What Air Compressor Do You Use?

[poomero]

What compressors do you use for onboard air? What do you like and dislike about them?

 

[Curious Hound]

I have a single viair mounted underhood with 3 gallon tank under the bed. Works great. It just isn't a fast unit for big tires.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I removed my underbed spare and put together a rear bumper tire carrier. My intention is to mount a tank where the spare was. I bought an All Top compressor when it was a really good deal... but don't have the system together. The compressor airs up flats pretty quick.

What I don't like... noisy and you better wear gloves if you plan to touch it after blowing up anything. It gets pretty hot.

 

[JoshT]

Ryobi

I'm guessing that's not the kind of onboard air you were asking about though. Don't have enough use for airon the goto invest in a built in air setup. Just need something ocassionally for topping off a tire (typically bicycle) or inflating a ball.

 

[Curious Hound]

I should give Kudos to Milwaukee if you want something portable. Last time I went wheeling, I burped all the air out of a tire. I had been aired down to 12psi with no beadlocks. While I was getting myself organized, a guy came over with a portable Milwaukee compressor. That thing was impressive. Got me for 0 to 12psi in 2 or 3 minutes. I didn't really time it. But it was a nice amount of time. That was airing up a 35-12.50x15.

 

[poomero]

I have a single viair mounted underhood with 3 gallon tank under the bed. Works great. It just isn't a fast unit for big tires.

I like the idea of a tank under the bed. Do you have a pic you can share?

 

[Curious Hound]

Pix in my build thread. I'll look later and post a link here.

 

[sgtsandman]

Not exactly on board air but the compressor is similar to those systems and comes with a carry bag. It has served me well for a couple of years now.

12V 150 PSI Compact Air Compressor

Amazing deals on this 12V 150Psi Compact Air Compressor at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[Curious Hound]

1993 Splash in SC

By the way... I did go back to my dirt pile to flex the truck again, this time with the sway bar disconnected. With the truck empty, it doesn't max out the suspension. This photo is with the left rear wheel about an inch off the ground, but nothing maxed out. I think I have the fenders trimmed...

www.therangerstation.com

 

[JoshT]

Not exactly on board air but the compressor is similar to those systems and comes with a carry bag. It has served me well for a couple of years now.

12V 150 PSI Compact Air Compressor

Amazing deals on this 12V 150Psi Compact Air Compressor at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

That's a good unit too. I used to have the 100 PSI version and it worked well for many years. Actually I've probably still got it and it would probably still work well except the hose deteriorated and broke. Never got around to replacing it and don't recall where I put it. Maybe I'll find and fix it while cleaning up my shed.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I use the big harbor freight one listed above, the bag it comes with is dumb and pretty much needs to be burned... the hose aside from being collapsed needs to be folded to fit in it's pouch and the cord is a pain to get weaseled into the bag and the rubber part of the hose gets a little kinked... I stumbled into that it fits PERFECTLY into a standard 50 cal steel ammo can extremely easily, not safe to just huck around without thrashing around in the can but it keeps it dry and safe...

It's pretty reliable, I lost my first one (really don't remember where it went, I think I lent it to someone but ?) but the second has been a trooper... I was airing up my F350 tires after a sand camping excursion with the camper and trailer and on I think the second or third tire the hose melted right where the yellow hose goes to the quick connect... turns out it's extremely easy to field repair, it's kinda like the DIY hydraulic hose fittings where there's barbs then a nut that goes over the barbs holding the hose tight to it.

I have the next step down that looks the same but is half the size and it works decent too but way slower, that one sat outside for like a year and still works somehow?

Also have the Bauer 20V inflator, the bigger one not the smaller drill handle one, it's decent too, I like the Ronco set it and forget it thing, it's slow but it inflates water toys really nice and works good enough for some general tire needs if you're not in a hurry.

I don't remember what compressor is in the framerail of the F350 that someone safety wired in place (there's wire nuts involved as well for good measure on the wiring side) but that jumbled system works decent, I don't have a hose to use for tires but it has a tank and pressure switch, it doesn't have an air filter though so I don't just leave it on...

 

[holyford86]

ORO (York Based) engine driven air compressor and 10 ish gallons of tanks under the bed with front and rear air chucks, a cab blow gun, and air horns, it'll run a 1/2 impact or long barrel air hammer without issue and a small die grinder for about a minute bursts with the engine idled up to about 1500 rpm.

 

[Curious Hound]

ORO (York Based) engine driven air compressor and 10 ish gallons of tanks under the bed with front and rear air chucks, a cab blow gun, and air horns, it'll run a 1/2 impact or long barrel air hammer without issue and a small die grinder for about a minute bursts with the engine idled up to about 1500 rpm.

Now THAT is an on board compressor setup. Nice.

 

[holyford86]

Now THAT is an on board compressor setup. Nice.

It's served me well throughout the years, a couple of years ago I swapped from a converted york 210 to the purpose built ORO compressor and have been impressed with the large reduction in oil consumption. The customer service I recieved with them was also great.

I had been running a single tank from an m35a2 for a few years, then added another smaller tank repurposed from a chineseum compressor which rotted out in short order (I don't even drive the truck in the winter) I was able to find another m35a2 tank locally this past summer so now I have 2, They're coated on the inside and quite thick, hopefully this one lasts like the other one I have under there has been.

I have a small air dryer from a Japanese medium duty truck (looks like a bendix ad9 but quite a bit smaller) that I've been thinking about adding but am unsure how I'm going to make the unloader valve operate correctly as I don't have an air governor to run it. I'm open to ideas though, haha.