• RME Gear & Apparel

Onboard air, Tanks etc.

Green Leader

Green Leader

Active Member
Location
Riverton, UT
So I was thinking about the concepts of onboard air and the pro and cons to this. I want to open this up to all of you and get some opinions on this.

1. What is the best kind of setup?
2. Is CO2 the way to go?
3. Is it a complete waste of time, money and enegy?
4. How many times can you fill up tires before you run out of air if don't have
a compressor to replenish your air?

These are the kinds of questions I am thinking and whatever else you all may have to offer or to ask yourself if you want to know also.
 
O

outlaw_offroad

XJ Pride!!!
Location
North Ogden
On-board air is a great thing to have. I run an electric compressor, similar to those used in low-rider air suspensions, and a 2.5 gallon tank. Works great for airing back up on trail rides and running air tools. The down fall is that it takes a few minutes to pressurize again to run air tools. If you don't want to wait, install a York compressor in place of your AC compressor. Yorks put out lots of air, the only downfall is having to have the engine running to use it. CO2 tanks are nice because they have lots of pressure and volume. Downfall is when they are empty on the trail, you are out of luck.
 
DOSS

DOSS

Poker of the Hornets Nest
Location
Suncrest
I run a 20LB CO2 tank. I can operate my ARB for weeks I would say if not more as it doesn't take much to pressurize it as long as you don't have leaks in your system the use is nill.
I can air up my 33's all 4 at least 10 times with the tank (then I usually fill it so I don't ever run out).

I also have a small 12V compressor that I can hook up to the system so just in case I run out of CO2 I can use it as a tank and still operate my ARB and fill tires (be it a lot slower).
 
DOSS

DOSS

Poker of the Hornets Nest
Location
Suncrest
scoutabout said:
Same, and it works great. In retrospect, I would just go with using a belt driven compressor and building a real on-board air system. Then you've got it all.
Click to expand...

I would too but at the same time if the engine isn't running I would have no Air.. or only what the tanks could hold and I am sure knowing my luck that I would fall into a situation that I needed power tools or something to get the engine going or whatever and I would be hosed :)

That and I didn't want to give up my AC for and Air compressor and an XJ just don't have a ton of room :)
 
UNSTUCK

UNSTUCK

But stuck more often.
I run a Viair 550C. It is about the biggest electric air compressor you can get, next to Oasis. Its main use is airing up tires. The speed is about 2:1 vs. the larger ARB compressor on 35 inch tires.
I don't run an air tank, and don't care to. Of all my wheeling, I've only ever seen one time a fix required an impact wrench. But even that required CO2. So I don't really see the benifit of an air tank, unless you have more room on/in your rig then you know what to do with.
If I had CO2 (we'll see after this month's give away!) I'd pack air tools. In the mean time my only tools are an air chuck and an air nozel for airing up air matresses and such.

As far as having to leave your engine running, any air compressor just about requires it. If you don't want to run your engine, get co2.
 
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