On board air

[Gregturley]

I finally got around to finishing my on board air system. I now have 3 5 gallon tanks and 3 Viair compressors. 2 tanks are supposed to be from some kind dump truck other is ebay. 1 compressor is a 380c and 2 are 444c, all rated at 200psi max. My pressure switch shuts off at 150psi. I can once again run air tools from the truck. Theres also a horn behind the front bumper that really comes in handy around here.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Gregturley

[Royal Squire]

More photos please. Where did you mount 3 compressors?

[Gregturley]

Ill get some tomorrow. It was kind of dark for pics today. The 380c is mounted on the driver side of the skid plate for the transfer case. The 2 444c compressors are on a bracket i made that goes between the DS middle and rear cab mount. I already had the 380 mounted when i found the 444's. I was going to remove the 380 but got lazy and left it in place. Used a 2 position switch that turns on the 380 in 1st position and 2 444's in 2nd.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Gregturley
Correction

[Gregturley]

Here are some pics. The 2 tanks by the steps are from a small dump truck from what i was told. The 1/4 turn valve with the male air fitting on driver side is for filling the system. I can hook up my shop air hose to it and fill it in less than a minute. There is a female air chuck on the passenger tank for air hose. The 380 compressor is on skid plate. This was my original compressor. 3rd tank is ebay item mounted on pass side frame rail under bed. This was the original tank.  I put this together with parts from ebay, facebook marketplace, and offer up. Most air line and fittings came from local Parker Store. Cost about $400 for everything. That was spread out over about 5 years as i added and changed things. Some of these parts have been on 3 different trucks I've had.

Forgot 3rd tank pic. I also have a line with a chuck ran to the rear to hook up an air hose. I stick it in the opening of the frame mount hitch.

This is +- 15 gallons of air at 150psi. It takes about 10 minutes to go from 60 to 150psi.  Runs an impact gun like a shop compressor and will fill any tire easily. I have used a 1/4 inch die grinder with a cutoff wheel to make SS braided AN lines at the race track before when it was a 10 gallon system with just the 380 comp. but that was working it hard.

[AH64ID]

Looks great! 

 

I just finished up my OBA 2 weeks ago. I had a ViAir 450 on my 05, but dropped to a 400 for the ‘18. I never ran the 450 long enough to need to continuous rating and the 400 is a bit faster. No tank for me, I really only use it for tires and a tank makes the first 1-2 faster, but then takes longer for the rest... unless you have 15+ gallons, which I didn’t want.

 

Mine is mounted under the bed on the drivers side. I ran a hose to the rear bumper mount. With a 25’ hose I can reach all 4 tires on the truck and trailer. 

[Gregturley]

@AH64ID Mine started out as 1 compressor and 5 gallons to air up slicks. Guy sold me a couple matching tanks cheap then the 1 compressor wasn't enough. I would randomly check the used parts sites and ran across the 444c dual pack nib. I was going to remove the 3rd tank and 380 comp and sell them but got lazy and just left them on. Its overkill but it does work great. 

[Mopar1973Man]

I could understand this for inflating tires. But, I would never try air driven tools like a impact gun. Now been at my new shop I've fallen in love with a the land owners DeWalt battery power impact gun. That thing is a super strong and doesn't have cord or hose. Awesome tool 

[Gregturley]

@Mopar1973Man Why never try air tools? Impact gun doesn't use much air and i always hand check lugs anyway.  I've used it on the side of interstate to change flats and it is great. Those electric impacts are pricey. When we're at a track rushing to get things done between rounds those air tools are perfect. 

[AH64ID]

I like air tools in the shop, but man they use a lot of air. It get's pricey to have OBA work air tools in a pickup, and takes up a LOT more space than a 12V impact... then again I don't carry a 12V impact with me either. 

[Mopar1973Man]

All my old air tools tend to eat up air quickly. I've done weird crap with a pancake compressor and air tools just really sucks when the air runs out before the nut or bolt comes loose. I've got a 20 gallon compressor (120 VAC) and my 1/2 impact on one wheel doing 8 lug nuts is enough to make it weak for the second tire. Forget doing 3rd or 4th tire air is gone and that's a 20 gallon compressor. I know those little compressor have a slow recovery rate being they the CFM's are rather low compared to a larger shop compressor. 

