July 2017 TOTM: On Board Air!

Buddy_Holly

Buddy_Holly

Well-known member
As off-roaders, airing down our tires is a necessity. But once you get off the trail to drive home, how do you get your tires back up to the proper road pressures? This is where on board air comes in. It allows you to have a reliable compressed air source in your rig at all times.

Which OBA set up suits your needs best?
What compressor should you use?
Electric vs. Engine driven compressor?
Do you need a tank?
What tank fits where?
What about a CO2 cylinder?
Can you run air tools with certain OBA setups?

All these questions and more in this TOTM 👍
 
I have been very happy with my C02 setup that I got from IAS. I have used air tools with it, as well as filled up a ton of tires. I have even set a bead, just to see if I could. For me, the little bit of space that the air tank takes up makes it more than worth carrying vs the cost of a good electric pump, and the complexity of installing an engine driven compressor.
 
357transam said:
I have been very happy with my C02 setup that I got from IAS. I have used air tools with it, as well as filled up a ton of tires. I have even set a bead, just to see if I could. For me, the little bit of space that the air tank takes up makes it more than worth carrying vs the cost of a good electric pump, and the complexity of installing an engine driven compressor.
Click to expand...

How long do you usually go between fill ups, and how much does it cost to fill?
 
The Monkey has acquired a CO2 as well.  Everything in life has pros and cons.  This is no different.

Pros:
fast
convenient
easy storage
high delivery rate
reliable
cool as hell


Cons:
storage may be easy but it takes up a lot of room
potential missile if not properly stowed
continual costs
unreliable


You're thinking, "ok, you said it was reliable, then said it was unreliable".  Yes.  It's a reliable, consistent fill source until it runs out.  There are methods for approximating how much you have left.  Basically you end up weighing the cylinder then doing some math.  Not so hard, right?  Right.  Except who the hell wants to do that when you're stashing your gear for the impromptu wheeling trip 6 hours from now at daybreak?  Exactly.  There are people who do not measure then there are damn liars.  😀  Pumps don't surprise you with emptiness.

Continual costs are a consideration.  With a pump you buy it and forget it.  Locally it costs about $20 to fill it.  I get about 20 tire fills from it.  About a $1 a tire?  Then every ?5? years the tank must be recertified.  Again this is about $20 locally and I have to give up my tank for a few days while it's sent to the testing facility. 

To sum:
It's an easy yet expensive option.  It's great owning one.  Personally I seek the free alternatives when possible and carry the tank as a backup plan. 


Enjoy!!

 
I think CO2 is a great option for occasional Wheeling or just for filling tires as it does have a limited quantity of air it can supply.

Looking at situations where a larger quantity of air is required or a long duration of use such as camping/expo setups I think an actual compressor is the better choice. 

That being said, who here has any experience with compressors? Electric or mechanically driven are both valid options. I know some have converted the AC compressor, but that comes at sacrificing cold air. Electric seem to be less efficient as far as speed goes, but I don't have any actual proof to that. For me a mechanical compressor seems to me the most powerful and reliable. I don't know of many other mechanical compressors that don't replace the AC compressor or fit anywhere else on the accessory belt. Maybe someone else has an answer to that.

As far as tanks go, I think your intended use really dictates the size. Running air tools requires a large volume of air and would require a larger tank. Filling tires is a little slower, so a smaller tank would be doable. 
 
Currently in the LJ just getting by with a Q Industries MV50.

Pros:
Cheap - on sale online every now and again
Storage - tucks behind my passengers seat nicely

Cons:
Lifespan - on my third one over course of 7 years
Slow as hell - but gets me home
Gets hot - have to let it cool down to not overheat after filling a tire or two from low PSI


In the TJ I had converted my AC compressor into the source of air for my OBA. It was slick. Used a 2.5 gal air tank mounted to the rear wheel well. Had air chuck mounted under the headlight in grille and on the tank in the back. Going to set the LJ up like this eventually.

Pros:
AC compressor already installed
Fast - easily seat beads as well
Air tools possible in small duration (i.e. busting lug nuts off)
Consistent source of air - never run out of air

Cons:
Loose AC - didn't matter to me, as I never used it
Have to evacuate the AC system
Parts can add up quick
Have to keep the compressor greased/lubricated
 
janesy said:
Currently in the LJ just getting by with a Q Industries MV50.

Pros:
Cheap - on sale online every now and again
Storage - tucks behind my passengers seat nicely

Cons:
Lifespan - on my third one over course of 7 years
Slow as hell - but gets me home
Gets hot - have to let it cool down to not overheat after filling a tire or two from low PSI


In the TJ I had converted my AC compressor into the source of air for my OBA. It was slick. Used a 2.5 gal air tank mounted to the rear wheel well. Had air chuck mounted under the headlight in grille and on the tank in the back. Going to set the LJ up like this eventually.

