# What's your thoughts on adding an On Board Air Compressor?



## scoutin4reds (Dec 19, 2014)

When airing down I've found there are few places that you can air back up, and we happen to have a bit of a ferry ride, and or highway along the various beaches along the OBX. 
So here's my thoughts, I've found a compressor company for portable compressors called Viair. Viair has a model called the 400p where they claim it is capable of filling 35" tires from 0-30psi in 5 mins. 
On my Rig I have 31" tires cause I like them that size,I can just slide over into the seat, and I think buying an over-sized pump will make the pump last longer, as well as fill the tires up faster. 
Has anyone had an experience with different on board air compressors, and wants to weigh in on which set-up worked for them, or which one was a bust?
Anyone have some thoughts on adding a compressor to the beach buggy?


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## VMI-Kayaker (Jun 12, 2011)

They make good stuff, well known name in the off-road Jeep community.
And no, bigger doesn't mean longer lasting....that's what an air resovior is for. Key words: "Duty-Cycle"
-use is not what's gonna eventually kill the pump (like7-8yrs from now)... *ENVIROMENT CONTAIMENTS*will. So maintence, lubrication, keeping it clean. Really, really simple, but then again, so is checking your oil, yet look at how ever summer, so many of those cars you see on the side of the highway at broken down, just 3sec glance at the owner, and you can tell they've never even opened the hood of their own car before.


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## Jersey Hunter (Jul 26, 2009)

I have the Yiair 400p I can air up from 15lb. to 35lb. in about 1 1/2 mins each, seems to be a strong unit. A plus is if you change trucks you still have a pump.

http://www.parksoffroad.com/prodreview/inflatortest/viair/viair.htm


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## mkm (Aug 19, 2014)

I have a Viair compressor and 150 psi tank with relay mounted under my truck bed where the spare tire goes. Its wired to one of the aux. switches on the consol and a pressure gauge mounted on the dash, below the steering wheel. Air hose quick disconnect coming out and mounted to rear bumper beside license plate. Its a nice setup and will air up to 65 pounds (e rated tires) very quickly.


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## VMI-Kayaker (Jun 12, 2011)

^Yep, this is Man has got it rigged up right! Just don't be a future Darwin Winner, and think about welding a resovior inside your bumper tubes like some Jeep ********..... 
Also, get some quick de-flators, saves sooooo much time and guessing.
http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/wheels-tires/129-1212-the-great-tire-deflator-shootout/


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## mkm (Aug 19, 2014)

VMI, I can't take the credit for that setup. It was like that when I bought the truck. Your rite, the de-flators are a must have.


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## jef400dread (Aug 15, 2009)

I've contemplated this same purchase for a few years, over the course of 2 or 3 different trucks. I came closest to purchasing a system for a 1 ton Dodge Ram, with 37x13.5x17 Nitto MGs. The system my local 4x4 shop quoted me was about $650 installed. I can't remember the brand or the size of the tank (the truck had 8" of lift, so there was plenty of room underneath) but I never pulled the trigger because of the expected refill times. Something about duty cycle..the gallon tank (capacity of air), the HP (strength of motor), and the max PSI (how forceful the air comes out???). It's been a few years since someone explained it to me, but because of the volume of air I'd need to bring (4) 37x13.5x17 tires from 15 PSI back to 35 PSI, I needed some ratio that was nowhere near what this on board system could deliver in less than...10mins? I'd expect that any one of the brands designed for this purpose would be able to deliver what they claim, but for the size of my tires, I didn't want to pay $650 and to have the wife and dogs sitting truck waiting 15mins for me to air up. But, with the 31" tires you mentioned, I'd assume a MUCH shorter refill time to get from 15 PSI to 35 PSI. 

I talked to one of the air compressor guys at Northern Tool, told him exactly what I'd be trying to do, and he recommended looking into used commercial grade, gas powered air compressors. On CL, i found a few in the $300-400 range with like 5+HP, that could (according to the NT air comp expert) re-fill all 4 of my tires very quickly - like 2 mins. One of the portable ones with the tanks that lay down, and have the wheel on the front like a wheel barrow was what I was looking for. These would probably only be feasible if your rig is a pickup. It would take up a lot of bed space, and could be heavy enough that you'd need a ramp. I considered it with plans to unload it when I got to my spot on the beach. I suppose if you were renting a house within a mile of two from the ramp you enter, you could leave it there during your vacation.

