Really quick S35 question

[Pionex311]

Hi guys. I know that there are a lot of threads out there about this but all those threads are laden with arguments from guys using different setups. Well, to avoid all that, I wanted to ask a straight forward question. What do I need to buy when I buy the Superior S35 upgrade kit with the ARB locker? I already know that I need an air compressor, which I already have lined up and ready to buy, but what else do I need. I plan on getting the Superior line of 4.88 gears to round off the setup. Also, I'm going to take it into a shop to get it done because I lack the know how to do this. Do I need to buy shims? I guess the best way to do this is by having someone make up a shopping list real quick to point me in the right direction. All help would be appreciated.

[Jerry Bransford]

The ARB case will need to be shimmed left/right to set the backlash between the ring & pinion gear but the shop setting it up for you should provide that kind of stuff. Hopefully you're buying the ARB compressor "kit" which will make getting that side of things working extremely easy. The Super 35 kit includes bearings etc. so you really won't need much, if anything, beyond what you have. Just make sure the installing shop uses Locktite on the ring gear bolts to prevent them from backing out in the future and causing a catastrophic failure.

[Pionex311]

Thanks Jerry for the quick reply. I am going to buy a ARB compressor but that brings up another question...do I have to buy the kit or can I just simply go straight into the high output compressor that they offer. I wanted to have a compressor that can activate the locker and be used as a source of air for inflating my tires when I'm ready to hit the road. If I need to buy the kit, then I will do that and probably get a second source of air for the inflation issue.

[Jerry Bransford]

I would not use the ARB compressor as a source of air for your tires, even with the bigger size. And then, not even ARB's larger compressor puts out much air volume so it will still be slow to fill up your tires. I'd go with their standard compressor and make that a stand-alone source of air for your lockers and have something else for use for airing up your tires.

Also, resist any temptation to go with ARB's heavy-duty air hose, go with the standard air hose. If the heavy-duty air hose ever gets snagged, it's strong enough to yank out a critical fitting that you likely couldn't repair on the trail. The standard duty air hose is very strong, yet it is designed to 'snap' if it every gets snagged which presents you with an easy fix that takes maybe 10 seconds with ARB's quick splice repair kit. But so long as your ARB installer knows what he is doing, he'll route the air line so it is well out of the way of any danger of ever getting snagged.

[Pionex311]

Awesome, thanks for the info. One last thing, what would you recommend as a good decent for airing up my tires?

[elkfan2]

Originally Posted by Pionex311

Awesome, thanks for the info. One last thing, what would you recommend as a good decent for airing up my tires?

I bought one of viairs portable compressors cant remember exactly which one but it was the bigger one and i can air up all 4 of my 35x13.50r15's in a little less than 10 minutes. I agree with jerry about buying the smaller compressor and using it for locker duty only.

[Greg_Volkman]

personally i plan to run my ARB off the 2.5g Sun Performance tank I have under the jeep (filled by my ViAir). rather than listen to ARB's dinky little compressor cycle on/off all day I figured i'd buy a step-down kit to run the lockers off my pre-exhisting OBA.

[Jerry Bransford]

Unless you have an air leak, the compressor won't cycle on and off all day Greg. ARB's "dinky little compressor" is actually ideal for the ARB Air Locker application because it only requires an extremely small volume of air to engage their locker. The pressure ARB's locker requires is quickly achieved in the small air space presented to the compressor by the air locker and its air line.

[Jeepster83]

i dont know if it was some kind of promotional deal but when my girlfriend got her S35 with the ARB the compressor was added at no charger. we were at 4 wheel parts here in sacramento. i do know one of the guys pretty well and get good deals fairly often but when i got the ARB kit i wasnt working with him. it may be worth it, and it never hurts, to ask.

[elkfan2]

Originally Posted by Greg_Volkman

personally i plan to run my ARB off the 2.5g Sun Performance tank I have under the jeep (filled by my ViAir). rather than listen to ARB's dinky little compressor cycle on/off all day I figured i'd buy a step-down kit to run the lockers off my pre-exhisting OBA.

When I engauge my ARB airlocker wth the "dinky little compressor" it cycles once for about 5 secconds to to engauge the locker then I dont hear it again, if its cycling more than that then obviously you have an air leak to fix.

[Greg_Volkman]

no, but if you guys leave your lockers engaged all day long you drive a bit differently than me....specially in the front it's not uncommon to disengage the locker to make tight turns. in snow, both lockers when on sidehills, too.

at any rate, having onboard air already, it was less expensive to buy the kit to run it off the tank.

[elkfan2]

No i only use mine when i need it then disengage it but with my compressor mounted under the hood i dont hear it enough to cause concern, but if i was wheeling in somewhere that i was constantly turning it on and off yes then yes a setup like you described would be nice.

[ohtenwillys]

wow.. if youre paying a shop.. you might as well pull a big bearing 9inch from a junkyard and have them plop that in... super 35s are just bandaids for silly problems that you could just avoid by getting a stronger axle
plus chicks dig ford axles

[Greg_Volkman]

oh god, here we go, and please note - it wasn't me :-)


i'm out.

[SlinkyTJ]

Originally Posted by ohtenwillys

wow.. if youre paying a shop.. you might as well pull a big bearing 9inch from a junkyard and have them plop that in... super 35s are just bandaids for silly problems that you could just avoid by getting a stronger axle
plus chicks dig ford axles

Sure, if you like having different width axles and different bolt patterns front and rear. Of course all that can be changed, but that adds more to the price. Super35s aren't all that bad depending on the intended use. For a small lighter jeep they can hold up just fine. Mine lives on even following Kelso around.