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Vehicle mounted air compressors
Whilst the air compressor available through this website is exceptionally efficient, it is a little on the large side for my already over-packed 4wd. Any ideas out there for alternatives (but still better than the small portable units (which take up to 15 minutes per tyre))?
Sam. |
Anything is better than a Halfords jobby of course and the smaller types mentioned in the book will do the job I'm told, but they will still be slow and so prone to overheating (esp. in summer!...) - some are only meant to activate diff lock switches.
I know the price is ridiculous but trust me, leave the PSP behind and find space for 8kg of Grand Erg compressor or something like it. You will not regret it. It gives the ability to keep your tyres at optimum pressures by knowing that you can deflate, get across w/o plates or pushing/digging and pump up again in a couple of mins. IMHO and experience, a meaty compressor is the most overlookied and under-rated accessory for sandy dez travels (tho not general overlanding). I've yet to use my plates. Ch |
There are a number of smaller compressors available (at least in Australia) eg ARB, Blue Tongue, Thomas, all of which are designed for intermittant operation (usually OK for tyres). They are also fitted with a thermal cut out if you push them too hard.
Magnum makes a slightly bigger compressor designed for continuous output, and available either mechanically driven (off the fan pully) or electric. I have a Thomas pump which I have mounted under the bonnet. I would recommend a pump for general overlanding too - after repairing 13 punctures on our UK - S Africa trip and using a foot pump for them ALL! Cheers, Andy |
Just returned from Egypt's western desert, we had very good results with the US made Truck Air comprssors. Two units got all 12 tyres of three heavily laden landcruisers (without any jacking) from 20 to 30 PSI in less than 30 minutes. It's available for order over the web at http://buyitonline.com/timesavingtools/p633.html for $51 plus postage
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Is that impressive? - 5 minutes to get a tyre pumped up by 10 psi? And who jacks cars up just to pump up tyres..? It looks pretty similar to the cheapo Halfords units you can buy here.
Ch |
Sam
There is one called the "Truckman" 275 PSI - pretty good by all accounts. Its a heavy duty one, we used them in Egypt this year, I think they can be bought on the net, don't know price though, and I don't have their web page details Renate |
Hi
I can only echo the importance of compressors - do not skimp and your tyres will love you for it I am currently trying out a 240v / 2amp compressor with 5 litre air receiver. This pushes 100 litres a minute as I cannot find a 12v compressor without going to the grand erg jobbies that can cope with my trucks 900x16 tyres. I use a 1500 watt inverter to run it Just as a point - No matter how good your compressor is - still pack a footpump - the onl thing guarenteed about technology is that it will fail just when you need it Rich 101 Diesel Ambulance 'Tiggurr' rclafton@cswebmail.com |
Interesting stuff above. All I'll add is that the £15 Halfords job that I bought as recomended by an article in Land Rover Monthly has been absolute pants. Each time I use it to inflate 4 x 750x16s from 20 psi to 30 psi it melts. I take it back to Halfords and get a replacement. I'm on my 7th! I even let it cool down between tyres. The whole proceedure can take up to an hour. Get a big one.
Toby |
Wow, this has pompted some discussion!
Having spoken (in an emailly kind of a way) to Chris, I'm going to go for the Grand Erg - you get what you pay for? Also, there are going to be two of us in Libya and Algeria... Sam. |
The compressor I am testing has managed to re-inflate my 255/85 * 16 tyres from 20 to 40 psi in 80 seconds, so 320 seconds or 5 minutes 20 seconds for the whole truck.
I think this might just work....... Rich |
On my trip to Morocco last year I found the ARB compressor enough than satisfactory. It took less than 15 min to reinlflate four tyres from 12 psi to 24 psi and the compressor was running hot but not alarmingly. Considering mass vs usability it isn't bad IMHO.
------------------ Roman (UK) www.polandrover.com |
Hello,
On my trip in Morocco, 2 days ago, i've met 2 dutch guys with a defender 110 witch had a airco-pump mounted on there engine witch inflated there tires in just 50 seconds. Hopes this helps, greatings, ------------------ Jan Van den Broeck Anwerp, Belgium |
Truck Air-Grand Erg comparison.
I've just obtained one of these 'Truck Air 275 psi' compressors from the US to test against the Grand Erg. Here are the results on a 235/85 R16 tubeless BFG AT fitted on the back of my car starting at dune pressure - 1 bar or 14psi. Truck Air after 2 minutes reached 1.3 bar or 18 psi Grand Erg after 2 minutes reached 2.5 bar or 35 psi (road pressure) Who knows how long it would have taken the Truck Air to reach road pressure, but of course it's a fraction of the weight and cost of a Grand Erg. The test unit is for sale. It has a The fan cooled motor, 4 metre lead and a pressure dial which goes all the way up to 300 psi. 50 quid. Chris S |
Talking about air tanks for compressors, does it make sense to fit, say a 2 l tank, or will it make little difference in terms of overrall inflation time/convenience?
------------------ Roman (UK) www.polandrover.com |
Jan Van den Broeck,
Do you have the email of the Dutch guys with the airco compressor? Or does anybody else have any experience with airco compressors for pumping up tyres? Ron and Roberta. |
Hi Roman, re a small tank, I considerd this once but decided think it will make little difference and be more stuff to carry, all it does is stop you having to turn on a compressor - but then you have to fill the tank up again with a powerful machine (assuming you want to get mega psi in there).
It all gets back to the desirability of a powerful compressor doing a tyre fast enough for you to use without hesitation. I have heard using ones spare wheel as a reservoir. Stick 100 or more psi (6 bar) in there and attached a double valve air line. Never tried it but has the same limitations. Chris S |
Recently I saw the practice of inflating tyres with a tube attached directly to the exhaust. Incredible, but works ! Anyone any experience / comments ?
