Come on now- its not too much wear if you can actually try to have less than two tires in the air. The term is 4 wheeling... you guys make it more like 3 or even 2 wheeling sometimes!
;Dp; ;Dr;
Oh yeah, the ARB air locker is a type of limited slip device. A "locker" will make both tires on an axle turn the same even if one is in the air or one has more or less traction. Although some units have additional built in compromises including clutches. This is for great offroad, and is horrible onroad due to binding. This is when on tire is trying to rotate more revolutions than the other. This is called "binding". Its the same reason your TOD is not engaged under about 5 mph unless you slip and then it will engage.
A "limited slip" is similar except it will take the power from a spinning wheel and transfer it to the opposite wheel. Also known generically as a "posi" as in positraction. An antique domestic muscle car term. Rally cars and most hybrid offroad vehicles (ours included) have these. They are good for everything up to rockcrawling, although it is better to have a limited slip than not. Our unit happens to be one of the best (thanks Isuzu) and will hold up very well, but in extreme situations like wheels in the air a locker would be better. A limited slip is better offroad than a locker is onroad so like life- its all compromises.
The ARB is the best compromise. It is a true "locker" that uses an inflatable o-ring. It will drive as your front diff does now which is why you will notice if you ever get stuck only one tire will spin. Once 1 wheel reaches a breakaway point, all power will follow the path of least resistance. The ABR unit has a small air compressor mounted under your rig, and when you push the dash button, it will power on. This will inflate the o-ring in the diff and will force a set of gears together and act as a true offroad locker. Both tires will spin together even if one is on ice, and the other on asphalt. The fact that you have a limited slip rear will greatly help also. Then you can turn it off and drive once again stock. Usually if you are locked front and rear, there isnt many places you cannot go or get out of. The yin-You can have limited slips front and rear, but you would have to be in a true "rally" situation to appreciate it, and your tires would wear faster when cornering due to some binding. Some times in loose mud, snow, or ice you can turn the wheel and the vehicle will "shovel "straight. This can be precarious, but if you drive balls to the wall anyways it will get up and go with more traction. The Yang- You could also have ARB units front and rear, but you wouldnt have the onroad traction the stock limited slip gives when onroad, and you could leave it on, and you would probably break something with all the binding. This is why the addition of a front ARB to our already good setup enhances performance. Usually you will need the front axle to crawl over obstacles with less weight on them, and the weight is on the rear where the limited slip can distrubute it efficiently. When you are done, power off and it will drive stock. The only down side is BE EASY ON IT AS THE ARB WILL PUT ALOT OF FORCE ON YOUR FRONT CV JOINTS. An easy driver will win in this case.
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