TJM locker vs ARB locker

What's funny is semi trucks have used air lines running all kinds of shit on their trucks for decades. It doesn't seem to be a big enough issue for them to ditch the air.

 

Semi's have an air dryer just down stream from the compresser, than there's multiple air tanks that help to trap the moisture that the dryer doesn't remove.
In the winter if moisture gets in the system they pour a liquid in the tanks thats a mixture of alcohol & oil to absorb the moisture and help lubricate the valves.

And yes air brakes will freeze.

 

I'm guessing it's not very common and I'm also guessing having your air brakes fail will be a much bigger deal than your lockers failing.

I've read numerous threads about electronic solenoids failing on e-locker diffs.

 

Any way you look at it a locker is complicated and can fail. I have been running ARB's since 1999 and never had an issue with them. My ARB's never had any issues in Fairbanks Alaska cold. The issue with ARB's is the internal O-rings they crack, dry out, shrink, degrade etc. (and cold weather doesn't help) which requires disassembly to replace. The TJM is reported to be a better design without O-rings and stronger internals. Harrop will probably be my next locker after talking with Zuk @ http://gearinstalls.com/ although I would still consider a TJM or ARB based on getting a good deal.

 

This

No lockers yet, so no valuable input there - former truck driver, so knowledge of quoted info above.

 

Air brakes freezing is very common in the winter, mostly trailer brakes, you set them and they freeze to the drums while your getting unloaded, when you go to leave there's not enough weight to free them up hence why you see black marks on the road leaving loading docks.

As for air brakes failing, you first have to understand how they work,

1) over using your brakes ie) coming down a mountain in the wrong gear or not using the engine brake, by the time you get down you'll have overheated the brakes and they will have stopped working cause of the heat they generate causes them to fade to nothing, (truck out of control) bad joo joo,

2) loss of air pressure, below 80psi will set the brakes dragging you to a stop, also known as the parking brake.

So you see comparing air lockers to semi's air system is not equal in the big picture.

 

...and yet they still use them.