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I MOUNTED AN OLD AIR CONDITIONING PUMP TO MY RR AND USE THIS FOR INFLATING TYRES, INSTALL AS FOR AIR CON BUT FIT AN AIR COIL AND TYRE VALVE HOLDER ONTO THE OUTLET AND AN OIL DRIP FEED ON THE INLET. AIR CON RUNS AT UPTO 200 PSI THERFORE INFLATES TYRES IN SECONDS UPTO WHATEVER PRESSURE YOU WANT, DOES NOT OVERHEAT AND WORKS FIRST TIME EVERYTIME . CHEERS STEVE
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Ron and Roberta,
can you please keep me informed directly about this also (jan.nouwens@tip.nl), I am still considering this option apart from simply bying some compressor (maybe an ARB-model, some NLG 700 excl. VAT). I have a contact that has more or less offered this idea to me, seems he has done it before but sofar I was not convinced about the quality of the idea. Now it seems to be working quit well if you look at one of the messages. TNX, Jan. |
Hi,
I have no idea about the specifications, but when I popped into Brownchurch a few weeks ago they had a new one in that they hadn't started to advertise. It was going for around £250 I think? see www.brownchurch.co.uk for details I guess. Cheers, dj |
whilst i believe the grand erg compressor to have very good airing up ability, those who would trade a little more money for less weight could try www.oasis-off-road.com
check out their trail head unit.i know it's an american type size but this sub 2kilo unit can fill a 35inx12.5inx15 tyre from 1bar to 2.5 bar in 1m 22s and that is one big tyre! |
RE: Aircompressors
Blue Tongue has just released the Blue Tongue III (kindly mentioned by Renate). Here's an update from the webpage: "Recently released, this latest evolution of the famous Blue Tongue pumps retains the unique Fan Cooled, Continuous rating that has made it the most reliable pump in Australia's hot and dusty conditions. This latest Blue Tongue III is a full 20% faster that its older brother to make it the faster pump in its class and still fan cooled." Ralph Martell from Opposite Lock, Australia, wrote this back in an e-mail: "Blue Tongue III air compressor is fast and most importantly continuous duty, so all four tyres can be re-inflated one after the other without cool down periods. Cost $AU345 including a 6 metre hose". Check out http://www.oppositelock.com under "Tyre repair and Deflators". At $AU2.7 per £, it costs about £150 including air freight. OR try and e-mail Ralph Martell at [ola@ozemail.com.au] Rgds, Dennis |
'Truck Air 275 psi'......The test unit is for sale (2 mins use). It has a fan cooled motor, 4 metre lead and a pressure dial which goes all the way up to 300 psi.
Was 50 now 40 quid (55 + new) and you get a free foldaway funnel Ch |
Old aircon unit under the bonnet vs £420 on a Grand Erg. Hmm...
Sounds like the aircon unit is the cheapest and most effective way of doing things. Am I missing something? (BTW, we used a Halfords compressor for a year's trip with no probs. Inflated 5 7.50x16s from zero to 32psi without a break, no worries. Wasn't super-quick, and certainly not quick enough for desert stuff, but if you're just overlanding on a budget then it was OK. Maybe I was lucky..) |
REF AIR/CON TYRE INFLATOR, I BOUGHT THE AIR/CON UNIT FROM SODBURY SORTOUT FOR £15, AIR COIL,VALVE ADAPTER, AND OIL DRIP FEED FROM MACHINE MART FOR ABOUT £25, NEW BELT TO RUN PUMP FROM LOCAL SUPPLIER £10, FILTER TO STOP DIRT ENTERING PUMP £5, PLUS A COUPLE OF POUNDS FOR SWITCH+RELAY, INSTALLED MYSELF, TOTAL COST APPROX £60, GARAGE COULD INSTALL IN APPROX 2HRS IF NEEDED. ON MONDAY INFLATED TYRE ON ARTIC TRL FROM FLAT TO 100 PSI IN 5 MINS
REGARDS STEVE, STEVEPITT@JAPITT.CO.UK |
Just back from three months in Sahara, grand Erg was just the job many times. In reality, takes a minimum of five minutes to get each tyre back to road pressure (37psi), and sometimes nearer ten. Perhaps, at 42C, the air is thinner!
Sam |
about AIRCON units as air compresors.
You shouldnt oil the compressor !!.People using "oil drips" on AIRCON units are inflating their tyres with oil-wet air , which can absolutely disastrous for rubber//tyres in mid-term. Rubber and Oil doesnt mix very well! IMHO , the AIRCON unit should not be oiled at all (it is neither oiled whist standard (air conditioning) operation , is it?) BTW: This is a good reason NOT to inflate tyres with air which is suspected to come from worn air conmpressors(== air compressors with worn piston rings). Worn air compresors "nebulize" an incredible ammount of oil in the air .This , which is indeed a serious problem for car re-spraying ,and a fatal risk for scuba divers , can also damage seriously your flashy new tyres in a matter of months. If possible , choose an "oil-less" air compressor . (which have not oil in the crankCase , hence having the piston rings made from teflon). In serious cases , one should use an air-line-oil-separator (about 20 UKP) which is standard piece of hardware for car -respraying Cheers. Javier . |
YES & NO !!!
The above explanation is completely true! HOWEVER, when I was looking into this, it was suggested to install an air-oil seperator AFTER the compressor to remove the oil that was added to the air before the compressor. In that case you will have (more or less?) oil free air to inflate your tires. I have not yet spoken to anybody who has actually done this but I believe this will work perfectly. Regard, Jan. p.s. I have finally bought an ARB compressor (originally made for air locks) but I have not tested it yet. |
Hi Sam, I wonder if air is thinner at 42C (well, it is a bit, but that much...?), because if I put 10 mins of Grand Erg on a tyre, even if it was totally flat, tha car would look like a monster truck.
I would expect the tyre pressures to rise up to 20% over 'true' cold pressures, so readings may not have been accurate (but they would have been proportional, I guess). I agree with what you said elsewhere about sand plates, too. Chris S |
Delighted to see the compressor forum is still going strong. I have just fitted a system to my Land Rover Carawagon. Son, Matt, (www.mattsavage.co.uk) has imported a couple from the States to try out and I've got the first. At the risk of this looking like a blatent ad here's the spec:
Max Pressure 150psi. Duty Cycles 20%. Flow Rat @ 100psi - 0.85cfm. 12 volt 240 watt motor with direct drive to compressor. Price under £200 including air line and guage <sales@mattsavage.co.uk> I have done two acurate tests on the unit. To inflate 1 x 7.50x16 from 1 bar to 2.5 bar took 3 minutes and to do all four tyres took 13.5 minutes. I have now plumbed the compressor in to an old fire extinguisher to act as a res., but this has proved to be a waste of effort. The straight compressor with pipes is enough. Matt's got one more in stock and following a wave of publicity soon will have more. Oh. and I've just melted my seventh Halfords one. |
Air con compressors ARE oiled in their standard role and the oil level is important - as the compressors are running for long periods and pumping up to 300psi around the aircon system. For short periods and depending on the type of compressor you may get away with none. HOWEVER, if it were my truck I'd be inclined to oil the incoming air then install an oil seperator afterwards.
