Portable Compressors

[pizaba]

hey guys,

I'm looking into putting a compressor on the jeep, but I don't know where to begin. Looking around at the usual 4wd and quadratec and am seeing some products, buuuuut I have no idea what I'm looking for and what a good price/brand/what-have-you. Could I get some education on this please.

To use for power tools, airing up tires, airing up water sports stuffs, what kind of system should I be looking for?
Does the compressor use a tank? If so are they sold separately?
What are my options for mounting locations?
Are the ARB's a good brand? Are they considered expensive?
Anything else I should be asking or should know?

Thanks guys.

[pizaba]

Quick update, I found this website: On-Board-Air Using a York Compressor - Jeepaholics Anonymous and this guy seems to know what he's talking about. I don't know if I have the mechanical aptitude to put that off, but i'm sure I have some friends that can do it for me while I watch.

[Utah_jeepster]

hey guys,

I'm looking into putting a compressor on the jeep, but I don't know where to begin. Looking around at the usual 4wd and quadratec and am seeing some products, buuuuut I have no idea what I'm looking for and what a good price/brand/what-have-you. Could I get some education on this please.

To use for power tools, airing up tires, airing up water sports stuffs, what kind of system should I be looking for?
Does the compressor use a tank? If so are they sold separately?
What are my options for mounting locations?
Are the ARB's a good brand? Are they considered expensive?
Anything else I should be asking or should know?

Thanks guys.

To use power tools: your going to need a large CFM type of compressor, even a york A/C type of set up has a hard time keeping up with simple air tools. If your thinking of a heavy dutie 1/2 impact like most tire shops run, a York type system is your only choice, but dont expect a lot of torque from it due to the fact this type of gun needs lots of volume and pressure to drive of a single lug nut, let alone 5. Your better off going to a electric impact.
Does the compressor use a tank? If so are they sold separately?: Any time you add a air system more than a direct activation of simple switches or lockers, you should add a tank to add some volume to your system, I.E. filling up tires. Yes if your not purchasing an all in one system, most 2.5 and 5 gal tanks are sold separately.
What are my options for mounting locations? : This is a hard one due to the fact of what options you have on your 04, what you intend to keep (A/C, Dual battery,and such.) Are you willing to sacrifice interior space? What size compressor realistic goals of what you want to accomplishsh with this compressor. Most electric types are universal in mounting locations. Where you have free room, and a flat surface.
Are the ARB's a good brand?Are they considered expensive? Here is a good argument starter, everyone has an opinion on whats a good brand. I. M. O. ARB's are great if your using them as direct activation type of compressors, what they lack in volume they more than make up in quick pressure. I recently seen a dual ARB, set up that almost kept up with my single ViAir system. And we are only talking by a minute or two filling a 37 inch tire to 32psi from 15psi. As to cost? hard to say since most want tons of volume to run air tools, then later realize they cant have the same results they have at home or see in most pro shops without dumping several thousand dollars into a high pressure and volume type of system. Most tire service trucks run a very large gas or electrict type of compressor mounted on the back so they can have the volume and pressure needed to break off Semi-truck lug nuts and down to car and light trucks. We dont have the room. Now some are going to come back and say they run an impact with there air system, but you need to ask if you had a really stuck lug nut or bolt, how long can you really hold that guns trigger before you loose the high torque required to loosen the stuck bolt. Cost to loosen a locked on bolt or lug nut...20$ for a cheap 1/2 breaker bar.
Anything else I should be asking or should know? : Compressor controls, wiring and air line routing, tank mounting locations...for a york A/C compressor you need to worry about an separatorator, brackets to mount it and belt sizes to run it. Kirby has a product information center for york type installs, ViAir has on for electric type of installs. ARB's are an all inclusive type of system, they have thier own controls built in. One last thing to consider, is weight. Since most systems will be mounted peremently on your jeep your now paying for extra gas to carry this stuff around. Oh and the accesories, gotta have the air line and chuck to fill those tires incase you get a flat and plug it.

Both places should give you a starting point in helping you make the decision of what type you want to run and what you want to do with the said onboard air.

[Dragon5126]

As expensive as onboard systems get, unless you are using it to operate lockers, I'd just look to the Warn combo winch and compressor ( Warn Industries - Jeep, Truck & SUV Winches: PowerPlant HD ) I'd add a pair of slim "pony tanks" strapped to the roll bars for extra capacity if you intend to use an impact driver, but other than that this system is pretty much complete and is a damn nice winch as well, and as such you arent looking for somewhere to mount the compressor