LOOK!! NEW SELECTABLE LOCKER!!

[soupbone]

http://www.killeraxles.com/html/offroadtec_locker.html

revamped site with pics.

looks cool and has many operation options

vacuum,air, or electric...

 

[CoryL]

Should the vaccuum fail, the electronic solenoid can be removed and replaced with a bolt to manually lock up the axle.

Seems better than an ARB, E-Locker, or OX already.

 

[jasonb]

i think when i get ready to put a locker, i'll probably go this route. i was gonna do a powertrax no slip, but i may just hold out for this one, definately for the front. i like.

 

[zensius]

Cory, you said should the vacuum fail the electronic solenoid can be removed." So which is it? Electric or vacuum?

 

[CoryL]

Originally posted by zensius
Cory, you said should the vacuum fail the electronic solenoid can be removed." So which is it? Electric or vacuum?

From the article in the latest 4wd & Offroad...

"With the cover in place, the pliable plastic vaccuum lines are run from the two ports on the diff. cover up to the control switch in the dash. These lines are protected from off-road hazards by a tough shrink-wrap tubing that ORU opted not to 'shrink,' in case they ever need to re-route them. Should the vaccuum actuator ever fail, the electric shiftfork position sensor can be removed and a bolt can be screwed in to positively lock the diff in an emergency."

It's vaccuum.

 

[Guy Groves]

This would appear to be a well designed device, and certainly has promise. I wish it were available before I put my ARB's in.

I like the idea of allowing either a Vacume, Air, or electric system to engage the locker.

For those that fear vacume devices due to their past reputation I would say forget that issue in the locker. The real proplem with the vacume systems used for front axle locking is the engineering of the system. MANY, MANY people have been ripped-off being told that the solution to their problem was a new $250 vacume motor for the front axle. This was NOT true.

I solved this problem with my Jeep for about $90. The problem was not the vacume motor itself, but the axle design. Tye vacumemotor is used to slide a sleve between a two piece axle to engage it. The problem is that as the vacume motor ages the diaphram (rubber) gets weaker, and the sleeve that is used to engage the axles is thrown further and with more force than with a new diaphram. If you inspected the axle you would see that the sleeve would be thrown with significant force against the inside end of the splines, and get stuck. These spline ends were tapered up to the outside axle diameter because of the machining techniques used. The solution to the vacume motor problem was to machine a slot into the spline just forward of where the splines taper out, then place a snap ring as a positive stop ring for the sleeve.

This is not present in the design of the locker. The engagement sleve in the locker is a more positive / full engagement. There are no tappered splines.

As for the eight pin design to lock the axles. I'm not sure, this may in fact be the weak link. I can only trust that they did their homework regarding the sheer forces at work.

I have mixed feelings about the "external" motor location. This is great for repairs, but possible bad in terms of vulnerability. The aluminum cover with fins does look stout. A broader rock guard for the diff should resolve this issue without difficulty.

 

[PekingMan]

I sent an email to Wolfgang and he was interested in what I had to say about a possible demo priced unit for me to test out. He wants to discuss it after he gets back from SEMA on the 14th of Nov. Just, I guess I just have to wait a bit.

 

[zensius]

Cool. Thanks Cory. I'd be in for one if the price came down a little. But who wouldn't?

 

[jasonb]

well i emailed the contact on the website (not wolfgang). his name was daniel tibus. i asked about the availability of this for the explorer, specifically the IFS version. here is the response:

"Hello Jason,
we are able to produce a locker for your application ! The problem is we do
not get enugh orders-requests for this unit ! We really like to help but we
need several orders , but I will try to get this locker into production
(mid-end of next year)!

Best Regards
Daniel Tibus"

i replied asking how many pre-orders he needed and told him ARB wanted 75 which we couldn't get, but said we had close to 20 before. here is what he said:

"Hello ,
20 does not sound bad ! the best would be 30-40 pre orders ,but we will
discuss it here at our company (maybe we can start with 20).

Best Regards
Daniel"


just thought i'd let you know.
i also hinted to a demo model.. but he didn't comment on that! dangit!

 

[William Schumacher]

when I was asking about this unit,they never said anything about preorders ?
here is the email I sent them back in July along with their replies.

Hi William,
I can understand if the price is to high for you, but you must know it´s realy very expencive to built this locker, maybe that´s the reason why nobody else built this locker right now. Also, who else offers a warranty like we do?
How much is a ARB complete with the compressor or a Ox complete with the cable?. I think it´s almost the same price (without 5 years warranty).
Sure, we can start to built the lockers for the most common axles like Dana 35, 44 and 60 like the others do, that would help us to keep the price down.. But that doesn´t help you. It cost a lot more money to make a big variety of lockers. Thats what we want. Building lockers for almost any axle also for your Explorer. We want to help all offroaders and of course we also have to make money.