We have a (garage) oiled compressor which we use for spraying. It is fitted with an oil spearator and the air we get is DRY. You could then have a valve to switch from dry air to oiled air for the tools. A regulator may also not be a bad idea - aircon is quite a bit too high a presure for airtools. Marko |
There should`nt be a problem with putting in an inline oiler then drying it after the compressor. With a small tank you could also fit a small pressure switch so as it can build up pressure then cut out, as for running airtools, I dont like your chances as the compressor may have a lot of pressure but it just wouldnt be able to cope with the flow, with a decent sized tank you maybe able to run them intermittently but it would be anyoying stoping then starting
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Just thought I'd drag this back to the surface...
Has anyone used the compressor sold by Matt Savage? (Apart from his Dad, Toby!! http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/redface.gif)) Does it rate against the Grand Erg? |
Yes, I've used it in Morocco last year without any problems and I've just carried out a test on BFG 235.85.R16 At's.
Results (together with those found by Chris Scott above) are Truck Air after 2 minutes reached 1.3 bar or 18 psi Grand Erg after 2 minutes reached 2.5 bar or 35 psi (road pressure) Matt Savage after 2 minutes reached 1.85 bar or 27 psi. (After 3 minutes it had reached 2.25 bar or 32 psi.) It took under 4 minutes to get to 2.5 bar or 35psi - road pressure. Like Chris, I started with the tyre at 1 bar but it's colder up here in Northumberland :-) Not as good as the Grand Erg, but smaller and considerably cheaper, and quicker than the TruckAir. Yes it got warm - maybe slightly hot, but not so hot I couldn't touch it on the barrel or anywhere else. I've got mine mounted under the driver's seat in my 110 (see my web site for picture http://www.a2b.uk.net/Mods.htm ) Finally I agree with the general thread here. Get one. It'll change your off-roading life. Pete. ------------------ Pete Sinclair. Alnwick to Botswana http://www.a2b.uk.net |
Thanks for that Pete - exactly what I needed. Sounds like the Matt Savage one is the one I'll go for. Did it require any special electrics or could an incompetent like myself manage to fit it?
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...incidentally, has anyone got any data on the Brownchurch one?
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Hi Ollie,
The electrics were very straightforward. I've hooked it up to my auxilliary battery with a biggish fuse - 15 amp I think. I've run this feed via a switch which I've screwed to the side of my cubby box. All I have to do is open up under the seat, whip it out and inflate away. The compressor comes with a coiled hose long enough to reach all the wheels on my 110, and the spare on the back door. At a stretch it will just about reach the wheels on my trailer as well. The hose will also store under the seat, but comes with a 'quick disconnect' so you can stash it somewhere else if necessary, and plug it into the compressor when needed. Pete. ------------------ Pete Sinclair. Alnwick to Botswana http://www.a2b.uk.net |
Glad to see this thread is still thriving. Just back from a month in Libya. My Land Rover Carawagon and Kev White's Camel Trophy 110 Defender. Both fitted with 7.50x16 Mich XS's. We both had Matt Savge comps (Well I would wouldn't I!) Kev also had an ARB one that is also used to lock his diffs. I have an old fire extiquisher as a resevior. Turned out we were about equal on time to go from 1 bar to 2.5. Him with two comps, me with one and the extiquisher. Didn't do acuarate timings but it was about 15 minutes per vehicle. All of them performed faultlessly, but I wish I had plumbed in the air intake for the comp to my snorkel as the dust was flying. Didn't take a foot pump! Toby
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I picked up a twin tounge compressor from opposite lock in Australia for about £260, it is rated a 2.9 CFM compared to Matts at 1 CFM, and it is rated for comtinious used at pressures up to 50 PSI, I have bolted and hard wired it into my 110. It only takes around 1 minute to re-inflate 7.50x16s from 18 to 32 PSI but I will time it on the weekend for a more acurate time and post it next week.
Col Campbell |
To add to the exhaustive debate, I've fitted a Blue tonge II bought on the web for £160 from Oz delivered to the UK with bracket and hose which performed well on a recent trip to Algeria. Chris had his grand erg which was about twice as quick. I was a bit paranoid about getting my pressure back to the recomended rear 48psi for a 110 where as the TLC has lower pressures. As I see it (now I've let tyres down and reinflated many times in a day) buy the best you can afford (From about £150) and don't even concider one of the plastic types (even truck man which I've now dumped) if you want to let your tyres down deliberatly for traveling. I wasn't conviced by the expense before I went.
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Hi All
I used an ARB compressor that was wired for airring up and for the lockers fitted to a TLC80 that I had in SA, in fairly hot temps (40+C) in the Namib desert it airred all 4 tyres up but was a little slow, although I gave it a rest between tyres to be on the safe side. I would say it was a good piece of kit but not really designed for airing up tyres. cheers ------------------ ChrisC |
Just on a point IanS has raised. You 110 drivers shouldn’t get too hung up on the 48psi that LandRover recommend for the rear tyres. They only need 44psi to carry a rear axle weight of 1,800 kilos - the over inflation is to induce understeer on the rear axle.
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I mounted an A/C compressor in the engine bay and after a couple years of use I can honestly tell you that it’s the best modification I ever did. I highly recommend that any serious traveler should install one.
