| Author |
Message |
    
charlie
| | Posted on Friday, March 22, 2002 - 01:53 pm: | 
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Saw the ARB Portable Air Compressor selling at Atlantic British for $240 and those sold at Target/K-Mart for around $50.
So what are the difference? What to look for when I am buying one?
Thanks
---Charlie |
RVR OVR (Tom)
| | Posted on Friday, March 22, 2002 - 03:51 pm: |
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The big difference is probably the amount of air it puts out at what pressure and what rate (psi & CFM). Probably has something to do with reliability as well. Any electronic air compressor is the slowest option for filling tires, just have variable rates of slowness.
The best option is probably an engine mounted air compressor, but that is pretty involved. I suggest you check out a CO2 tank like Trail-Air or Powertank.
Trail-Air
http://trail-air.com
Powertank
http://www.expeditionexchange.com/powertank/
Mounted in a Disco:
http://www.discoweb.org/trailair/index.htm |
Milan
| | Posted on Friday, March 22, 2002 - 09:53 pm: |
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The ARB compressor is very slow for airing up tires and so is the $50 electric with the ARB being a hair better/faster. However, if hooked up as per ARB instructions, the compressor will shut off when it gets hot (after about 10 mins). Now, the electric you buy at K-Mart, you should also let rest after 10 mins but usually you can just run them until you fill all tires and if it blows you only wasted $50 not $240.
Really good electrics are the Thomas 1/3 and 1/2 hp units. They are made for continuous duty and almost approach the output of engine driven rotary compressor at idle speed. The 1/3 hp is used on Hummers for their CAIS.
Even better electrics are by Trail Air (I think their version is a rotary Sanden unit modified for more volume and oilless operation - it uses grease),or the Trailhead by Oasis http://www.oasis-off-road.com which is essentially a York powered by a starter/winch motor. I feel that either one of these would spit out a bit of oil so that's why I like the Thomas oilless the best but the York unit would be the fastest of the bunch.
I feel any compressor is better for general airing up than CO2 as you have unlimited supply and no tank to haul. Plus you can always add a tank to your compressor for similar performance the CO2 tank gives you.
I hope this helps. |
RVR OVR (Tom)
| | Posted on Saturday, March 23, 2002 - 01:36 am: |
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Milan, can you effectively run air tools with an electric setup? Even with a tank I don't think you could keep it filled enough with a size that you would be likely to carry on your truck.
Also, it would take a big tank somewhere on the truck (probably bigger than the 10 lb CO2 tank) to hold enough air to be able to fill all four nice and quick.
However, you are totally correct about the limited vs. unlimted supply. And if speed and air tools are not important to you, then CO2 is not the way to go. Damn tradeoffs.
Tom |
Ho Chung (Ho)
| | Posted on Saturday, March 23, 2002 - 01:39 am: |
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well, you can have them all.
electric compressor AND the CO2 tank.
 it's only money. |
Milan
| | Posted on Saturday, March 23, 2002 - 11:05 am: |
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Ho is right. And so are you Tom. That's why I qualified my statement with "for general airing up". I do think you could run some air tools if you had at least a 4 gallon tank and that Thomas unit or better. And then I feel you'd still have to stop from time to time - but I have to do that with my 20 gal tank at home as well - and running an air grinder would still be questionable as it uses a lot of air quickly. But what would you want to run on the trail? Probably an impact and an air ratchet and maybe 1 other tool. For this I think the OBA setup would work. I also think the CO2 tank would be used up quickly with air tools, no? And then what? I'd rather wait for my compressor to fill the tank. |
chris browne
| | Posted on Sunday, March 24, 2002 - 09:57 pm: |
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My vote for on board air if you are willing to give it the space is
http://www.extremeoutback.com/extremeaire.htm |
Jeff Anderson (Groovydude)
| | Posted on Sunday, March 24, 2002 - 10:33 pm: |
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Wow that Extrem Outback looks nice. I`ll have to add that to my "I WANT IT" list. The price ain't bad either. I`d most likely mount it to a piece of Plywood and keep it in the back on my Disco. Just pul it out and hook it up when needed. |
Scott Hayes (Scott_H)
| | Posted on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 01:44 am: |
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i saw an arb blow a seal on the trail the other day...not only could the person not air the tires.. no arb lockers front or rear 
Wadda ya do
Scott H |
tricky
| | Posted on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 02:17 am: |
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I have heard of people putting a refridgerator compressor in, and running it off the belts on a RR, with a tank. Don't know if it would work on a D though |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Monday, March 25, 2002 - 08:59 am: |
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I've not heard of the fridge compressor before, but I've seen FSJs that used the A/C compressor... modified it to act as an on-board air...
-L |
Robert Smith
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 10:07 pm: |
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I saw an ad somewhere a while back, where someone was selling old RR air suspension compressors and tanks as a trail air alternative. Would this setup have the stones to do the tires in a reasonable amount of time? Could it be fitted to a DI?
Rob S. |
JEspelien (Superj)
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 11:40 pm: |
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Best setup for belt driven compressor is the old V twin air conditioning compressor off of a Chrysler V8 car. Will put out 5cfm-500rpm and 9 cfm-1000rpm at 150 psi with a 50% overdrive pulley combination. |
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