Just posting my experience with my ARB front locker here so hopefully others might find it useful if they ever find themselves in the same position as I was...
Whilst wheeling in Coffs Harbour recently I noted the unmistakable clicking sound of a passenger CV. Rather than risk it going bang on a track the next day, Homer and Geek pulled it out that evening and attempted to replace it with a spare one.
It was a gallant attempt. As much as they tried, they failed to get the CV in with the C-clip attached. We did initially think it was because they were useless
That wasn’t the case though. Giving up on installing the C-clip, the CV was put in without it. The next day however, the CV went on a relatively easy section of track, no significant momentum and no extreme forces involved. We think that the reason it went was because of the increased torque experienced by the CV due to it moving out of the spline at full droop due to the C-clip missing. It follows that whole extension of action around a point equalling more force/torque principle - like putting a water pipe on a shifter to get more leverage. That's my understanding of it anyway, happy to be educated otherwise.
Whilst on the side of the track, after seeing to Mr CV CV Bang Bang, Lewis had a go at again replacing my passenger CV with another spare. The result was the same, the CV would not locate with the C-clip attached. So it proved Homer and Geek aren't useless.
Back in Brisbane, Lewis had the ute for a week and determined that the locker port in which the CV spline locates was simply not right. He contacted ARB and was told there had been cases where it had happened to other vehicles in the past making specific mention to Hiluxes. In the mean time Lewis sourced some smaller diameter C-clips to fit the passenger CV for me (and had the two CVs reconditioned for me). So at the moment I am all sorted. Big thumbs up to Lewis (and Jonlin Automotive) for his efforts!
I decided however to take it up with ARB. I wrote an email via their online form and received a welcome response in a matter of days.
The email was sent to ARB engineers in Melbourne and their response was sent up to ARB Nundah to action. Basically what they said was that this problem surfaced a few times in IFS vehicles with lockers. They found it more in Hiluxes as they sold more for Hiluxes (no real surprise there). But they were quick to change the design to fix the problem. There was obviously a few left floating around of the original design and I ended up with one. The problem was identified around 2 years ago, I got mine 1 year ago. They just didn't clear a lot of stock for the Tritons, probably until recently.
ARB Nundah is going to fix mine by either putting a chamfer on the lead edge and/or shave the inside. Basically they will take it all apart and see what needs to be done. They might just replace the star gears depending on what they find when it all comes out.
This should happen in about a couple of weeks time. Very happy with the ARB response. I did think it was going to be a battle but they are standing behind their product which is always a good thing to see. Thumbs up for ARB on this one!
I should add that this issue was first identified a while back by Lee and his guys at Eagers Mitsubishi. I can't quite recall how they came across it but I think it was because they found metal shavings attached to the magnetic plug of the diff housing whilst changing oil during a routine service. At the time I took the ute back to the guy who installed the locker (after weeks of chasing him) and he replaced a C-clip that Eagers found missing. All the guy said was that it was hard to get in. Having seen the C-clip the day that Homer and Geek took it out, it was obviously put in with a large amount of force which had damaged it and resulted in it breaking in half.
I suppose that anyone with an ARB front locker should be mindful of this if they ever have a passenger CV go bust. It's not the end of the world, you will get home (providing you have a spare CV) but don't panic if it won't go in with the C-clip on. I don't recommend you continue off-road shenanigans without the C-clip as you will only bust more CVs (I basically did 3 in two days
)