Pros:
AC compressor already installed
Fast - easily seat beads as well
Air tools possible in small duration (i.e. busting lug nuts off)
Consistent source of air - never run out of air

Cons:
Loose AC - didn't matter to me, as I never used it
Have to evacuate the AC system
Parts can add up quick
Have to keep the compressor greased/lubricated
Click to expand...

How did you go about keeping it lubed?
 
Rucas said:
How did you go about keeping it lubed?
Click to expand...

Inline air tool oiler. Not sure on the longevity of the compressor, as I only had it hooked up for a year before selling the Jeep. Typically this is done with the Sanden compressor which is easier to deal with and can be packed with grease.
 
Has anybody done a York compressor for OBA?
This would mean no need to worry about oiling, as the York has its own sump and is self lubricated, unlike the stock sanden compressor that relies on oil to be supplied on the suction side.
 
Rucas said:
Has anybody done a York compressor for OBA?
This would mean no need to worry about oiling, as the York has its own sump and is self lubricated, unlike the stock sanden compressor that relies on oil to be supplied on the suction side.
Click to expand...
I put a york setup on the tj that I have for sale and it's awesome. It's nice to have an unlimited supply at the flip of a switch. I plan to eventually put one on the lj when funds allow. I pieced it all together instead of buying a kit for the tj and I think I ended up with like 500-600 in it but that's just an estimate because I didn't really keep up with it. Sometimes it's better that way, if I don't know exactly how much it is the wife can't fuss about it lol.
 
98 tj sport said:
I put a york setup on the tj that I have for sale and it's awesome. It's nice to have an unlimited supply at the flip of a switch. I plan to eventually put one on the lj when funds allow. I pieced it all together instead of buying a kit for the tj and I think I ended up with like 500-600 in it but that's just an estimate because I didn't really keep up with it. Sometimes it's better that way, if I don't know exactly how much it is the wife can't fuss about it lol.
Click to expand...

What is needed to install a york in a tj?
 
I have an IAS setup as well and I find I use it around the house as much as I do on the trail. It is very handy to have around and only costs about $13.00 to have it filled. I am going to convert my argon tank to straight CO2 and fill it myself if I can figure a way to do it safely , and this will bring the cost down to about $2.00 per fill up.
 
I have a York with the ORO bracket. The old Kilby bracket is less expensive, but it uses the York itself as the belt tensioner. ORO's design is far more elegant and uses the factory spring tensioner. I wanted the reliability for my daily driver.

I can fill all four of my 33's from 8 - 25psi, full setup to full take down, in about 6 1/2 minutes.
 
jjvw said:
I have a York with the ORO bracket. The old Kilby bracket is less expensive, but it uses the York itself as the belt tensioner. ORO's design is far more elegant and uses the factory spring tensioner. I wanted the reliability for my daily driver.

I can fill all four of my 33's from 8 - 25psi, full setup to full take down, in about 6 1/2 minutes.
Click to expand...
Thats a little slower than a CO2 setup , but you can just keep filling long after I am empty.
 
I see no need for an air tank. Any sized tank that will reasonably fit in a Wrangler will be empty almost immediately. Once the compressor turns on, then you are relying entirely on it for the rest of the job. The tank isn't doing anything except taking up space.

That being said, I used my front bumper as a 2 gallon tank simply because it was easier and cleaner to put a quick connect outside the Jeep that way than anything else I could think of. Doing so gave me a couple more seconds of air before the compressor kicked in...
 
G Beasley said:
Thats a little slower than a CO2 setup , but you can just keep filling long after I am empty.
Click to expand...

Does that include taking out the hose and putting it away?

I timed that run at about 2k rpm. I could red line the engine and do it much faster. Then we stand around and wait for everyone else to finish. 🙂

 
Rucas said:
Who makes a pulley to convert the york to a serpentine belt drive?
Click to expand...

Some Yorks came with the serpentine belt pulley. Mine came with a v-belt. But I was able to find the correct serp pulley on eBay.
 
Rucas said:
What is needed to install a york in a tj?
Click to expand...
Brackets, the york, pressure switch, manifold and lines are the basics, I had a filter system on mine to catch any oil blow by with a drain in the bottom of it to return any oil back into the york. And then I had a 2.5 gallon tank mounted underneath the jeep That fed a quick connect at the front bumper and one in the back as well. This is the only pic I seem to have on my phone showing everything.
 

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