Airing up w/On board air - what are you using?

[jayson44]

I noticed how many of you guys have OBA systems of some kind. what is everyone using? I saw this video today and the Napa compressor has me VERY interested.

anyone else use a portable compressor setup? what do you all use for hose setup?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmPYeYHf3w0

J.

[FINOCJ]

I use the superflow mv50....
https://superflowair.com/products/mv-50-air-compressor-1
I've used it quite a lot over the last 7+ years, and while its never failed me, I am not sure I would get that same one again....some of the issues include the hose to tire valve screw on connecter, the low quality gauge (which was never all that accurate, and now is completely non-functional) as well as it seems to get hot and then it pulls a lot of current and blows the fuse (or melts the fuse housing). Most of that stuff can be fixed with some decent replacement parts, so while its cheap and you can afford to make improvements, but that is kind of annoying. It also has a limited duty cycle, and while it says it can run 20 min on and 20 off, that seems to be right at the time needed for me to fill up 4 33" tires from 9 to 25 psi and probably drives some of the overheating. The advertised 2 min seems a bit optomistic...but if/when I get a new one, I'll pay more attention to a higher duty cycle as well as better gauge and hose fittings as well as a bit quieter would be nice....in other words, I'll probably shell out the money for a Viair....that is if this one ever completely dies. So, if you need to go the budget route and don't plan to need it every weekend, it is compact, cheap, and it does work.

[Jim]

First iteration - A SuperFlow MV50, reworked.
www.JimWilliamson.net/misc/2012-11-10--tech--mv-50-disassembly/ (https://www.jimwilliamson.net/misc/2012-11-10--tech--mv-50-disassembly/index.html)

Second iteration - engine driven York A/C compressor with an ARB digital tire inflator. The cost of the inflator had me holding off - though I do find it useful and I would purchase again.

EDIT: I see you mentioned what do we use for hose setup. For a portable electric, I found I needed to use the supplied hose as near the compressor the hose needs to be able to handle the high temps that will be encountered. At the end of the supplied hose (or far enough away from the heat), one could attach about any inflator or end termination of their choice. The same applies to the engine driven York - output hose temps were high enough that I kept blowing "standard" shop air hoses. I ended up traveling to a hydraulics / hose company and they made a hose for me - 2' of hose (air compressor outlet to the air tank) that would handle the temps out of the compressor.

[Tom]

Started with an mv50 which didn’t last long.
Now Viair 400P.

[Java]

I have an MV50 mounted under the hood of my Jeep for a few years now, it's cheap and reliable, a good option. I have Harbor Freight compressors and plug kits in my car and in our Xterra (rarely air down the Xterra, only used it for flats) and they are also cheap and reliable but not fast enough by far for airing up big tires. They also get very hot, it's a couple of minutes until you can put it away. I'd be all over that NAPA one if I was you, I recently got the awning he talks about in the video and it's great. If the compressor is as good it's a sweet deal at under $120.00, and NAPA is everywhere if it fails.

[derf]

Viair 400P here.

[open_circuit]

ARB CKMA12 under the hood. Used a cheap harbor freight compressor under the hood for 3 years. Motor seized and replaced with ARB.

[jayson44]

thanks guys! I think the Napa is gonna be the way I go.

do you guys do all 4 tires at once or just use a single hose?

J.

[open_circuit]

One at a time. My compressor doesn't have enough CFM to make doing 4 at once worth the trouble. The 4-at-a-time hose looks cool and efficient, but every time I've aired up next to someone with one of those I've been done faster going one at a time. The 4-hose is unweidly.

[FINOCJ]

Most of us use a single hose with simple 12V portable units, but some have multi-hose set-ups. A few have more complex, and even permanently routed air lines as part of of that with a single inlet connection and quick connections at the corners to go to the tire valve.

[Jim]

A couple comments to add.

1) Moving from a portable compressor, unmounted, to a permanently mounted compressor - I do enjoy the mounted style. I might have enjoyed it more with the freakishly hot portable style - so I wouldn't have to deal with the hot potato getting packed and stowed (or left out on a floorboard to cool on the way home from a trail - to pack it up later). The mounted style only needs an air hose to be unpacked (for me it's wrapped up in the engine bay as well, though the inflator is stowed in-jeep). The mounted style doesn't get pulled, tipping over, pulling a power cord to disconnect when the air hose is pulled to the farthest tire.

