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Arbs or Kam lockers


boyt

  

16 members have voted

  1. 1. which locking diff



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Note :

A RD56 is a far better built ARB than the newer RD128 IMVHO

Nige

An RD56 will still live dispite the owner damaging the axle to allow cracks to propagate, allowing sand and poo to get into the oil, resulting in a pinion head failing, such the pins falling out, wedging the pinion solid, locking the differential and causeing the propshaft to twist itself in two.

A bit a a clean and the diff went back to gether no probs.

Says a thing or two about the KAM crown wheel and pinion on the RD56 too, not a lot about the driver though I'm afraid.

Thats about right right isn't it Nige?

Ps - Both Lockers do the same job, just do it in different ways, AIR works well and works for some, others find the air's reliability isn't great and prefer the 'leccy version. Horses for courses.

For what it's worth my humble oppinion is to go for KAM's as I like the cover, like the electricity and I havn't heard many tails of a solenoid failing, I cant say the same of the air sealing and / or compressor's failing. KAM's system is a bit more involved, but once its done, not a lot to worry about.

My oppinion, others may disagree.

Eeyore

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An RD56 will still live dispite the owner damaging the axle to allow cracks to propagate, allowing sand and poo to get into the oil, resulting in a pinion head failing, such the pins falling out, wedging the pinion solid, locking the differential and causeing the propshaft to twist itself in two.

A bit a a clean and the diff went back to gether no probs.

Says a thing or two about the KAM crown wheel and pinion on the RD56 too, not a lot about the driver though I'm afraid.

Thats about right right isn't it Nige?

:lol: :lol:

Im personally swaying towards the Kam one myself for 3 reasons.....

  • HD Diff pan which means i can loose the QT Diff guard
  • Slightly cheaper when you factor in compressor costs
  • No Air lines to leak ect.

Nige Have you re built your ARB yet?

Or are you going to go for a Spangly KAM unit? :)

Dave.

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:lol: :lol:

Im personally swaying towards the Kam one myself for 3 reasons.....

  • HD Diff pan which means i can loose the QT Diff guard
  • Slightly cheaper when you factor in compressor costs
  • No Air lines to leak ect.

Nige Have you re built your ARB yet?

Or are you going to go for a Spangly KAM unit? :)

Dave.

Nope, (Steve) Rebuilt it, it survived with a few new bits

I could have a KAM unit, prob at a good rate :) , but this cost slightly more than F all

to sort, so it lives another day

If it had gone POP Big Time, then I would NOT buy the RD128, and would have

had to see if I could find a SH RD56 3 bolt air type (unlikley), or go KAM Unit

also there would then be the oddity of having a KAM Rear (Leccy) and ARB Front ?

As it also was the front that blew up, I would have had to swap diffs about, and I have a reverse

cut 4.75 CWP in the front, so it would have been a real shuffle about of axles CWPs diffs etc.

I'm in more than enough ****e at the moment :(

Nige

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I bet!

Good that its all sorted fairly cheaply!

So is the RD128 that bad then? what makes it so unreliable on the air side of things? leaks? poor engagement?

Dave.

THe RD56 (early but 24 spline) had a work of art unit that took air in and out, via seals

this seemed to be fairly robust and relaiable, although some people had issues, then they modified

the air in out to a spring clip unit vs 3 bolts, these springs clip units seemed not as relaibale / robust as the

3 bolt unit, many thought it was less of an upgrade and more of a costs save via new design....who knows

The RD128 has yet another air entry exit system, do a search there has been much discussion around this,

seems that another redesign has taken place, but it also seems 3 bolt type is still the prefered choice.

I have not had a RD128, so much of what is typed above is from a few people who have graoned at me with issues,

some have been sorted, one got desperate and got a refund and bought an old sh RD56

Do a search on the www and make your own mind up, there was quite a "Lively" thread I belive on Outerlimits, but others

here may have the linky / info

HTH

Nige

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And before anyone points it out :unsure: ...........