Yeah the battery power impact guns are pricey but... A single charge can do days worth of work without recharging.  No hose, no cords, just work. 

 

Even at my shop we've got a 60 gallon compressor (220 VAC) and even the owners guns eat air rather fast but the compressor is big enough to keep up though. 

[Gregturley]

I have an Ingersoll Rand impact that works good with this set up. Im not saying i use air tools all day on this thing. OBA started out to air up slicks. I went to a 4 day race and woke up on day 2 to 2 brand new 29.5x12.5/15  slicks that were flat. We had 2 portable air tanks and just over a 1/4 mile walk to the track compressor. Took multiple trips. I almost missed my class run. Over the years my system grew. 

I have a cheap electric Harbor Freight 1/2 impact. Take it to junkyard but it lives in wifes van. 

[Haggar]

Greg,

For the racing trailer I use a nitrogen bottle.  Dude that will save your life.   its easier and cheaper than sketchy cords and low voltage on a compressor, or trying to run tanks back and forth to the tire guys, or pulling out, setting up and listening to a stupid generator to run the compressor....   I can in a pinch run air tools.

 

GL  HTH

Hag

[Mopar1973Man]

27 minutes ago, Haggar said:

For the racing trailer I use a nitrogen bottle.  Dude that will save your life.   its easier and cheaper than sketchy cords and low voltage on a compressor, or trying to run tanks back and forth to the tire guys, or pulling out, setting up and listening to a stupid generator to run the compressor....   I can in a pinch run air tools.

 

That's the best answer so far. Way better than a low volume 12 volt compressor. 

[Gregturley]

Nitrogen is nice. My setup works great for me im happy with it. Did a water pump on a friends service truck 7.3l f350. Used air chisel for fan clutch, 1/4 & 3/8 air ratchet for clamps and bolts, angle grinder w/ scotch brite to clean gasket surface. Grabbed some tools at lunch & went to parking lot of the guys business. 55 minutes later pulled back in my shop. Use mine for last minute/emergency things. Sole reason i put air on truck was tires it turns out its a lot more useable than i expected it to be. I get its not for everyone and if i had to buy everything new at once i wouldn't do it. Bought everything used or open box except air line and some fittings.

[Evan]

I run a half inch impact off the dump truck on acasion but find my makita 18v stuff rocks. My set is growing have multiple snicket driving tools rated from 300-1000ftlbs.

 

I would like to have good air on my cheap for seating beads and airing tires up for the trip home.

I recently found I can mount two alternators on it easily.

 

Or convert the ac pump 

 

I like seeing what this multiple pump system can do. 

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

20 minutes ago, Evan said:

Or convert the ac pump 

Some A/C pumps will pump the oil into the air system once the A/C compressor is empty it will seize. The old York compressors found in some Ford applications back in the 70's were the best being you could modify the pump to not pump oil out in the discharge. Typically guys use these in Jeep applications works really good this compressor will do exactly what you looking for. 

 

https://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/yorkair.html

 

Oil modification...

https://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/york_oilmod.html

[Evan]

**** at 2000rpm  I could run a plasma cutter

[IBMobile]

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Typically guys use these in Jeep applications works really good this compressor will do exactly what you looking for. 

I installed a York compressor with a tank setup in a 2004 Jeep Wrangler 4.0L back in 2006.   He was getting this Jeep ready for rock climbing and playing in the desert and want to be able to air up his tires as needed.  It worked all right for that.  Volvo also used York compressors through 1984,  

 

In my work van I have a 5HP/30gal compressor which I hardly ever use.  I mostly use battery powered tools now.

[Gregturley]

I almost did a belt driven ac compressor air pump. The ones Mopar1973man mentioned are known to be very reliable and move some air. Few years back i found places selling mounting kits for a bunch of different engines but the prices were ridiculous.  Quite a few write ups on different installs too. Can be done fairly reasonable price if you can fab up your own parts. If you need serious air belt drive is probably the way to go.

[Evan]

I'll look into the belt drive pumps. I could probably manage fabbing some brackets.

 

I havent drug an air hose in a long time