The compressor performance is awesome. It inflates tires jut as fast as a regular full size shop compressor. Since I have 2 outlets, we often use the compressor 2 at a time with no problem. I air up my 31x10.5x15 from 10 PSI to 30 PSI in 20 to 30 seconds. When traveling in more than one car over long stretches of sand and getting stuck often, electric compressors will slow you down severely. Now, my friends don’t bother getting their electric compressors out and just use mine and we still start moving again much faster. Most important of all, with this pump I can reseat the tire on the rim after repair. That’s something no electric compressor can do. The whole thing ended up costing me less than a good quality electric compressor but installing it is a bit more involved. Following is a description of what I did. All these parts, even if they sound alien to you are standard air compressor parts and can be found almost anywhere. Let me know if you need any help with this. It’s very easy once you understand how it works. Here’s what I did: The Compressor: I got hold of an old York compressor. These were used in a number of Mercedes and Volvo cars over the years. There are 3 sizes; I got the biggest one that has a displacement of 10 cubic inches. (If interested I can tell you how to differentiate them). The thing about the York is that it’s a vertical unit with the crankshaft (and oil) at the bottom, so the air doesn’t mix that much with the oil. So very little oil comes out of it, which means less work for the oil filter and longer periods between compressor maintenance. A metal fabricator made me a mount to mount the compressor right next to the air conditioning compressor in my Jeep. I got a replacement alternator pulley that had an extra groove and connected that to the air compressor with a small belt. You HAVE to oil the compressor since it’s basically a crankshaft, connecting rod and piston. Would you run your engine without oil? Input / Output: I installed a small air filter to the compressor input and an oil filter to the output. Since the York hold the oil at the bottom I only have to top off the oil every year or so. But it has to be oiled. Plumbing: The air coming out of the compressor goes through: One-way valve with pressure relief: This holds the pressure in the tank while relieving the pressure in the airline linking it back to the compressor. This lightens the load on the compressor when it starts pumping again. Pressure switch: This is connected to the compressor wiring. It turns it on when the pressure drops below 80 PSI and off when it reaches 130 PSI. It is linked to the one-way valve with a thin tube to relieve the pressure when the pump stops. The Tank: an old fire extinguisher bottle with a pressure gauge attached to it. Relief valve: Also attached to the tank. When it gets hot the air in the tank expands, thus increasing pressure, the relief valve lets the excess air out and maintain the tank pressure at 150 PSI max. From the tank I plumbed airlines to the front bumper, the rear bumper and inside the cab. All air outlets are fitted with quick disconnects couplings for fast operation. Uses: Naturally I use it to inflate the tires. But I also use the in-cab air outlet to clean my camera equipment as often as I can while driving. The compressor it powerful rnough to power air tools. I carry a ½ inch gun that comes in handy in a variety of situation, like changing a tire. Since this thing outputs monstrous amount of air very quickly, I now carry a full size 25 cm thick air mattress to sleep on. It takes me only a few minutes to inflate it and now I always wake up fresh http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif. I also adapted a blender “top” (the thing you put the fruits in, whatever that’s called in English) to run off the air gun http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif. Fresh juice, milk shake or margarita anybody?? As I said above, this is the best modification I ever did and I’m very happy with it. Every serious traveler should have one installed. Let me know if you need any help figuring and installing a similar system and I can get you pictures of my setup if interested. Take care, ------------------ A.B. www.ShortWheelbase.com [This message has been edited by A.B. (edited 21 April 2002).] |
I was in Cairo not long ago and can confirm A.B.s mods looked very good indeed, he was very pleased with the performance.
Although I did not taste the product of the blender, it is a welcome addition. Only question was what was that balloon thing being used as a dust stopper on the air line. We are carrying a 12v job that does work and is fan cooled, better than Halfords, from the States, but doesn't make Margaritas. Toby, Its nice to hear there was actually somebody else in Libya, as we didn't see anybody apart from a 22 car Italian convoy. Independant travel?? ------------------ A Journey of Hope www.expeditionjasanne.co.uk www.fugroseastar.com |
In my opinion the best solution of the lot is to fit a compressor and tank from a Range Rover. The compressor is rated to run all the time, so no over heating problems. Connect this to the tank which fits easily between the chassis rails and is of 10 litres capacity. Install a pressure switch which will stop the comprerssor once you have 160 psi (11 bar) in the tank. Connect your airlines to the tank.
We had the tank installed just in front of the rear crossmember on a 300 Tdi Defender 90. The space is not used by anything else and although tempting to put the fuel tank from a Td5 under there, usually there is enough weight on the back axle as it is. This will inflate at least three of your tyres (we were running 33") as fast as a garage pump from 1 bar. Sure the compressor has to run for a while to charge the tank back up, but you are driving whilst this is happening. Others in the group had a variety of systems from twin cylinder electric compressors, through to a/c pumps and even small workshop compressor in the service barge. In all cases we were pumped up and ready to go a good ten to fifteen minutes before the rest of them. The downside of course was the extra weight in tea and coffee we had to carry whilst we brewed up waiting for the others! If you don't want to go to the full expense, try visiting the Old Sodbury Sortouts as you will freqeuently pick up the bits as a bargain there. |
Wow, what a popular topic!
While agreeing the idea of spending as much as you can afford on a compressor, I have a little tip from a farmer that helped alot on our trans africa trip. Carry a long piece of hose (long enougth to stretch from your spare tyre to the farthest road wheel) with an adaptor on each end to fit the valves. Then when you get the chance blow up your spare tyre as much as possible. (60-100psi is usually possible.) This can then give you 1 or 2 full tyre refills before you have to resort to a pump. Tom |
Quote:
Also you will barley be able to inflate one tire. If you set the spare to 80 PSI and hook it to another flat tire, the pressure will level between both tires to 40 PSI. You cannot pump the 40 PSI in the spare to a third tire. To use the spare to fill 2 tires to 40 PSI, the spare will have to hold be pressurized to 120 PSI. I would use this method only if I have a new spare and only as a backup to the compressor and never south of the Mediterranean. ------------------ A.B. www.ShortWheelbase.com |
Interesting, I thought it sounded too handy to be true...
CS |
I agree that a less than perfect spare might blow in hot weather etc., but would this method provide enough fast air to pop the tyre onto the rim when going tubeless? If it just did that and nothing else, then the tyres could be topped up with a compressor. It could save the ratchet strap or bicycle inner tube tricks being tested. What d'you think?
------------------ Pete Sinclair. Alnwick to Botswana http://www.a2b.uk.net |
Pete, I don’t know it if would pop up the tire, I never tried it but I don’t think it would. The tire can hold only so much valuable air and I think a lot of it will escape from the open bed before it has the chance to pressurize the sidewalls and push them to the bed. I have an air tank (about 6 liters) in my engine driven compressor setup described in my post above. It’s compressed to 130 PSI and it barely reseats the bed. The compressor usually kicks in during the seating process. I might be wrong here, somebody better try it.
I forgot to mention that there’s another very cool air source alternative. A CO2 tank. It’s basically a small (10-15 liters) CO2 welding tank or a scuba diving tank, which can be filled with CO2 to almost 2000 PSI from any welding shop. The welding regulator (usually comes with the tank) allows the air to be released slowly to fill up the tires and can easily reseat the a tire. In fact if the tank is full, it’s more powerful and faster than my engine driven compressor. Why CO2? Because it compresses much better than any other gas, so you can put much more air inside that small tank at 2000 PSI. A 15 liters tank can easily inflates 40 tires. Yes, that’s 40 tires http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif. And it’s no bigger than a scuba tank, you just toss it on the roof rack (not inside in case of a leak) and forget about it. All you need is to get a regular welding tank with it regulator and get an air chuck fitting for it to fill the tires. I hope I’ve explained how it works well. Feel free to ask me for more info if you want to make one. A company in the US sells them ready made for off roaders. www.PowerTank.com . Check their site for more info, but you can make you own much cheaper. ------------------ A.B. www.ShortWheelbase.com |
Errr... at over 300 USD a throw the PowerTank seemes a bit OTT. For that money an engine drive compressor can possily fill 40 thousand tyres (cost of fuel to run the engine).
