ARB Air Locker problems

I had an air locker installed at what I believed to be a reputable off road shop (I still believe they are). The air compressor cycles to often. It is the medium size ARB compressor. The one that you can use to fill tires, but not the large one. It can cycle as much as every 10 seconds. The best it does is 2-3 minutes. The faster I go the more it appears to cycle, but that may not be completely true. It was cycling very fast today while I was rolling up to a stop sign.

This is what I know.

-The fittings are not leaking on the compressor.
-The bulk head on the axle is not leaking.
-Before I had the shop install the locker the compressor, which I installed, would not cycle on for as much as 50 minutes. Now it cycles every 5-6 minutes without the locker activated.
-The shop replaced the rubber o rings today, but that did nothing.

What type of cycle times should I expect with the locker engaged and without the locker engaged?

Could this be a bad pressure switch? Has anyone else had these issues?

I'm wishing I got a Detroit locker at this point.

Thanks

 

I wonder if the locker it self is leaking due to improper installation.

 

Mine doesn't cycle at all with the compressor on and locker not engaged. You have to be losing air somewhere.

 

Exactly what deezy said. The compressor should only come on when the locker activates initially. That's it that's all. Otherwise you don't even need it on. There's a problem, get it fixed!!

 

There must be a solinoid valve that controls the feed if air to the locker. If that is leaking by, the compressor will cycle on and off much too often.

Electrical is always the weakest link. Find this valve and unplug it and see if the compressor pumps up and stays pumped up.

I don't know air lockers, but I do know air compressors. That compressor will not last long if it is turning on and off that often.

Start simple, turn the key on but engine off. Listen for air leaks.

I'm the problem is with the plumbing and not the locker.

Let us know what you find and report back.

 

Any reason why the compressor wouldn't cycle for almost an hour before they installed the locker. Now that the locker is installed it still cycles every 5-6 minutes without the locker engaged.

 

Do pressure switches ever go bad?

 

@Kyitty is having a brand new locker replaced right now. Maybe he'll chime in.

 

I'm sure there is an electrically controlled valve that is leaking by.

If you can't go out and do some simple inspections and report back, I don't know how we can help you.

 

My compressor had a tank the size of a coke can. It cycled for about 5 seconds to fill it and that was it. It was full, till I used it to activate the locker, if I didn't use it it didn't cycle. For what it's worth I never had it on unless I was using the locker, but cycling every hour is just not needed, there's a leak. And cycling every 5 min is just insane.. Find the leak and fix it?? How hard can it be? Can't you hear it?? Put some soapy water in a spray bottle and start spraying..

 

Kyitty actually got a bad locker. I don't know what his symptoms were though. He said the locker itself was leaking.

 

I had to replace mine once...

 

@BudMan had issues with his setup. Ended up having to rebuild his compressor.

 

If the OP's compressor is cycling as much ad he says, he will definitely be doing a rebuild.

 

I put soapy water all over it. No leaks and I can't hear any air leaking. I'm not done messing with it, but I was curious if anyone else had similar issues.

 

I may send him a message

 

Do you know if the locker is even functioning?

Might want to take it back to the installers. Let them deal with it.

 

Locker works fine. The installers put new O rings in it today. It's going back, but I wanted to do some research before that. It's raining right now. We are in the middle of moving and can't get it in the garage.

 

As stated above, the compressor should not cycle at all once it has pressurized. If it was cycling once in a while before the locker, you had a small leak. If it is worse now, you may have more leaks. The arb is fed by a solenoid valve and then goes to the locker. These can leak, but it isn't real common. If you have the arb compressor with everything mounted on the compressor "tank", check all of the fittings there. The arb tank isn't much, so a real minor leak will show up real fast. I've run ARB's for years on my FJ40 with no issues. I have a 5 gallon air tank and a York compressor, but I can park the rig for months and not lose air. You might try pulling each fitting and re-do all threads with Teflon tape and see if that helps. When done right it should be air tight. You could also pull the line to the arb at the solenoid and see if that is leaking but my bet would be fittings at the compressor. Also, you should have an on off switch for the compressor....no reason to have it powered on unless you plan to use it.


When set up right ARB's are amazing....Detroits are a PITA on the street and in icy conditions.

 

What were the symptoms?