Hi all

ARB have recently changed model number for their 24 spline application for Land rover axles from the Rd56 to the Rd 128.

Anyone has any info on what changes have been made... i have read that it is allegedly stronger and beefier in places... basically i am at the point of ordering one and have the choice of both (old stock vs new stock coming in). Rd128 is a bit more pricey compared to the Rd56...

thanks

Hi all

ARB have recently changed model number for their 24 spline application for Land rover axles from the Rd56 to the Rd 128.

Anyone has any info on what changes have been made... i have read that it is allegedly stronger and beefier in places... basically i am at the point of ordering one and have the choice of both (old stock vs new stock coming in). Rd128 is a bit more pricey compared to the Rd56...

thanks


Unless it was beefed for longevity reasons, and I've never heard of an issue with that, there are plenty of parts waiting in line to fail in LR axles and the ARB (RD56) isn't one of them. I think you would be hard pressed to find a failure of the older version that wasn't directly related to broken bits of shaft or lack of maintenance that caused the trouble. My .02

Tis

ARB in a rover axle. $800 can of turd polish.

From my friends in Oz it seems the Rover ARB is getting an upgrade like most new ARBs with the airline going to the Ring gear side of the carrier, along with a bit more beef and that's about it.. The RD128 is not on the USA price list as far as I can see. But it's ARB and I haven't even got notice of the last quarter's price increase yet (!?!?!)

The RD128 would be one of the newer 2 piece design Air Lockers and yes, they are stronger than the older 3 piece models. The new case design has less flex and the "timed" locking mechanism times the side gears and spiders so they are locked in at their strongest position.

Nothing wrong with the older style units (especially those with the clip style retainer), as Jtisdale said "there are plenty of other parts in the LR axle that usually go first", these newer models are just an evolution of an already good product.

Tim
If there is less flex why are we all having problems with the orings leaking gear oil back up to the solenoid? I have used the new square o-rings and also just rerouted the solenoid exhaust back into the breather lines to keep the mess of gear oil away from the pump. The o-rings have worked in most instances. Must be the design change of the diff though.

JP

If you are getting lots of gear oil back up the line you have 1 of two probable problems.

1) Seal housing not sitting concentric on the journal.

*If the seal housing isn't riding square and concentric, then you have the O-ring loaded on one side and unloaded on the other and can create an oil pumping situation. As the journal is spinning in the seal housing, the oil enters in through the unloaded side of the seal housing and then as it hits the loaded side, it compresses and is pushed up the airline. Kind of a non-efficient pump action thing going on.


2) Plugged vent line.

*This is the most common problem with oil coming up the air line. If your housing isn't breathing correctly the pressure has to go somewhere, usually past the o-rings and up the airline and will carry(or push) oil with it.


The ARB diff case should have nothing to do with oil getting up the airline unless there is a path for the oil to get past the seals and something driving or pushing it up.

So look at your sealing surfaces:


Do you have a scratch or some damage that will allow oil to get past the seals?

Do the o-rings fit tight?


Is this oil coming up when you drive down the road normally? If so, then look to the vent line or fitting being plugged.

One thing I do on every ARB install is punch out the vent line to 3/8" ID minimum and then run 3/8" line up to a filter assembly. On some rigs with big equipment or are used at speed, I'll might even install dual 3/8" vents or go 1/2". Most OE ventlines are too small for what we do with them and it is hard to overvent them :D.

Also be sure to move the vent line into the center of the diff housing, if it is not there already and then weld in a little baffle on the inside to keep oil from getting splashed into it. Vents that are located on the axle tube are begging to be filled with oil as your axle is articulating and the oil is filling up an axle tube.

Haven't heard the pump theory yet. But am aware of the venting situation. It seems that the older ARB did not have issue with the vent or oil pumping of the offset o-rings that you describe. Compared to the newer design of the rover ARB locker. Any more comments?

Haven't heard the pump theory yet. But am aware of the venting situation. It seems that the older ARB did not have issue with the vent or oil pumping of the offset o-rings that you describe. Compared to the newer design of the rover ARB locker. Any more comments?


Sure they had those problems, especially the offset o-rings with the older 3 screw seal housing, install those just a bit out of concentric and you were pumping oil and as I mentioned the plugged vent line is the most common cause for oil up the airline. The older units are the ones that I cut my teeth with back in my ARB days... :laughing:

Tim, good tech man. I was wondering why my rear Sals. locker air line was always full of oil. :confused:

Are you still doing the 'kilt run'? I'm looking for another excuse to get to Moab this spring. It looks like Easter is quite early this year. BRRRRRR...

Hey Tim,

This should probably be in a PM but since you have graced us with your presence, I will shamelessly thread hijack (and others can use the info):

I messaged you a while back about the RD114 fitting into an Eaton H052/H070. You had said that you had someone testing it out. Did you ever get results? Eatons are a nice axle for us Rover guys because they can be put together as a centered or offset rear axle just by disassembling them, and they look pretty stock. Also, are there any plans for offering side gears for the RD114 that are over 30 splines or of a larger diameter? Like, a 40 spline or 46 spline?