YES - I do currently work for KAM Diffs, so you may think I have

a conflict of interest - I don't :lol:

I still have 2 x ARBs in my 90, chuffed with them, RD56s, both work well

the front repaired by Steve, and I love them. I could for little money prob

have KAM Lockers, but frankly the ARBs for me "Do what they say on the Tin" so

until this changes etc I am loathe to change something thats OK

There enough stuff on my truck that isn't working as it should that needs sorting FFS

So, Yes, I work for KAM but am neutral on the issue of which lockers.

Nige

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Kinda curious, but how much use and benefit do you guys get from running lockers?

I know the principle with how they work and what they do, and in rock crawling I can see the gain fully.

But I'm curious as to how much real world benefit they make for off roading in the UK?

:rolleyes: I'm not disputing, just more curious. Do you often find that you simply would have got stuck without lockers or not been able to proceed?

Cheers.

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Lockers are fantastic.

They stop me getting stuck where 2 x open diffs would be the end

of the fun, they move me far further into the gloop, and then

when I think it can't get worse it does, and then I am truly stuck :rofl:

Seriously, people who have never had locking diffs don't know what they are missing :)

Nige

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Our Challenge Truck is running KAM Lockers and LSDs (but then we do work for KAM)

Moose is also running KAM lockers with open diffs. We are are doing the TAT this year with Moose.

Zolly does a lot of UK competition events and runs KAM gear

We have fitted the KAM lockers to quite a few trucks, and I know quite several hundreds have been sold, So they are out there... whether they check this forum regularly is unknown.

Keep looking dave, I'm sure you'll see some soon.

Eeyore

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I've voted KAM, a couple of reasons,

Firstly as Fridge says we should support growing UK businesses, ARB have been peddling the same product for years and what cost savings do we see? KAM are developing improvements, add ons and generally showing the world what UK innovation is about.

Secondly, I've seen the engineering in Moose's axles and it's very nicely thought out and made.

Thirdly, I too heard had plenty of people complain about leaking seals and ruined compressors and the electric operation is nicely done.

Finally, I spoken to the guys at KAM about other projects and they've always been knowledgable and helpful.

As for the question of how much benefit do you get from lockers, well I'd say it's a night and day difference. They allow you to approach obsticles with low speed control, knowing that the traction will see you over, rather than speed to get past the point of traction loss.

What you've got to think about is that with no centre diff lock you've got 1 wheel drive, with centre diff lock you've got 2 wheel drive, with front and rear lockers you've got 4 wheel drive. If I was building a truck from scratch for playdays etc. I'd be tempted to fit lockers before fitting a winch.

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Our Challenge Truck is running KAM Lockers and LSDs (but then we do work for KAM)

Moose is also running KAM lockers with open diffs. We are are doing the TAT this year with Moose.

Zolly does a lot of UK competition events and runs KAM gear

We have fitted the KAM lockers to quite a few trucks, and I know quite several hundreds have been sold, So they are out there... whether they check this forum regularly is unknown.

Keep looking dave, I'm sure you'll see some soon.

Eeyore

I thought someone at a shires event recently was using them.........That would be moose I think.

Best get a few more £££'s together and order one i recon.

Dave.

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I voted KAM because the locker concept is simple and there are multiple ways of engagement. However, the only down side is more complex fitting and the installer must have the ability to undertake oil tight welding. I have fitted 3 for different folk and all have been fine ……….. not the same could be said of KAM CV’s, but that is not the question posed here.

Also, it seems that there is a member of the KAM team who openly perseveres with an inferior ARB product. I really think the KAM team should sort this out and ensure that said baldy shortar$e muppet is made to use and support the KAM product, even if it does mean beating the sh!t out of the vertically challenged dwarf on a daily basis. :rofl:

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My vote would be for ARB, as thats what I have in the back and it helped me adjust my hand brake :P:lol: (not fair for me to vote so I haven't)

I thought someone at a shires event recently was using them.........That would be moose I think.

Best get a few more £££'s together and order one i recon.

Dave.

That would be moose, in the yellow 90, thats actually a 101" ;)

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