I never bought that one either. When I had the money, CL didn't have any I considered.


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## scoutin4reds (Dec 19, 2014)

This is some great insight folks. As everyone always says there is no replacement for experience. With all of this in mind I may just go with the viair 300p which has a slightly larger CFM, but I'm trying to save room so an expansion tank may be explored if the 300p doesn't do the job fast enough. After everyone agreeing on the deflators I am on the fence about the trailhead deflators, so does anyone have any positive or negative experiences for the trailhead deflators? I really like the idea of the valve turning off at a preset pressure.


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## jef400dread (Aug 15, 2009)

I have a set of Trail head deflators and love them. The only "negative" I can associate with them is calibrating them. Whenever I use them, I put them on as soon as I hit the ramp, then drive to where I want to fish and remove them. That's always at least 5 mins, and they're done deflating when I reach my spot. When I remove them, I check the pressure and I'm always sitting around 10-12 PSI. Never lost a bead, but I drive very slowly back to the first air pump when I leave (25MPH or less).
To calibrate them, I'd need to have access to a good air compressor,install, check PSI, then re-inflate, adjust device, re-apply, check pressure...over and over again until I get each one right around 15. I don't own a compressor, so I'd have to do this at a Wawa. Spending 30mins to an hour when other people want to use the free pumps is a kinda rude, so I gave up.


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## scoutin4reds (Dec 19, 2014)

Jef,
That's good to know, I have a basic compressor that'll do the job on filling while setting, and I think it's time to get some trailhead deflators, unless someone has some more negative inputs, I think these sound pretty sweet.


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## Jersey Hunter (Jul 26, 2009)

scoutin4reds said:


> Jef,
> That's good to know, I have a basic compressor that'll do the job on filling while setting, and I think it's time to get some trailhead deflators, unless someone has some more negative inputs, I think these sound pretty sweet.


If you have a small tire ( lawn tractor, wheel barrow ) use that to adjust your trailheads air pressure is air pressure small tire or large tire.


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## jef400dread (Aug 15, 2009)

Yeah that is a good idea, thanks Jersey Hunter.


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## saltbranch (Aug 26, 2015)

I have been using this compressor for a couple of years now for my tractors, trucks etc. Mine was 89.00 plus tax and its pretty fast. Does not take very long at all to air up my load range E 20" tires on my truck. Airs up rear tires on my 45hp tractor in maybe 5min or so when completely flat. I store it behind the back seat in my crewcab truck. ORielly Auto parts is where I got mine. 
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...292&keyword=air+compressor&pt=N0184&ppt=C0337


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## nissan11 (Jan 24, 2010)

Ive had a smittybilt under my truck bed for a few years. Its covered in rust from driving in the snow and sand but still kicking. I also have a tank mounted under the bed and the compressor hooked up to a pressure switch to keep the tank full. It also runs my air horns.


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## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Jersey Hunter said:


> If you have a small tire ( lawn tractor, wheel barrow ) use that to adjust your trailheads air pressure is air pressure small tire or large tire.


I had the same issue as the guy above when trying to calibrate my deflaters, and never went back to trying to set them. They have sat, unused in the truck for about 5 years.
So this suggestion is absolute brilliance!
Along with the Viair 300p that I just ordered based on the rest of this thread, (to replace the craptastic $40 one I bought last year that takes about 10 minutes per tire to go from 20 to 35 psi!) I think this thread has just made my beach driving time a zillion times easier!
Thanks Guys.
TjB


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## Papa-T (Sep 5, 2011)

I go to Ocracoke every April and October for two weeks fishing and stay at the Ocracoke Campground. I drive a Chevrolet 2500. I will air Dow to 20psi when I get there and will not air back up until I leave. It's I only a short drive to the beach from the campground at 45mph and I've done this for years with no problem. Now of course If I decide to go off the island to Hatteras I would air back up; but with the short drive from the campground to the beach and back its no necessary. When I use to stay at Camp Hatteras and fish the point I would air down and back up all the time.


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