------------------ Roman (UK) www.polandrover.com |
Do you get a gold star if your topic goes over 50 replies??!!
Sam. |
or a free T-Shirt perhaps ??? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif
Roman, it is OTT, but you can make your own for less than a 100$ in used parts ------------------ A.B. www.ShortWheelbase.com [This message has been edited by A.B. (edited 11 June 2002).] |
Sure CO2 is great giving you lots of gas very quickly, but what happens when it is empty? How many places in the middle of the Sahara have the facilities to top up a CO2 tank?
Great if you are just off roading for the weekend and you can have it refilled on Monday morning, but for expedition stuff forget it. Fitting an air con pump and a tank (the really important bit) will not cost a lot if you use secondhand bits less than £200 anyway. |
I do agree with you that a compressor is better (engine driven, not electric) but actually you can refill your CO2 tank almost anywhere in the world.
Maybe I neglected to mention this in my previous post; the tank you should get is a regular CO2 welding tank. They come in sizes that range from a small fire extinguisher bottle to huge tanks (1.5 meters). They all have the same manifold and use the same regulators and are all pressurized to 2000 PSI. As long as you didn’t change the tank fittings (and why would you), you’ll be able to fill it anywhere in the world that has a welding shop. The welding shop itself might not be able to fill it for you but at least they will point you to where they fill their own CO2 tanks. It usually takes 24 hours in most parts of the world to refill and test your tank. ------------------ A.B. www.ShortWheelbase.com |
[QUOTE ...the air compressor available through this website... QUOTE]
Hi I'm new to this site and cannot find the above mentioned air compressor...can anyone give me the direct link? Thanks |
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Re the CO2 bottles:
It's nice to be able to fill up a CO2 bottle almost anywhere in the world but don't count on Holland (admittedly not the destination of choice for users of this forum). I called around to check out the availability of CO2. A specialised welding shop told me they could get me a 2nd hand bottle at approx. 100 eur but getting it filled with CO2 would be a bit of a hassle as these days a mixture of Argon and some other gas is used for welding. This was confirmed to me by the garage. The welding shop also told me that nitrogen is the gas actually being used for pressurising tyres these days. I guess a CO2 bottle is nice and handy for weekend trips but not as reliable as having your own compressor. cheers, Camiel |
Love this thread! An RAC patrolman recently recommended Porsche compressors to me. Apparently modern Porsches have a spare tyre packed flat to save space. The toolkit contains a compressor to inflate it. That's all I know.
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Has anyone heard of or have a compressor from VIAIR? I found them at the 'Offroad 24' store , along with airtanks etc...
http://www.offroad24.de/offroad24_b2C_pfund/index.html Have a look, it's not cheap, but if you can't be arsed with a dozen trip to the breakers yard then it could be interesting. Baldrick. |
Baldrick,
I noticed that Daerrs now offer the VIAIR compressors as well. Compared to ARB's offering they're actually cheaper. In their catalogue, Daerr state that the 12 volt VIAIR compressors can easily be run off a 24V vehicle by putting the clamps on one of the two 12V batteries. In theory this should work obviously but I've always been told that this ruins your batteries. Has anyone got experience with this? cheers, Camiel |
I've done it a handfull of time and got away with it with no problems as long as the engine is running. What's the argument here, why would the batteries go bad?
------------------ A.B. www.ShortWheelbase.com |
I'm no expert, but I think that charging two 12 volt batteries from a 24v source requires the batteries to be of similar capacaties and output rating, that the charge is equally split between the two. Any imbalance would cause one battery to recieve a higher and possibly damaging charge, and theoretically a large enough compressor could cause this imbalance.
I'm no electrical engineer so my theory could be complete rubbish:- Any thoughts? |
I am no engineer either so I checked with the garage. They basically confirmed what Baldrick is saying. While it is not too harmful to occasionally tap 12V from a 24V system, it does wear out the battery in the long run.
Camiel |
Another option, which might be cheaper for some (though not cheaper than buying used stuff out of the junk yard)--
I bought a 12v compressor, in the US but I think the company is australian. It's called "big red" but it is made by one of the main compressor manufacturers, thomas I think. So I bolted it into the rear of the jeep, ran wires, switch, relay, etc forward to the battery, and everything works great. Add a 25' coil hose and it will pump up all the tires in a few minutes. Not as fast as an engine-driven compressor, and no running of air tools, but installing it was nice and easy, and it supplies enough air for my needs. There are a bunch of companies offering similar products if you don't want to go looking through the junk yards... (And if you do like junkyards, I am told that older cadillacs had air-controlled suspensions, with nice strong air compressors.) |
Just curious, does this thread win the “Most Posts” award? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif
------------------ A.B. www.ShortWheelbase.com |
I couldn't help but notice that this subject has gone crazy with replys!! Good one Sam! I'm sure Chris Scott will give you a free tee shirt. Although it might be one of his old ones!!
Regarding these compressors, the one I now get is 1.7 cfm (about 48 lpm). These are made by VIAIR, and I sell it with a 50 ft (15m) hose and tyre inflator. Have a look at my web site. www.mattsavage.co.uk We've just returned from the Land Rover show at Billing. I took 10 of these compressor kits with me expecting to sell maybe 4 or 5 over the three day show. We sold them ALL on the first day! Cheers, Matt Savage |
Those people with aircon (ie engine-driven) compressors:
How is the pump turned off and on? I'm just thinking about how much power an aircon unit saps from an engine. If it's belt-driven, how do you turn it off when you're driving? sorry if this is a stupid question! |
The York compressor comes with a magnetic clutch controled by an electric switch. This allows the pump to freewheel when not in use, so power consumption is minimal.
------------------ Roman (UK) www.polandrover.com |
The setup works just like Roman explained above. If you have a tank, then you must install a pressure switch to the tank and hook both it’s pole to one of the switch wires. The switch will turn cut electricity when the tank is full no matter the position of the switch itself. And will turn it on when the tank is empty but the compressor clutch will engage and run the compressor only if the switch is on.
I can dig up a wiring diagram if it would help. ------------------ A.B. OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara. ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations. |
After starting this thread, I figure I may as well tell the end of the story.
