ARB Locker Install Issues

[limegreen76]

So recently I nuked the stock differential on my 76. It’s just the stock big bearing ford 9, 28 spline axles. I got a good deal on a RD119 locker from ARB, which is supposed to fit in the ford 9, as well as a set of 31 spline axles to go with. The arb did not come with carrier bearings. Arb provides me with part numbers for beatings but the OD of the race is still far too big to fit in the third member. Has anyone had experience or suggestions on what I should do? Do I need a new third member? Is there bearings that will fit the arb and also the stock third member? Any help is appreciated. Thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Apogee]

There are a couple of different carrier bearing options, so best guess is that they provided part numbers for the 3.250" bearings maybe? Can you post up the part number or dimensions for the bearings they suggested versus the old ones? When I did my ARB install, it was in a new aftermarket case and full installation kit, so I didn't care what was in my old one, but there should be bearings that fit the RD119 and your case.

 

[limegreen76]

There are a couple of different carrier bearing options, so best guess is that they provided part numbers for the 3.250" bearings maybe? Can you post up the part number or dimensions for the bearings they suggested versus the old ones? When I did my ARB install, it was in a new aftermarket case and full installation kit, so I didn't care what was in my old one, but there should be bearings that fit the RD119 and your case.

Thanks for the input, after doing some searching around I found that Jeff’s bronco graveyard carries a set with the exact dimensions that I am looking for. If anyone in the future is in the same predicament and sees this, to install the 31 spline ARB RD119 Locker in your factory ford 9 third member, you will need to buy item number 22270 from Jeff’s bronco graveyard. ARB is very vague on this topic and they suggest that you press sleeves onto the locker to use a bearing with a bigger ID, but the race OD that they suggest is too big for the factory third member. 22270 from JBG is the same race OD as the factory bearing, but has the slightly larger ID to fit the ARB locker with no sleeves needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bronco Junkie]

Strictly my opinion, but you should seek out bearings made in the USA. There are no Chinese bearings on my rig.

 

[SteveL]

Same here. There's a wholesaler near me that gets any bearings and seals if you got part numbers.

 

[Apogee]

Strictly my opinion, but you should seek out bearings made in the USA. There are no Chinese bearings on my rig.

I'll disagree and suggest only that you run quality bearings, regardless of country of origin. I've had good luck with Koyo, Timken, SKF, BCA, most of which are made in various parts of the world, some of which include the good 'ol US of A, but no all. Koyo bearings are strictly made in Japan if I'm not mistaken.

 

[welndmn]

I'd personally get a aftermarket case and get stock timken off the shelf bearings.
The stock cases are known to be weak, start adding in a reduced size bearing and it's sounding strange.

 

[sprdv1]

Good post, thinking of going arbs myself in my 76

 

[SteveL]

About ready to go it also. Now I'm hoping my instal kit has the right bearings.

 

[nvrstuk]

After calling 4 of the brg manufacturers listed above about 5 yrs back looking for USA made brgs I learned a lot about brg tolerances and why the cheap Chinese crap fail...

I got the same story from 3 of the 4 places I called. They all said it was the lack of quantity and quality of grease in the sealed brgs. All 3 of the engineers I spoke with said to pull the seal off brg and pack it with quality grease and put the seal back in place.

Of course, on diff carrier you haven't got any sealed brgs so you should be good to go with even some of the Chinese stuff. Koyo has been an excellent quality brg for 40+ yrs but quit making two of the brg numbers I needed (along with Timken) so I was hunting for quality and this is what I fould out. Interesting that 3 of the 4 without prompting concurred that grease was the problem...