Savvy Mid Arm Trusses and ARB Lockers

Superjay5

Superjay5

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Currently working on install the Savvy Mid Arm, ran into my first issue and wondering what your solutions have been.

Had ARB lockers installed by a shop a few year ago and the bulkhead fitting is roughly at the top of both front and rear diff, which does not play nice with the savvy trusses. I have both the straight and 90 degree air fittings and neither provide proper clearance. They will need to get moved

On both front and rear, the most clearance from the truss would be the same side as the ARB seal housing. Only issue I see with that is it doesn’t leave a lot of space and it doesn’t allow the copper line to have a bend in it.

So before I start drilling new holes I was curious to see where other people placed them.
 
grr said:
My rear air line was in an inconvenient spot too. I drilled a hole in the truss.
Click to expand...

That was my first thought. On the rear truss my bulkhead fitting it about 50% into the upper control arm mount… so that’s a no go. I don’t want to drill a hole so close to the original hole either to move it away, why I was thinking of switching sides…

The front I could slightly modify the truss to make it work
 
Superjay5 said:
That was my first thought. On the rear truss my bulkhead fitting it about 50% into the upper control arm mount… so that’s a no go. I don’t want to drill a hole so close to the original hole either to move it away, why I was thinking of switching sides…

The front I could slightly modify the truss to make it work
Click to expand...

We just make it work. If the fitting is in an awkward spot to drill the truss, we move it to a better spot. If we have to extend the copper line inside the diff, we silver braze another piece on with a slip coupling out of the next size up copper. You could also lead solder it like copper plumbing with no issue.

Just remember that it needs to be in a spot that allows you to service and remove the bulkhead fitting in case something bad happens.
 
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mrblaine said:
We just make it work. If the fitting is in an awkward spot to drill the truss, we move it to a better spot. If we have to extend the copper line inside the diff, we silver braze another piece on with a slip coupling out of the next size up copper. You could also lead solder it like copper plumbing with no issue.

Just remember that it needs to be in a spot that allows you to service and remove the bulkhead fitting in case something bad happens.
Click to expand...
Thanks Blaine. If I do end up drilling new hole for the bulkhead, do you have a rule of thumb on how far the two holes should be from each other? Is like an inch okay?

What do you think of this idea for the front. I hate to cut into the truss, but might be the best route. All I have is some 2” square laying around, so using that as an example. I could get away with 1.5”. But what if I frenched in a piece of square or round stock to make an access port so to speak.

The aluminum foil you see is my bulkhead fitting. It just slightly clips the angled back edge of the truss.

If I could just move that bulkhead back .5” inches it would clear…. But my guess is two 7/16 holes that close together may not be the best idea

A85AC76A-50CE-4F8F-B092-CCDEF8D7C493.jpeg
 
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Superjay5 said:
Thanks Blaine. If I do end up drilling new hole for the bulkhead, do you have a rule of thumb on how far the two holes should be from each other? Is like an inch okay?
Click to expand...
Should be fine. The truss is going to help slow down any flex in the casting that would connect the two holes with a crack.
Superjay5 said:
What do you think of this idea for the front. I hate to cut into the truss, but might be the best route. All I have is some 2” square laying around, so using that as an example. I could get away with 1.5”. But what if I frenched in a piece of square or round stock to make an access port so to speak.
Click to expand...
Just drill it and see what happens. I would be very unlikely for anything bad to occur there with how short the spans are.
Superjay5 said:
The aluminum foil you see is my bulkhead fitting. It just slightly clips the angled back edge of the truss.

If I could just move that bulkhead back .5” inches it would clear…. But my guess is two 7/16 holes that close together may not be the best idea

View attachment 390204
Click to expand...

Move it back a little further into a place where you can use that fancy 90 that ARB sends out now.
 
mrblaine said:
Should be fine. The truss is going to help slow down any flex in the casting that would connect the two holes with a crack.

Just drill it and see what happens. I would be very unlikely for anything bad to occur there with how short the spans are.


Move it back a little further into a place where you can use that fancy 90 that ARB sends out now.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

On a good note, had a little more room than I thought on the rear, I can use either the straight fitting or the 90 back there with zero clearance issues… small win

08840D1A-C520-48D0-98D4-A9FDC07FEA35.jpeg
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
Nice welds.
Click to expand...

Not really. They are done by someone trying to mimic the look of an aluminum Tig weld and that is not how a good Mig weld is done. The max allowable tip movement in a proper mig weld of that size is 1/16" to do a wash or direction change. That one is running back and forth to mimic something it shouldn't be by around 1/4" or so.
 
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In case it helps, this is how we ran an ARB with the new 90° fitting in a Rubicon 44 with a Savvy mid arm. The bulkhead fitting screws directly into where the locker plunger sensor used to be. If the regular 44 has that same flat area, maybe it can be drilled and tapped.

20200621_133320.jpg


20200621_151734.jpg


20200621_164126.jpg
 
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jjvw said:
In case it helps, this is how we ran an ARB with the new 90° fitting in a Rubicon 44 with a Savvy mid arm. The bulkhead fitting screws directly into where the locker plunger sensor used to be. If the regular 44 has that same flat area, maybe it can be drilled and tapped.

View attachment 390244

View attachment 390245

View attachment 390246
Click to expand...

That’s nice and clean! I have my rear Dana 44 sorted. I have the 30 up front, I don’t think it has that spot, but I’ll double check this evening
 
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