I bought a "Grand Erg", with high expectations (given it's impressive cost). It never worked properly from the first moment - see my note approx mid Sept. I have been told that I will have to pay a further €102 (over £60)(plus postage to Italy) to have it put into working order. This is not the level of service you should expect for something that costs over £400. I cannot advise anyone to buy this unit - mine didn't work, and now I'm expected to pay more to rectify a factory-original fault. Just thought I should let you know! Sam. |
Hi Sam,
"Just back from three months in Sahara, grand Erg was just the job many times. In reality, takes a minimum of five minutes to get each tyre back to road pressure (37psi), and sometimes nearer ten. .... Sam" Thats is worse than the performance of my little Thomas unit (asuming 7.50R16 tyres). What, according to Grand Erg, is the problem and what do they propose to improove in detail? GE provides a table with inflation times on their web site: http://www.granderg.com/compressori.htm So if the compressor does not fit thees promisses, then it should not be your turn to pay the repair!!?? I will observe this thread, it might get interesting for my german site www.sahara-info.ch Good luck, Yves |
Okay,
Took the motor out and sent it off to Grand Erg. It was a 24V motor, no wonder it wasn't very impressive! A replacement motor has just arrived, I will fit it this weekend and see how it goes. Off to Algeria in three weeks, where the wee beastie will get lots of use and will report back afterwards - expecting to be suitably impressed - we shall see. Sam. |
Adding another option to the menu:
I am currently installing a 12V ExtremeAire compressor, to my Defender 6x6 conversion, after originally planning to use an inverter and a 240V compressor. (I found my 1500Watt inverter tripped out because the AC induction motor pulls a LOT more current on start-up than its nominal power requirement). The Extremeaire has 100% duty cycle, which is useful (6 tyres can take quite a while to inflate!). They claim a 4 cfm free flow rate, which is supposed to inflate a 33x12.5x15 tyre from 15psi to 30psi in 90 seconds!) Cost is a bit frightening at £240, plus freight, plus VAT, though. I will report back when I've used it in anger http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif Regards, Michael |
Quote:
Yes, you'll get nice clean 12V from the battery, (which is all Daerr care about, apparently) but the 24V charging system will do some nasty things as it tries to replace the charge. Remember, the batteries are being charged in series. Imagine one is empty, and the other full. This is NOT the same as charging two batteries in parallel - the empty one will never get full, and the full one will be overcharged. They will both die, one slowly and painfully, and other possibly messily and spectacularly. The website suggested you do this either knows nothing about batteries, or they own shares in a battery manufacturer! Regards, Michael... P.S. You can get some electronic 24V to 12V converters, but it'd be hell of expensive and bulky to cope with, say, 30 or 40 amps (which I would guess might be what these compressors would draw). |
Gotta keep a good thread going.
I'm looking forward to Michael's info on the ExtremeAire, which seems to be, along with the exorbitant Grand Erg, the only electric comp which comes near my needs. I've also looked at 240 volt compressors (got a 2.5kw genny) but when I told the super specialist salesman that it has to take 6 tyres to 75psi he took me to a bloody great belt driven monster that I just can't pack anywhere. As with the hyd/elec winch argument, the electric compressor is much simpler than running off the engine, but the engine has a few more watts. I've finally figured out where I can move the alt to in order to accomodate an a/c comp (not much space under an Iveco bonnet), now I'm looking for a suitable unit. Stacks of web info on choosing a US one, but not much for europe. Does anyone know of a european vehicle which uses a York comp? Or how to spot a decent self lubricating one of the barrel shape? Michael, if you're running tyres that will take it (XZL or XZY do) could you do me a favour and time your comp up to 75psi to give me a better idea of whether the electric is worth the hassle saved in not messing around with fan belts. Congrats on taking the plunge, do they offer an anti meltdown guarantee? If they claim 100% duty cycle they should. Thx for all Luke |
Luke,
Speak to Bob at Motor Climate 66-102 Cherrywood Road, Bordesley Green Birmingham B9 4UD, United Kingdom Tel: +44 (121) 766 5006, Fax: +44 (121) 772 8397 They can supply York mini and super compact compressors with double groove clutch units. True about the engine power being used more wisely to run a compressor rather than running a generator to convert engine power into electric power to be further coverted into electric motor power moving the compressor's piston. It's like using an voltage converter to step up 12V to 240V to run a device charging a 6V battery. Silly, isn't it? The CO tank has been already discussed here and the idea discarded as not practical in long range travel conditions. 40 tyres is just ten instances of reinflation, which may be OK for weekend off-roading but certainly not a lot on a longer trip. ------------------ Roman (UK) www.polandrover.com |
I was recently sent some details of an american compressor designed for engine mounting - will dig out the details
As for running a workshop compressor type arrangement - thats exactly what I do. I have a small 100 Litre Per minute compressor (B&Q sell them for running nailguns) and run it off a 1500 watt inverter Pumps up my tyres no problem (10.5/20 Unimog tyres on a LR101) ------------------ Rich LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr' |
I wouldn’t say we dismissed the CO2 tank idea (although I have an engine mounted York). I calculated that number (40 tires) when inflating a bigger than average 31”x10.5 tire from only 10 PSI to 30 PSI. In a real expedition you will only re-inflate to that pressure when you hit the tarmac again. For your other 10 times you will only re-inflate to say 20 PSI after getting unstuck. And will you really need to re-inflate 10 times? I’ve been on some long trips and I never had to inflate more than 4 times. And that includes the great sand sea.
It’s a great option for those who don’t want, or don’t know how, to modify their engine bays to accommodate an engine driven compressor and want something faster and more reliable than an electric one. Take a look at the charts on this page: http://www.powertank.com/chart.htm A Sanden compressor will work too and has a much smaller profile, however it will need to be oiled often as it doesn’t hold oil as good as Yorks. ------------------ A.B. OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara. ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations. |
Hi Luke et al...