2) When I started the York compressor project (because I wanted faster inflate speeds) I started to give serious consideration to simply going CO2 inflation tank. If you haven't, you might give that method some consideration. It's different and offers different pro/con issues.

[FINOCJ]

A permanently mounted compressor is nice...but you have to have space for it. Additionally, for an engine driven system like Jim has, you have to have the engine running, which isn't as much of a problem on modern stuff, but my old carbureted stuff doesn't like idling for 20 min at a time (I run my 12V compressor off the battery with the engine off - keeps my engine from fouling the plugs so much or things getting hot, and no concern over the low idle oil pressure that is notorious on old buick v6 engines.) Additionally, and engine driven unit can be difficult to find space for in the engine bay and brackets and belts are needed to drive it - much easier on older engines with less 'stuff' in there and no serpentine belts either. Permanently mounting an electric unit could work well (a few of our members have that). As Jim says, if you have the space, a CO2 tank is an option...they are fast, but you have to pay to fill them up every so often, and i worry with my overloaded brain that I would forget to refill it, or a last minute, unplanned wheeling trip would happen, and be left cruising to the nearest gas station on 7psi. Additionally, tanks are not small - so for some of us with space limitations, that may be a concern.
One last old-school option - use a spark plug hose! Engine has to run, but it uses the piston to pump air out through the hose to your tire. Nothing like a bit of unburnt fuel in your tire! At least on a modern EFI system, you could unplug the power to the injector, but they were originally used on old carbs....

[Java]

IDK if this is useful to anyone without truetracs, but I only use my compressor to air up the driver's side tires to usually about 45 psi, then I hook up this hose to both front / both rear tires and they balance to each other. I discovered that having different air pressures across an axle has a detrimental effect on my Truetracs, but if the air is exactly the same they are invisible. I do the same when I air down, I lower all my tires then hook this hose up to balance them. Its a simple 10' air hose with two female locking ends. It can do another cool thing, you can see it in the last pic: if you don't have onboard air you can fill your spare to about 40 or 45 lbs, and if you get a flat you can plug it and hook up the hose to your spare and the repaired tire and they balance out at about 20 lbs each.

[speedkills]

I'm just gonna be obnoxious for a moment and leave this here, won't even try to pretend it's useful for anyone.


https://youtu.be/06NdB6ckb1g

[jayson44]

won't even try to pretend it's useful for anyone

showoff.

J.

[jayson44]

f you get a flat you can plug it and hook up the hose to your spare and the repaired tire and they balance out at about 20 lbs each

I'm pretty sure I've heard other guys doing this. great idea!

I think I'm gonna go with the Napa and a single hose setup. I love the ideas of the York, but as James pointed out, you need the room and I'm not willing to sacrifice my current AC compressor just for OBA.

Thanks for all the input!

J.

[speedkills]

I couldn't help myself :lmao:

[Trevor?]

On the Jeep and Xterra I use a portable compressor sitting on the winch or on the top of the grille. I put together a little manifold with a ball valve, a schrader valve and a couple of quick connect fittings. It plugs into the output of the air compressor. With a connection like the ones Paul shows on the other end of the hose, I can throw the ball valve to stop the flow and check my tire pressure without kneeling down next to each tire. It's pretty inexpensive and a bit easier on the knees. It also isolates the hose from some of the compressor heat as well.

I use a Viair 450P. Its only rated to 1.66 CFM but its continuous duty, so it will keep chugging along without getting too hot to bag it up when I'm done.

I put a ARB twin compressor on the frame of the van, mainly to move as much air as I could. An engine driven compressor would be better, but there is so little space under that hood. I have air chucks in each wheel well, and 1/2 air lines. it takes a while to air up from 30-something to 55psi, but you can tinker with other things without much time spent moving lines around. They both have their pluses and minuses.

[newracer]

I use a CO2 tank and have a MV-50 and another inexpensive compressor for back up that I have not tried yet. I love how fast CO2 is.

[The StRanger]

I’ll have get some pics tomorrow but I run the ARB compressor & tank with a 120 power converter mounted on an
cutting board.
If I have to move it I just unplug it and off we go.