Drive Line: Anciliaries


Topics covered:

Axle Breathers

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Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 09:53:44 -0600
From: Jeff Gauvin jeff.gauvin@lsil.com
Subject: [D90] Cheap Tip: Diff breather tubing

Most of you have probably already done this, but last night I finally replaced/extended/rerouted my rear diff breather. You may recall that my stock breather tube had been rubbing against the fuel tank, wearing away at both, until the tube wore through.

Thought I'd pass on this cheap tip: at Home Depot you can buy a 25-foot roll of polypropylene tubing (0.25-inch OD, 0.170-inch ID) for $1.44. This tube is an *EXACT* match (size wise) for the stock tube; it plugs right into the axle housing breather banjo fitting. It is stiff enough to resist crushing and kinking, but flexible enough to route easily. Home Depot also sells a variety of compression fittings to help you wire it all up. You'll find everything in plumbing supplies. Don't forget to pick up plenty of zip-ties in various sizes.

I routed my rear diff breather tube into the engine compartment and Tee'd it into the front diff breather tube. At some point I may tie in the tranny and xfer-case breathers, but they are fine for now the way the factory left 'em. Used about half the roll of tubing.

Total project cost: about $5

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ARB Lines

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Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 15:51:13 -0600
From: alan_ottley@3com.com
Subject: ARB Lines - was: RE: Bumper Sticker

Quick field fix for ARB air lines:
Rubber vacuum line (5/32 I think) is a nice tight fit over the blue ARB line. If the line gets broken, or kinked or whatever, just cut the blue air line, stick each end into a piece of the vacuum line and attach a zip tie on each end to seal. Works great. I always carry some of the fix-it kits with me.

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Date: Tue, 30 May 2000 16:44:31 -0600
From: Richard Hills rhills@nmsu.edu
Subject: Re: ARB Lines

My ARB set-up uses brake lines everywhere that they can be hard mounted, but a heavy rubber hose to the diffs. I would prefer to also have the hose between the brake line and the compressor. Many of us run this set-up in Las Cruces and I have never seen a failure. In contrast, I have seen lots of failures of the blue plastic set-up. ARB has told my mechanic that they strongly prefer a section of rubber tube over braided hose so that it can blow off if the pressure switch fails to shut off the compressor. They also told my mechanic that they may not warrant damage due to a failed pressure switch if there is no blow-off section.

Rich

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ARB Solenoids

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From: Alan Dobbs[SMTP:gulfcmt@flash.net]
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2000 5:32 PM
Subject: RE: [D90] ARB Selenoids

For the sticking electric ARB solenoid it is simple to repair and here step by step on how to fix it.
Remove the fuse to the solenoid or unplug it from the connector so there is no power to it.
On the top of the valve where the electric coil is there is a round black crown looking piece (it is about the diameter of a dime). Unscrew it and then you can slide the coil off the spool. (You want to make sure there is no power going to the electric coil before you remove it. if you remove it off the round spool (shaft)while power is applied to the coil it will ruin it. If it is unplugged it fine just don't power up the coil without the spool in place else it will go into thermal melt down since it has something to do with the inductance and how it collapse the magnetic field.)

With the coil off you will see 2 Phillips screws. Remove both screws with a #1phillips screwdriver. Pay attention to the mounting plate orientation. Then grasping the aluminum base use the other hand and pull the spool outward while wiggling slightly. Be careful not to pull to hard because there is a spring underneath. With the spool out check the inner 2nd spool by sliding out.
Inspect all parts and clean with contact cleaner. Pay close attention to the o-ring and the rubber seat on the end of the 2nd spool. For assembly spray the spool and seat with WD-40 and then carefully push the spool into the base wiggling it slightly helps to seat in without pinching the O-ring. While holding the spool down carefully install the mounting plate and 2 screws. Slide on the coil and thread back on the coil nut. Hand tighten the coil nut carefully since it only needs to be finger tight.

On a side note
The GCR pneumatic valve is a two-way valve and it has 3 ports. 1 is the air inlet which is normally closed and a "A" port (which goes to the locker) and a "E" exhaust port to vent the air to atmosphere.
For the operation when the switch is up or down depending on mounting, the valve blocks the incoming air. The outlet port that is connected to the ARB is vented/open to the exhaust port. When the toggle is switched, the air will pass thru the inlet and out the "A" port that is connected to the ARB valve activating the ARB. When the toggle is switched back again, the inlet is blocked and the outlet port then connects to the "E" port making a path flow and venting all the pressurized air in the lines & ARB out to atmosphere.
If one wanted do the logic just like the electric switches buy using the GCR pneumatic switches then what will be needed is a tee fitting and 2 pneumatic switches. Take the tubing coming from outlet ("A") port of the first switch and split it so one line goes to the rear ARB and the 2nd air line goes to the inlet side of the 2nd front ARB switch. This way the front will only activate when the rear is on and will turn off when the rear is switched.

Alan Dobbs

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