Gummi Bear said:Are we talking about the same ARB?
In my experience of off road vehicles (mud boggers, rock crawlers, good old fashioned redneck fun, etc) I know of only one catastrophic failure of an ARB. Folks run out of air, or let them get contaminated and they fail due to the owners negligence, but they are pretty darn strong.
If your disliking for the ARB is due to it's being air actuated, there are cable kits available to change it over to that. Any locking differential will require some degree of your attention. Regular maintenance, fluid changes, and an occasional inspection is a good idea to keep one alive for a good long time.
Putting one (or anything for that matter) in an 8" is like putting a hat on a pig, it may fit, but it sure is silly.
Sinking any amount of money in such a twerpy axle if you are talking about big torque numbers is just foolhardy. I see the same idiocy in the Heep crowd in wanting to build up a 'super 35' Dana 35 rear axle. Comparable to the 8", it just won't cut it with that much torque being applied. You're throwing away your money.
amen to that. I'd just rather have a good old fashioned detriot locker for off roading.