Most Salisbury style axle assemblies, a Dana 44 being the obvious example, need the housing spread before you can add enough shim to reach the carrier bearing pre-load the manufacturer specifies. The OEMs endorse the method and most housings even have spreader sockets cast in for it. What they do not supply is the tool.
This is ARB's version: a pre-drilled plate with a hole pattern covering most commonly available axle types, two threaded rods and four blocks, which together stretch the housing in a controlled, even way rather than the improvised force that cracks castings. Get the pre-load wrong and you are looking at bearing failure or ring and pinion failure on any differential, and on an Air Locker you add oil and air leaks to the list.
What's Included:
- Pre-drilled differential spreader plate
- Two threaded spreader rods with nuts
- Four spreader blocks
- Durable carry case with a powder coated parts tray
Features
Controlled, Even Spread
Stretches the housing in a safe and controllable way, which is the difference between reaching pre-load and permanently damaging a casting.
Fits Most Axles Out Of The Box
The plate is pre-drilled with a hole pattern that suits most of the commonly available axle types, so it is not a one axle tool.
Built For Shim Adjusted Banjo Axles
Suited to pre-loading shim adjusted Banjo style axle assemblies, which is where the spreader is genuinely required rather than optional.
The Method The OEMs Endorse
Spreading the housing to add pre-load shim is the manufacturer endorsed method, and most housings include spreader sockets cast in for exactly this.
Stays A Set
Supplied in a durable carry case with a dedicated powder coated parts tray, so the rods and blocks stay with the plate.
Fitment & Compatibility
| Application |
Fit |
| Salisbury style axles such as the Dana 44 |
✓ Fits |
| Shim adjusted Banjo style axle assemblies |
✓ Fits, this is the intended application |
| Adjuster nut type differentials |
✗ Not applicable, use the adjuster nut pliers 0770002 instead |
| ARB Air Locker installations in the above axles |
✓ Fits |
| Vehicle |
● Universal. A workshop tool, not a vehicle specific part |
Fit guidance: The question is what kind of axle you have, not what truck it is under. If the carrier pre-load is set by shims tapped in beside the bearings, you need a spreader. If it is set by threaded adjuster nuts, you need the pliers instead.
Specifications
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Model: ARB Air Locker Differential Spreader
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Part Number: 0770003
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Type: Bolt on housing spreader for shim adjusted Banjo and Salisbury style axles
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Hole Pattern: Pre-drilled to suit most commonly available axle types
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Supplied In: Carry case with powder coated parts tray
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Shipping Weight: 31 lb
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Warranty: 3 years
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UPC: 9332018010193
Installation
Type: Workshop tool, no installation · Time: Not applicable · Tools: Wrenches for the spreader rods, plus a dial indicator to measure the spread · Difficulty: Professional differential work
Measure the spread with a dial indicator and stay inside the housing manufacturer's limit. Over-spreading a casting is permanent, and the tool gives you enough leverage to do it if you are not measuring.
Resources
Everything you need for your ARB Air Locker Differential Case Spreader with Case, in one place.
Warranty, Shipping & Returns
Warranty. ARB covers this product with a 3-year unlimited-mileage warranty through ARB North America (Air Locker Inc., Auburn, WA), the term ARB publishes for it in its own product record. Wear items such as filter elements and seals fall under ARB's 1-year wear-item schedule. We describe ARB's warranty exactly as published and it is honored through any ARB-authorized dealer in the US.
Free shipping. This item ships free to the lower 48 states. Because it is an oversized item, it ships by freight and typically arrives in 3 to 7 business days.
Inspect on delivery. Please inspect the packaging before signing. If you see any damage, note it on the delivery receipt and contact us right away, and we will make it right.
About ARB
ARB started in 1975 in a Melbourne garage, when Tony Brown began building bull bars for the four-wheel drives crossing Australia's outback, and the company has grown into the largest 4x4 accessories maker in the southern hemisphere. Its engineering campus in Kilsyth, Victoria still designs and builds the products the brand is known for, and ARB now runs offices in the USA, Europe and the Middle East with an export network reaching more than 100 countries.
The Air Locker is the product that made ARB's name in North America, and the brand supports it the way a driveline component has to be supported: with the setup tools, service parts and spares that let a workshop or a competent mechanic do the job properly instead of improvising. In North America ARB operates from Auburn, Washington as Air Locker Inc., backing every product with a US warranty program. Prestige Truck is an authorized ARB dealer. Every part we ship is a genuine US-market unit with full ARB North America warranty coverage.