Hey Tim, This should probably be in a PM but since you have graced us with your presence, I will shamelessly thread hijack ....


Graced you with my presence?? WTF dude? I am trying to do the whole kill-my-ego spiritual thing, don't go giving me a complex.... :laughing:


Unfortunately it is a no on the RD114 fitting the Eaton. We tore one apart and tried to do a fitment, but the RD114 is just too big. The ring gear of the Eaton is waaaay too small to get over the RD114. We even went as far as looking at stuffing the 14 bolt R&P into the Eaton 3rd with some severe shaving of the ring gear and a custom pinion support, but alas there still wasn't enough room.

There is rumor of a dropout style 14 bolt third member being developed, not sure where I heard that from... :D .... but it could be pretty cool if it happens.

We can do 40 spline side gears for the RD114, they're not cheap, but hey you're a Rover guy, you know what that is like right? :laughing:

Tim, good tech man. I was wondering why my rear Sals. locker air line was always full of oil. :confused:

I've ran into a couple Air Lockers that have baffled me for awhile, but we've never had one we couldn't fix. Your Air Locker shouldn't be spitting oil except a small amount within the first couple dozen activations after install; that's residual from a good install.

Are you still doing the 'kilt run'? I'm looking for another excuse to get to Moab this spring. It looks like Easter is quite early this year. BRRRRRR...

We are still planning to do one. The whole Easter early thing is bothering the hell outta us 'cause we still need to get some rigs ready and it is almost mid-Jan! :eek:

Tim

we talked about about oil migrating up the line back in the 90's when I was having a issue with it in my old scout.

when I moved over to rovers the same thing seemed to be very widespread with ARB users. Rover puts such tiny little breathers in these things its just stupid:shaking:

I upgraded my breathers to some larger steel braided lines and the oil issue was gone for good.

Thom

http://discoweb.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=31012&d=1197995884

We are still planning to do one. The whole Easter early thing is bothering the hell outta us 'cause we still need to get some rigs ready and it is almost mid-Jan! :eek:

Keep me in the loop. I'll get your ugly mug in the magazine. Now I gotta find a cute kilt. :grinpimp:

Tim

we talked about about oil migrating up the line back in the 90's when I was having a issue with it in my old scout.

when I moved over to rovers the same thing seemed to be very widespread with ARB users. Rover puts such tiny little breathers in these things its just stupid:shaking:

I upgraded my breathers to some larger steel braided lines and the oil issue was gone for good.

Thom



Wow, this must be Thomas Mathie??? It's been years since we last talked....How have you been?

Keep me in the loop. I'll get your ugly mug in the magazine. Now I gotta find a cute kilt. :grinpimp:


Utilikilt (www.utilikilts.com)- The ultimate in comfort and check out the online mockumercials.

Bearkilts (http://www.bearkilts.com/)- The nicest of the casual tartan kilts, handmade, but a hell of a wait.

USAkilts (http://www.usakilts.com/)- 2nd best in the casual tartan kilts

Utilikilt (www.utilikilts.com)- The ultimate in comfort and check out the online mockumercials.

Bearkilts (http://www.bearkilts.com/)- The nicest of the casual tartan kilts, handmade, but a hell of a wait.

USAkilts (http://www.usakilts.com/)- 2nd best in the casual tartan kilts

Yeah, I've seen all those sites. Still looking for one I like/can afford.

Wow, this must be Thomas Mathie??? It's been years since we last talked....How have you been?

Damn!! you even got the spelling right:D

I'm good Tim ...life has changed a bit since my days of fun and games the kids growing up and I am stuck at a desk most of the time:(

but all in all I am alive and thats a good thing right?

I had heard you went out on your own...hows it going?

maybe we need to hook up and do some wheeling this spring in moab?

I really need a good get away.

Thom

I just installed a pair of RD128s for a customer. The cases are, indeed, beefed up, especially on the ring gear side. The seal collar has switched sides. The only drawback is that the air line routes over the top of the ring gear. I thing GBR has them in stock.

Damn!! you even got the spelling right:D

I'm good Tim ...life has changed a bit since my days of fun and games the kids growing up and I am stuck at a desk most of the time:(

but all in all I am alive and thats a good thing right?

I had heard you went out on your own...hows it going?

maybe we need to hook up and do some wheeling this spring in moab?

I really need a good get away.

Thom

Thom,

Good to hear everything is going well. I thought I warned you to stay away from Rovers, Scouts were bad enough... :laughing:

Left ARB a year ago last Sept. and am now a wildly sucessful hundredaire from running my own business. :laughing::laughing:

We do have some Air Locker support products coming out in the next month or so that are pretty neat. They won't be ARB approved, but definitely Tech Tim approved.

Moab is a definite possibility... Got Kilt? Mr. Slade keeps bugging me to do a kilt run, maybe EJS this year?

I'm looking forward to seeing what you have coming out.

EJS could be alot of fun, showing up in a rover I am sure I would catch some flack for sure:D

I'll shoot you a e-mail we need to catch up