Best regards and i hope to hear from you again
Thanks Wolfgang
----- Original Message -----
From: bilfish
To: Wolfgang Tibus
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: Re:


$859.00 for the front locker ?
wow....
that's more than I wanted to spend.
William S.
----- Original Message -----
From: Wolfgang Tibus
To: bilfish
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 7:56 AM
Subject: Re: Re:


hello, Did you got my last E mail ??

Thanks
Daniel
----- Original Message -----
From: bilfish
To: Wolfgang Tibus
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2002 9:38 PM
Subject: Re: Re:


Daniel :, just a few more questions !
#1) how and where do you guy's tap-in for the vacuum control ?
#2) how much for this item ?
#3) where can I order it from ?
#4) having a locker up front and an L/S in the rear {would this setup work out alright ??}
sorry for all the questions,I run the truck in soft sand often,and I've gotten stuck more than once,I believe this locker would have been a godsend on those occasions
thanks,
William Schumacher
Yonkers, NY
----- Original Message -----
From: Wolfgang Tibus
To: bilfish
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2002 1:41 PM
Subject: Re: Re:


Hello William,
Yes I know that the 95-01 Explorer has a different axle !
We also installed several front lockers in the newer Explorers,so you are getting the right part !

Thanks
Daniel
----- Original Message -----
From: bilfish
To: Wolfgang Tibus
Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2002 5:42 PM
Subject: Re: Re:


Daniel :, you have them available for the" front" of the Explorer !
I have an L/S in the rear end now,but I wanted the locker up front !
have you installed any of these into a '95-'01 Ford Explorer front ?
I thought Ford uses an odd D35 up front { different from the rear !}
just wondering if you guy's knew that before shipping overseas ?

thanks,

William S.
----- Original Message -----
From: Wolfgang Tibus
To: bilfish
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 5:07 PM
Subject: Re:


William ,
I am very very sorry ! I lost your E mail (ouch) !
The locker is available for your Explorer ! You lock-unlock thr locker with a small vacuum switch thats mounted inside of the truck . The benefit of a vacuum system is that vacuum is the most reliable , dosent leak air like a air operated ,no need for a troublesome compresor (works with engine vacuum) ,no electric -relays that fail especialy if wet and the vacuum system is very small and simple ! We do not have a US distributor right now , but you can buy the locker direct from me in Germany (price includes shiping ) ! End of this year we have also an shop in south CA !
If you have more question dont hesitate to ask !

Thanks
Daniel
----- Original Message -----
From: bilfish
To: wolfgang@tibus-offroad.com
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 5:49 PM


Wolfgang :, I wanted to get some info from you on the lockers {front and back} for the Ford Explorer ! I sent you an e-mail not long ago,you never got back to me ??
I have a 1999 Explorer,SOHC 4.0,automatic tranny,4x4.

I have never heard of this locker before,I was wondering how it becomes locked / unlocked ?,is this an auto design,or is there some sort of a switch to lock/unlock it ?
what are the benefits for the vacuum operated locker verses an electronic or air locker ?
also,where can I purchase this product,I'm in the United States.
thanks,
William Schumacher

 

[soupbone]

I say by next year ill have money again maybe and ill be on the list for this cause ARB isnt gonna happen. Besides this one is better.....

 

[GJarrett]

Okay I am confised. We have Wolfgang/Daniel Tibus telling William back in July that they already have one available and "have installed several" in a July 24 email and now we have Daniel Tibus (Wolfgang is a nickname I guess?) telling Jason now months later that they need at least 20 preorders to make one. This smells like trout. What's really going on?

 

[jasonb]

gerald.. from email not posted.. it sounded like he can make the one for the explorer front and has but they don't do it on a full production basis. i think that basically he is saying they don't have them as a common production run but have made one before.
and i don't know if daniel and wolfgang are the same person. he went by wolfgang on this board a few times so i don't know if daniel is the same person.

 

[William Schumacher]

Originally posted by GJarrett
Okay I am confised. We have Wolfgang/Daniel Tibus telling William back in July that they already have one available and "have installed several" in a July 24 email and now we have Daniel Tibus (Wolfgang is a nickname I guess?) telling Jason now months later that they need at least 20 preorders to make one. This smells like trout. What's really going on?

Gerald :, this also has me puzzled ?
they claim to have installed SEVERAL units into the front
late model Explorers. and quoted me a price of $859.00
??that is a little too much $ for me anyways.

 

[jasonb]

i am confused also.. but i doubt the guy is lying or anything. i sent another email asking more questions. i'll post it when he replies.