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#1
17th December 2009, 03:09 AM
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Potential Vacuum/Air Locker for R160 - only 1 hurdle...
G’day all,
I’ve been keen to get a rear air locker sorted for my L series subi. One way I had been looking at doing it was to fit an R180 diff and find a locker to fit the R180. ARB don’t make a locker according to their current air locker list… So I did some searching and found this mob: Jack McNamara Differential Specialists The link will take you directly to the page that describes the locker – it actually a vacuum locker but an air unit can be created instead. I’ve emailed Jack and already had a reply. It’s do-able (YAY! Said I) BUT we’d need 500 ordered to make it happen  The cost of the unit according to Jack is $1000 per unit which I thought was reasonable.Only real obstacle to this is the 500 units required Thought I’d share anyway – or has anyone got $500,000 to blow on the purchase of the units  I would like to get a list together of who would want one (or three) but doubt it would be worth the effort as the 500 units seem un-attainable unless the word can be put out there. Cheers Bennie
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Do what you like. Like what you do 
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#2
17th December 2009, 12:58 PM
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i think it would freakin awesome, much better than welding up.
but the problem is i cant fork the $1000 for a while until i get some other things set aside. another problem is keeping the 500 people, you know when it comes time to buy so many of them are going to backout. so really you need more than 500 pledges to end up with that many come buying time
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#3
18th December 2009, 03:11 AM
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Totally agree with the awesomeness of this - if it would happen... $1000 is relatively cheap for a locker too. It'd be a DIY kit as the centre is replaced and the actuator fitted. So long as the actuator is located in the right place it'll fit any subi with a R160 rear diff and work fine with an AWD box as it'll be open on the black top :D
And yes, as always with a group buy, the 500 is the problem - that's a lotta people to find and organise! There's also the potential for a front locker too, but again it'll have the same sorta problems to organise and I doubt there would be many who'd want to pull their gearbox apart to fit it... Imagine a fully locked subi! That'd be the ultimate, even if it was just for ****s and giggles  I'll keep hunting around until I find someone who'll do a much smaller run... Cheers Bennie
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Do what you like. Like what you do
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#4
18th December 2009, 04:02 AM
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Totally agree that $1000 is a fair price, but the minimum run is a rip off.
Presumably they have access to CNC equipment, in which case it wouldn't be too difficult to 'read' the standard Subi "innards" and make whatever alterations are needed to produce the kits. This is the advantage of cnc and other modern production techniques. Seems to me that the 'minimum run' is just a fancy way of saying no, but leaving the door open for anyone silly enough to stump up $500G! 
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'Boxers' forever! '67Beetle & 05MYOB.
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#5
18th December 2009, 05:13 PM
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I have no idea about the construction process but thought that the 500G was to cover tooling costs and make a bit on the side as well - maybe there's more of an emphisis on making a bit on the side...
I guess if we could find such a place that could do the job we'd just have to come up with a design of our own... That could be a fun process of trial and error! And if I won it big on tatts I'd probabily be doing the silly thing! Cheers Bennie
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Do what you like. Like what you do
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#6
19th December 2009, 02:01 AM
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as far as a front diff lock goes, id probably wait till the car is for completely offroading before i went through the trouble.
i have heard of several people using R160 diffs up front underneath the tranny in place of the front diff. i think you need just a little over a 10" lift to do it, but there are several out there.
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#7
19th December 2009, 01:52 PM
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Being a machinist,CNC and manual,I find his minimum order a little high.
I think if he's just producing the chunk (no ring or pinion),50 would probably be enough to recoup costs and make profit. A well equipped shop would only need to make some jigs and fixtures,would already have almost all the tooling to do the job,I mean come on locking diff's are what they do. Even at $1200/1400 it would be a deal compared to the LSD's that are out there. Love to have one but your never gonna get 500 people to buy them all at once.
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AWD..and not afraid to use it
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#8
29th January 2010, 06:35 AM
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Saw a reference on another thread to a locker being an option on the Toyota Tercel.
Given that the 'turtles' are similar scale to Subi's, would it be feasible to retro fit? (Asked in total ignorance, they may be as different as chalk and cheese. Not even sure if the turtle has IRS or rigid axle!)
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'Boxers' forever! '67Beetle & 05MYOB.
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#10
30th July 2010, 11:12 AM
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OK, just had a thought - it happens
 - would an electric locker be a possibility?Are they easier to retro? (Um.. how do they work anyway?!)
__________________
'Boxers' forever! '67Beetle & 05MYOB.
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