Has anyone relocated the Rubicon locker pumps inside the Jeep?
- Thread starter Irun
- Start date
Yes, though I no longer use the OEM lockers. I switched to ARB after the rear locker went out. I had a twin ARB compressor installed in the read DS "window". It's loud but it's easy to fill tires with and it looks as clean as the day it was installed.
Mine are under the hood on the fender well. I’m considering hood louvers to draw some of the excess heat out but haven’t read enough about them yet. It may be a non issue, but with louvers the potential to let water into the engine bay in heavy rain concerns me. Eventually the plan is high line fenders so I may need to relocate them in the cab eventually anyway.
My locker compressors have been under my louverless hood for a dozen years and they have been fine.
Good to know Jerry. I’m not completely sold on hood louvers just yet. I’ve still got some research to do.
I mean, some of them LOOK cool, and in theory, it seems like it would help reduce under hood ambient temps which may help increase the longevity of plastic and rubber components, including my locker pumps.
I’m just not 100% sure it would be worth spending that money on something that LOOKS cool and MAY help. I’d rather spend it on things I need first, that WILL help, then maybe louvers after the thousands and thousands of dollars worth of other stuff I “need”.
Plus I have some concerns about louvers letting more water into the engine bay than I want to be in there, the verdict is still out on this as well.
I do see the point @Irun and @zebra12 are trying to make. Expensive part. Protect it better.
I mean, some of them LOOK cool, and in theory, it seems like it would help reduce under hood ambient temps which may help increase the longevity of plastic and rubber components, including my locker pumps.
I’m just not 100% sure it would be worth spending that money on something that LOOKS cool and MAY help. I’d rather spend it on things I need first, that WILL help, then maybe louvers after the thousands and thousands of dollars worth of other stuff I “need”.
Plus I have some concerns about louvers letting more water into the engine bay than I want to be in there, the verdict is still out on this as well.
I do see the point @Irun and @zebra12 are trying to make. Expensive part. Protect it better.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
The TJ engine bay is very open as far as "newer" vehicles go. Not quite as open as a 1974 CJ but open in comparison to newer autos.
If your cooling system is in proper working you'll have no damaging under hood heat.
If the louvers look get you all tingly that's different but function...meh.
They don't take up much room...and think of how long many have lasted mounted on the skid plate in the muck, snow and ice, swamp, sharp sticks...and still vibrating away when turned on. They're pretty damn tough with the above considered.
Do they permit air to retract back to the compressor when not running? My only question would be the smell of gear oil inside the cab.
Putting them inside would be trivial, but if you have the OEM fenders you could mount them under the ABS tray, it's mostly safe from the elements.
However whenever my hilines ship I'll likely drop them and use the ARB regulators once I can measure the OEM pressure to match it exact.
However whenever my hilines ship I'll likely drop them and use the ARB regulators once I can measure the OEM pressure to match it exact.
That is not actually a bad thing. If you smell gear oil due to the airline, that means the actuator is compromised and needs repair. Otherwise the air side and oil side of the actuator never mix.
Just knowing how the rubi lockers are getting more expensive and harder to find I set out to give myself another option. I picked up the ARB replacement solenoid (sorry I used the wrong term previously), a 1/8 male BSPT to 1/8 NPT and a 1/8 male NPT to a 5/32 barb. I may optimize this later to remove one of the connections, this was just what I could do on Amazon. I’ll run everything off my single can ARB.
OP
I ended up looking at two places inside the cabin. One was under the steering column and one was near the OBD2 port. Since I may add an amplifier later, I'm opting for the latter. I used a scrap piece of aluminum and made a bracket that allows for two pumps. I built a small harness, so I can easily disconnect them, then tied into the fuse panel. The air hose runs out where the block off plate is (automatic only), through a Daystar boot.
You can hear the pumps when they start up the first tme, but don't really notice the pump cycling after that.
You can hear the pumps when they start up the first tme, but don't really notice the pump cycling after that.
Last edited:
Looks like ARB came out with a new product recently.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DXDMFL8/?tag=wranglerorg-20
I wonder if this is what he was referencing for the "ARB regulator". Little info but it appears it's controlled by an APP? I might pass if so.
OP
I looked to find out what the adjustable range is, but didn't see any published information.
That wasn’t what I meant, but that seems like quite the expensive regulator. I bought mine from absolute wit’s end for $80 with a mount and all.
Personally I would not trust any regulator that goes high enough to fill tires. You are looking for something with a 0-15 PSI range to run the Rubicon locker actuators.I looked to find out what the adjustable range is, but didn't see any published information.
OP
That was my exact thought when I looked at this a couple years ago. There were no regulators with a wide range, at least high enough to inflate tires, that I would trust with the factory 5 psi locker actuator.