

They are supposed to come on when the lights come on. I'd imagine they were wired to an ignition hot wire instead of a light wire. Sounds like whoever did it was guessing a lot.

If I remember right (it's been a while since I had an ARB), there's a light that illuminated the switch when the lights are turned on, and there's an indicator light that says when the switch is turned on. Kurt?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

If I remember right (it's been a while since I had an ARB), there's a light that illuminated the switch when the lights are turned on, and there's an indicator light that says when the switch is turned on. Kurt?

Correct, the Carling switches that ARB supplies use a dual bulb setup. When using their harness the blue (white/blue) will be wired into dash lights. The second light should only come on when activated, so you can assume if the second light is on (the bigger light) that the solenoids are open.

 

[Cliffy23]

Thanks, I will dig into it today and get more info posted soon. Man, you guys are great. I don't even see the PSI in the gauge go down when the things are switched so something is not right. Also, I only see one light on the switches at a time no matter what position they are in after the #1 switch is flipped.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Thanks, I will dig into it today and get more info posted soon. Man, you guys are great. I don't even see the PSI in the gauge go down when the things are switched so something is not right. Also, I only see one light on the switches at a time no matter what position they are in after the #1 switch is flipped.

A quick/dirty test.

Disconnect the air supply line to one of the axles, either at the bulkhead fitting (diff) or the quick disconnect on the solenoid (press the little orange ring towards the solenoid and pull the plastic line out). Then turn on that locker, it should have a non-stop supply of air blowing out. If nothing happens, your problems compressor/wiring related.

 

[UNSTUCK]

Are you running an air tank? If so, you may have enough air in the tank that you wont see a PSI drop on your gauge. This also says that you don't have o-ring problems (at least not yet). Sounds like your wiring is messed up or the solenoids aren't opening. A lot easier to fix. I'm at the shop right now if you need to talk it through.

 

[Bart]

Yep, sounding like a wiring problem more than anything else. But that makes me worry about the whole installation. Good luck.

 

[Cliffy23]

Figured it out. The guy who installed it connected the switches to not an ignition wire, but the same power line that the lights are on. SO... I had to simply turn the lights on and then the lockers work just fine. I tested it front and rear and I am all set. I just haven't tried them during a time when I needed the lights on. How odd. Oh well. I simply find a different wire to connect them to and I'll be set. Thanks a lot.

Yes, I have a viair air tank and there is a regulator down under the vehicle that regulates how much air goes to the solonoids (which is set like at 90 psi).

The whole thing is pretty nice now, just some homebrew on the wiring that needs to be adjusted...

 

[RockMonkey]

You just need to switch the two power wires that are connected to your ARB harness. You said before the lights on the switches were on all the time, but the lockers only work when you have your lights on. So the light lead on your ARB harness is connected to +12v w/ignition on your vehicle, and the +12v lead on your ARB harness is connected to the light lead on your vehicle. No need to go hunting for new power sources, just switch the two wires that are already connected. Or just always wheel with your headlights on. That's prolly what I'd do.

 

[Bart]

You beat me to it.

 

[Cliffy23]

Thanks again! This is great!