Got back from Morocco a few days ago - had a fabulous trip! I've never had much success with 12V compressors before - they never seem to come anywhere close to the manufacturers' claims in real life operation. And most often even the manufacturers' claims amount to barely acceptable performance if you're pumping lots of big tyres. Unfortunately, the Extremeaire didn't live up to my expectations. It should have been adding one bar to each of my tyres in around 1 minute, without any holding tanks. (Extremeaire quote a free flow of 4CFM, wich equates to someting over 100 litres perminute, unless my arithmetic is faulty). To confuse the issue though, I have installed 2 x 20 litre holding tanks, which pressurise to 10Bar before turning off the pump. However, even with these tanks fully charged to 10Bar BEFORE I started filling the tyres, pumping all 6 of my tyres from 1.5 to 2.5Bar took 25 minutes! I calculate that each of my tyres as a volume of 100 litres, so upping the pressure by 100kPa should need a total of 600 litres of air for the set. The 40 litres of holding tank should provide around half the air needed. (I guess the pressure can fall from 10Bar to around 3Bar and still pump a tyre to 2.5. So there is 7Bar worth of usable pressure, times 40 litres, equals nearly 300 litres.) So I would have expected 3 minutes to pump all my tyres, not 15! Incidentally, filling the 40 litre holding tanks from zero to 10Bar takes more than 20 minutes too, which is disappointing, amounting to an average flow rate of only 20 litres per minute. It doesn't slow down significantly towards the end. At this stage I am hoping that the fault lies in an air system blockage (maybe a faulty non-return valve?). Or maybe my electrics are not providing enough current. Or maybe my pump is faulty. Or the whole 12V thing is just unworkable. On the plus side, on one occasion we did run the pump for over an hour, continuously, pumping tyre on several vehicles, in a 38 deg C ambient temp, and the pump got hot, but not unduly so... I'll keep you informed once I get to the bottom of the issue, if anyone is interested. Meanwhile, I am thinking engine-driven mechanical pumps... Regards, Michael [This message has been edited by SandyM (edited 26 November 2002).] |
Okay,
Tried out the grand erg, with the 12v motor - wow!! Didn't bother with stats, from v.flat to road-ready-to-go max 90 secs per 7.50R16. Ace with motorbike tyres as well! Expensive, but a good LONG TERM investment. Sam. PS just make sure you get a 12v, not 24v, unit for your 4wd! |
An update on my ExtremeAire compressor. Good news - I discovered it was the one-way valve that was constricting the air flow. The very first fitting I screwed into the pump!
I took this out, and attached an air-line directly to the pump. It fills my 110 litre tyre (255/85-16) from absolutely flat to 1 Bar in 90 secs. Another two and a half minutes to raise the pressure from 2.5 Bar, making a total of 4 minutes. I would expect this to take just under 3 minutes according to spec, but I can live with 4 mins. It also now takes under 10 minutes to fill my 50 litres of holding tank to 10 Bar. (Incidentally, astute Gentle Readers will notice I am not 100% certain of their capacity - I thought they were 20 litres each, but now I believe they are 25 litres each). I am much happier now! Regards, Michael |
All you ever wanted to know about this subject!
Sam. |
many thanks to all and expecially to A.B. for his tech advise. I bought an old ('81) Range Rover 3.5 V8 and I noticed that the original A/C compressor was a long-stroke York, so I decided to make the mods well described by A.B.
After a trip in the Lybian desert I can confirm all the performances described in the post; it pump up tyres in seconds and can reseat punctured tyres (luckily not mine!). The only problem is that the compressor sprays oil from the outlet port to the tank, filling also the thin plastic tube of the pressure relief with the need of frequent services. The compressor was filled with the recommended amount of mineral oil (see the RR Workshop Manual or the York compressors manual at www.onboardair.com) On this manuals is recommended to check the oil level after some working time, so it seems that a little oil is intended to mix to the cooling fluid maybe via some passage in the cylinder head.In an open circuit pumping air like mine this would result in a continuos leakage. Can someone give further informations before I start opening the compressor's head? Thanks Gipo |
You’re welcome Gipo, glad to have helped.
First off, oil is not good for the tires and will shorten its life. If the tires are new or in good condition, I would dismount them and clean both the tires and rims well with detergent to remove the thin oil film that formed on them. If the tires are a bit old or will be replaced soon then don’t bother. Continuous leakage, as you call it, is normal since as you said this is an open circuit with no recycling of fluids or even air. What we do is install an air filter on the outlet of the compressor to catch all the oil. Make sure it’s a good quality filter that 1) filters well and 2) can handle the pressure of the pump. Most filters have a drain plug at the bottom of the collected oil cone reservoir to drain the oil. You can connect that drain hole to the air inlet of the compressor and install some sort of faucet or valve. Every few hours of use open the valve and the compressor will suck the oil back in. From my personal experience I’ve never been able to fill the compressor to the level recommended by the manufacturer. It spits almost all the oil back out. And the oil filter <-> air intake trick I mentioned above didn’t work for me since my compressor “leakage”, which I got used, was excessive. Every few months, in order to keep my compressor lubricated, I disconnect the outlet hose and attach a small 20cm hose that ends in a small container. I turn the compressor on and slowly pour oil in the filler/dipstick plug. I keep doing that for a few minutes to make sure that all the components get lubricated. I stop pouring the oil but keep the compressor running for a couple of minutes to catch the excess (if I can call it that) oil then hook everything back together. When I first installed the compressor and found that this is all I can do, I didn’t think it would survive long as the oil seems to be insufficient. I set aside money for a new compressor unit but 5 years down the road, I still use that same old compressor with great results even though I make it work pretty hard. Usually when I’m on a trip the electric compressors are never taken out of their cased my compressor does all the work. ------------------ A.B. OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara. ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations. |
After rather bad experiences with different electric compressors (Truckair, ARB, Grand Erg and others) we decided to buy an EMS compressor M55. It is extremly heatresistant (we use it mainly on Sahara trips), very fast and the price is almost the same as for GRAND ERG. Even refilling the tires of three cars in a row on hot days was never a problem. Only disadvantage: EMS compressors are rather big. So we decided to keep it in a plastic container instead of fixing it permanently in the car. Here in Germany EMS is sold by BEDUIN tents & more.
http://www.dachzelte-und-mehr.de/KOM...pressoren.html Regards Joe |
Dear A.B.,
I found this 3d very interesting and helpful. I am just about to fit a Sanden SD7H15 onto the engine of my truck and would like to know your advice as far as lubrication is concerned. Sanden do have their own oil reservoir. Will I need an "oiled air" inlet anyhow? And in this case, would it be possible to connect it directly to the drain plug of the oil filter on the outlet to get the oil "recirculated"? Does anybody know the max rpm an airco compressor can be run at? Thanks for the replies. Ciao Adriano |
Hello Adriano, Welcome to the HUBB.
