| Article number: | AIRLOCKER Ratio 3.923 |
Fits NCV3/906 and VS30/907/910- 4x4 or 2wd vans
ARB Rear Air Locking Differential
For years now people have wanted to add offroad capability to their Sprinters. Most folks in the offroad world know one of the best ways to accomplish this is through gearing and a locking differential. The effect of blocking the differential is amazing and mostly helps to getting out when stucked or even to prevent this when put in in advance.
Only a few Sprinters out there in the field have the OEM Diff locking mechanism. Besides of this there was no option available to upgrade the rear differential with a locker.
Now we have the solution ! The ARB rear diff locker. The NEW rear diff upgrade is a massive step forward and the ultimate off-road upgrade ! Get the most out of your Sprinters potential.
A relentless commitment to research and design, the use of quality materials, and an uncompromising approach to manufacturing have all contributed to the Air Locker’s success in over 100 countries worldwide. Designed and manufactured in Australia, ARB Air Lockers locking differentials will enhance the traction of your 4×4 in just about any terrain, whether it’s rock, clay, gravel, sand, snow or mud.
Now with a state-of-the-art two piece design available right across the range, forged gears for the ultimate in strength and durability, and an industry-leading five year warranty, ARB Air Lockers are better built and better backed than ever before. Many people believe that a 4WD and traction go hand in hand… you can’t have one without the other. However, your vehicle’s standard (or open) differential is designed to allow each wheel to turn independently, thus eliminating binding during turns. Off road, this becomes a major burden as engine power will take the path of least resistance, which occurs at the wheels with little or no traction.
Newer vehicles with limited slip differentials may offer some improvement, but more often you’ll find the slipping is not ‘limited’ enough to maintain forward progress. Automatic locking differentials also have their disadvantages. Aside from being noisy when disengaging, they can also upset the on-highway driving characteristics of your vehicle.
FORGED GEARS
Strength, durability and resistance to fatigue in all Air Locker® components is paramount. With phenomenal forces being applied to the side and pinion gears within the differential, ARB has invested heavily in the application of forged gears, typically found in heavy duty commercial, race and agricultural transmissions. When combined with ARB’s patented ‘timed gear’ design, the resulting strength of the whole assembly is amplified.
TWO-PIECE DESIGN
Housing this superior internal gear train in a two-piece case brings further benefits. Machining a case from two-pieces instead of three results in a much higher dimensional accuracy of the finished assembly and has allowed ARB Engineers to improve the design of other elements, resulting in a reduction of moving parts, increased strength and a more responsive activation.
UNRIVALLED SUPPORT
For total peace of mind, all ARB Air Lockers® are backed by a comprehensive, five-year, unlimited miles warranty. Coupled with ARB’s extensive dealer network, you can be sure we’ll be there to support you in the unlikely event of an issue.
OFFICIAL LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL OF ULTRA4 RACING & KOH
The ARB Air Locker and ARB Air Compressor, are the official locking differential and air compressor of the Ultra4 race series and King of the Hammers, which are regarded as some of the most technically challenging races in the world.
The benefit over other types of lockers :
The main benefit that an Air Locker has over an electronic-locker is its instant activation. By comparison to the majority of electronic lockers, an ARB Air Locker engages instantly and at any speed; furthermore, an ARB Air Locker has no operating speed limitations.
Being able to engage your locker ‘on the fly’ means you don’t need to lose your momentum before tackling an obstacle.
To run the ARB locker you would need an on board compressor. The benefits :
Having an on-board air compressor has many advantages other than a way to activate Air-Lockers. On-board compressors are also perfect for inflating tyres, cleaning car components such as door seals and air filters, inflating air beds or for basically anything that needs compressed air. Having on-board air becomes very handy to have in your vehicle, especially considering that you don’t have to find space to pack it, nor do you need to pull it out and connect it to your battery every time you need to use it.
For ordering we would need further information :
Please include the year, model, drivetrain configuration & VIN of your Sprinter in the Order Notes at checkout so we may ensure the ARB Locker is compatible with your application. (ex. 2022 Sprinter 2500 4×4 VIN: xxxxxxxx). As well we would need the ratio of your rear diff.
Make sure installation is done by a professional workshop.
What is a differential and how does it work ?
Your 4×4 has a front differential and a rear differential; a differential is designed to distribute drive to either the left or right wheel on each axle.
Delivering drive to just one side of the vehicle is what allows your left and right wheels to spin at different speeds, which is imperative for on road cornering.
By design, a diff will rotate the wheel with the least traction. So, when we are travelling off road, if one wheel is suspended in the air or is sitting on a very slippery surface, the differential will only delivery drive to the wheel with no traction.
This works against 4WDers because you can very easily find yourself in a situation where one wheel on the front axle and one wheel on the rear axle has little to no traction. In this situation, neither of the wheels with traction will receive drive.
What is a selectable differential locker and how does it work ?
A selectable differential locker is a full replacement differential which can be ‘locked’ by activating a switch from the driver’s seat.
The locking function removes the differential’s usual capacity to split the drive left to right by binding the gears; this means that both wheels will always rotate at the same speed, until the locker is disengaged.
When do I use the locker ?
We’ve described the basics of how a standard differential works and why we need them on road, however, when it comes to 4WDing, it can cause issues when driving on uneven or muddy terrain, where it is common for one or more wheels to slip or become raised off the ground.
The perfect time to engage a diff locker is when traversing low traction surfaces, whether they be slippery or overly uneven causing wheels to lift.
Switching the differential to ‘locked’ will send equal drive to both wheels, meaning that both the wheel off the ground and the one firmly planted on the ground will have equal drive, allowing the wheel with the most traction to push you forward and continue on the track.
Why do I need a locker ?
We need a locker to make effective use of all the traction available between our tyres and the surface of which we are driving on. Lockers give you the ability to take advantage of the traction that is available by supplying drive to all wheels.