The SD7 compressors I’ve seen in the past do not have an oil reservoir, nor does the York. It’s just that since the York is upright and the crankshaft is at the bottom just like a normal engine, the oil stays at the bottom. That’s not the case with the SD7 since it has 7 rotary pistons (as apposed to 2 in the York) and they are arranged sideways like a gun barrel when aiming. So in any case without periodic lubrication the top pistons will not get enough lubrication. You don’t need a permanent oiled air intake. Just put some oil in every now and then and it will be fine. Don’t be afraid if you put more than needed, the excess will be thrown out and caught in the filter. Yes, you can install an oil return hose from the filter to the compressor inlet but you can’t just leave it open. The compressor will create a constant high vacuum when operating and filters aren’t designed to handle such vacuum from this end for so long. So install a valve that you can open manually once the filter is filled. This is still a manual operation but easier and not as messy. RPM? I’m not sure but at least it will run safely at 4000 RPM. Don’t worry about revving the engine more than that while driving since the compressor’s clutch will be disengaged and it can rotate freely faster than that. The clutch will only be engaged when pumping air and that’s not going to happen unless the vehicle is stationary. Are you going to fill the tires while moving? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif The following link might be of help to you: Sanden Service Manual http://www.sanden.com/support/servic..._contents.html Hope this helps. ------------------ A.B. OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara. ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations. |
Update/Correction: I just went through some of the info I saved from the web and other sources about the SD5 and SD7. They need more frequent lubrication than York. A source went as far as suggesting oiling it every time/day before use. So I guess you should install an inline oiler and forget about it. If you’re going to install a return hose from the filter, you’ll still need the valve.
------------------ A.B. OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara. ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations. |
Hello adri and A.B.,
I'm not sure about Sanden, but York compressors use any of these oils: Mineral Oil, Zerol 150, Zerice S-68, P.O.E.Polyol Ester (P.O.E.) P.A.G. Yorks can be fitted at plus/minus 45 deg. from vertical as the oil chamber is at the bottom. This does not prevent oil from getting into the outlet, so an oil separator will be required. I can't confirm this but I know a guy who maintains that an oil separator is redundant. Under desert driving conditions tyres won't last long anyway, hence deterioration of rubber through contact with oil is not a problem. I have a separator, also to keep the air oil-free for other applications, like dusting off cameras. The trick with the separator is to use one that will withstand high temperatures (they are normally rated up to 50 deg. C). Here's a diagram of the installation: http://www.eh71.dial.pipex.com/publi...iondiagram.gif More info about York lubrication here: http://www.eh71.dial.pipex.com/public/yorkoillevels.pdf As a matter of interest, I found a document describing how to avoid oil blow-by through the air outlet in York compressors (I haven't tried it yet but maybe someone has and could comment). The document is here: http://www.eh71.dial.pipex.com/publi...lblowbyfix.pdf ------------------ Roman (UK) www.overlandcruiser.info |
Yes, the York can even be mounted on its side, but the suction port has to be on top.
The filter/oil separator is a must using any compressor. If there’s no oil coming out of the compressor then it’s not properly lubricated. It should also be able to withstand the high output pressure of the compressor. I found out that fitting the filter directly after the compressor limits the flow and the compressor has to work longer to fill the tank. I plan to re-plumb the system so that the compressor pumps directly into the tank and install the filter on the outlet hose from the tank. Disadvantages? The system will need more oil since some of the oil will remain in the tank. No big deal in my book. PS: I have the complete York service manual. If anybody need it let me know and I’ll post it on my site. ------------------ A.B. OasisPhoto.com – Images from the Magical Sahara. ShortWheelbase.com – Jeep preparations. |
Quote:
http://www.ccicompressor.com/docs/CCIsrvice.pdf ------------------ Roman (UK) www.overlandcruiser.info |
At the risk of resurrecting this one, I thought I'd add a little something.
I have just got a compressor from Matt Savage, and used it on a Ford Transit - and am very impressed. I'm taking it out to Mauritania later this year, and I'll pass on how it performed (on Land Rover tyres in the heat) - in direct comparison with the Grand Erg I also have. Sam. |
Go Viair, great bit of kit...
Matt Savage, thanks! Sam. |
PowerTanks work a treat. You can also run air tools off them. We thought of using one for our London to Cape Town trip, but went with a compressor because of the uncertainty of being able to fill up the PowerTank. In reality probably wouldn't have needed to fill it up. Used a Viair compressor with a 3 US gal tank. The compressor supplies air at 1.3cfm which fills the tank pretty quickly. One thing I haven't seen mentioned here in regards to compressors is the duty cycle. If you exceed the duty cycle, you run the real risk of cooking the compressor. The Viair I had had a 33% duty cycle (20min of operation per hour). The ARB has a 15% duty cycle, and with a supply flow of less than 1cfm, it makes for long waits during reinflation. But if you have the patience, it works well. cheers Graham |
Got to agree with Sam, the Viair works well.
I'm using a 2.6cfm Viair that I got from Matt Savage at the Land Rover Enthusiast show. Used it to inflate all four tyres from sand pressure (15psi or so) up to road pressure (40psi) crossing the Sahara this August (Nouadhibou to Nouakchott). It didn't overheat, although I almost did, and did it pretty quickly. I didn't time it though, because it was too bloody hot to be faffing around! It fits under the driver's seat of my old Rangie and the hose is long enough to reach all of the wheels without having to remove it from the vehicle. It's a good bit of kit. You get what you pay for. B [This message has been edited by BenW (edited 14 December 2004).] [This message has been edited by BenW (edited 14 December 2004).] |
The viair looks like a good piece of kit. I currently have an ARB compressor mounted in the engine bay "buffered" with a 5 US Gal air tank mounted beside the chassis rails on the 110.
I used to run a Quikair2 but swapped it for the ARB (and converted the Quikair to a portable unit). While the ARB works, I don't think it moves the quantity of air or has the duty cycle I need to be comfortable. Do you think the viair could fit in the 110s engine bay? Any particular model you guys recommend? Are we at 100 posts yet? http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/wink.gif Cheers, Nick. ------------------ Nick Taylor www.exerro.com ------------------ Vehicle Specs |
Whilst the Viair could fit in a a 90/110 engine bay (although perhaps not with a V8), I'm not sure it's rugged enough to be in there (rain/diesel/mud/oil etc.). I do think it's a little 'pretty' for that. But bolt it in behind/under your front seats (or anywhere else inside), and I reckon it'll do you proud for years.
Sam. |
Toby Savage (Matt's dad) has two Viairs mounted under the bonnet of his Carawagon. He mentioned them back near the start of this thread.
He's been away to the Sahara with it several times and had no problems - as I understand it. Chris knows Toby's setup - Any problems that you know of Chris? Ben [This message has been edited by BenW (edited 14 December 2004).] |
Not really - I think he has two in series (its in the Dez Driving film).
Basically Sam is right - the Erg has a whole lot of poke - good when others (like bikes) are relying on your pump or you have 900 16s - but a Viair will do nicely and is smaller. And currently Matt is giving away a free bag of monkey nuts with every Viair he sells before Xmas (while stocks last). Ch |
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