On Board Air

[mikea]

I like to air down when on the trails and had used a cheap 12volt compressor that takes about 20-30 minuts to inflate 4 33" tires back to 30psi. Turkey Bay has a compressor but you have to wait in line to use it. I did some looking on the web and considered several options and found the best one to be to install a York A/C compressor to provide unlimited air with power supplied from the engine. You can buy complete kits from kilby at www.onboardair.com (http://www.onboardair.com)

Granted this is not a inexpensive mod and you can certainly buy an electric compressor with a tank for less money, but you have to cary an inverter and a bulky tank with you.

After the initial expense for the hardware the only real problem you could have is burning up the York unit which you can get a replacement at a junk yard for $15-$30 as opposed to much higher repair costs for an electric unit. Just think though, how often does your a/c compressor burn up? As long as you have a relief valve set at a reasonable pressure and you keep oil in the compressor you should get years of use.

The install took under 2 hours to get it up and running. I still need to perminatly mount the filter, regulator and other components though.

My first plan was to also instal a small tank but so far I dont think I'll need one as I was able to inflate a 33" tire from 5psi to 35psi in just under 60 seconds with the engine rpm at 2500. My only problem here was the York at this rpm was producing more air than a 1/4" hose could pump so the relief valve kept poping ever 10 seconds or so. I plan to have 2 quick connects to allow another person to attach a hose at the same time. I also need to rig up a hand throttle.

If you air down this is an awsome mod that will be used every time I wheel.

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF00161-med.JPG
Top view.

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF00151-med.JPG
Side view.

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF0014-med.JPG
This will need a better mount then tie straps.

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF0010-med.JPG
Installed and belt tensioned.

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF0006-med.JPG
Kilby's bracket. This replaces the stock altinator bracket.

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF00051-med.JPG
York unit with new clutch. (yes, its a BIG sucker!)

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF0001-med.JPG
Altinator and bracket removed.

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Tire at 5psi

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/500/156DSCF0013-med.JPG
Tire at 35psi in under 60 seconds.

[Tomster]

Sounds great, Mike! Might be my next move, too.

Tom

[Micah]

If I dont already have A/C can I just put it where the A/C pump would normaly go?

[mikea]

[ QUOTE ]
If I dont already have A/C can I just put it where the A/C pump would normaly go?

[/ QUOTE ]

You would have it easier. I would go with using a jeep a/c pump with factory brackets. You could buy all your parts from the bone yards. The only thing you'd need in addition would be an inline oiler to keep the pump oiled. The york unit is the only one that I know of with an internal oiler and they are big units with a large displacement. This thing will flat out move some air. But for you i'd go with factory stuff.

[Micah]

cool thanks man

[Tomster]

Hey, now you got me thinkin'! If I were willing to give up my A/C, I could use that compressor for OBA!

I hardly ever have use for the A/C anyway. I'm topless and doorless all summer. Well, the defroster works off the A/C, though, doesn't it? Also, even though Thelma Jane is NOT my daily driver right now, she could become that if my little S-10 goes T/U.

Guess I'd better not go that route.

Tom

[Don]

MikeA, Thanks for a Great write up! OBA is pretty far down on my wish list of mods, but your write up was first class /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tu.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tu.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tu.gif

[mawardjr]

Nice

[DavidC]

Mike,

Thanks for sharing this with us. I am bringing the jeep in to get 4.10's and ARB's installed next week as Eaton keeps pushing out dates on their Elockers.Thus I will need a source of air for the ARB's. Might want to put the York with a tank and a regulator and use that instead of the ARB compressor which I hear is a little light in airing up tires.

Nice install!

Thanks again,

David

[mikea]

[ QUOTE ]
Mike,

Thanks for sharing this with us. I am bringing the jeep in to get 4.10's and ARB's installed

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't pay the money for the ARB compressor. It just does not do a good job on tires and if it dies its expensive to repair and you can't get parts locally. Asside from the mounting bracket from Kilby I can get a replacement pump from the bone yard or it can be rebuilt (york's are fully servicable) and the air parts can be purchased from tractor supply, harbor freight or many other places locally available. I have 2 unregulated fitings and one regulated to allow inflating Basketballs, bike tires etc.

I'd put small tank on to keep the compressor from constantly cycling for the arb. You just cant go wrong with the York, that thing really cranks out some serious air.

[DavidC]

Mike,

I am seriously looking at the York with an air tank.I brought the Jeep in today instead of next week to get the gears and lockers installed(they had an opening in their sched.). They showed me a small air tank that could be mounted under the Jeep.I noticed that Kilby has a bracket for my 99 so the last piece of the puzzle is hooking everything up.The only thing that may prevent me from going this way is it's a bit more $$ and I just noticed on Sunday that my exhaust manifold is cracked(which explains the unknown noise I have been looking for).

So between the gears,lockers and now the manifold...$$$$

Makes me even more envious of you guy's and gal's with Rubi's and 7/70 warranty's.

Thanks for the pics and the advice.

David

[mikea]

David,

I hear ya.

The ARB compressor with tire inflation kit from 4WheelDrive Hardware is $259.90

If you can find a York with a serpentine belt clutch (198? & up Mustangs with serp belts) from a bone yard. Problem is mustangs have the smaller pump. You really want the 209 or 210 model found belt driven on big ford cars. Sooo pull the compressor off a big car and the clutch of a stang. Your other option is a saden pump which are in cars with serp belts but you will need to put an inline oiler on the suction line between the pump and intake filter. Buy your air fittings and components at tractor supply or someplace similar as they are cheeper then kilby. If you shop around you should be able to put this thing togeather cheeper than I did. MikeB, chime in here, how does the ARB pump do with tires? You could run it without a tank for a while, just put a pressure switch to start and stop the pump automatically when using the lockers. Look around and see what you can come up with before buying the ARB pump.

[Paul E]

The exhaust/manifold has a 8/80,000 warranty. So if you have a TJ with less than 80,000 miles, you should be able to get it taken care of, I think.

[pirate_over50]

(The ARB compressor with tire inflation kit from 4WheelDrive Hardware is $259.90) First of all....this is really high. Go to Ebay and look at the new Viair 550. For the same price ( 269.00 ) this is one hellava 12 volt pump. ARB comp does ok pumping up tires if you have a couple of hours. Ok it's not that bad, but it is slow. And they advised most of the time to not run it longer than 5 mins at a time. That's why most of the time I have my nitrogen tank. This will run air tools, but gets in the way in the back. I'm looking at either the on board or the new Viair. ARB comp is great for what it does. Mike

[mikea]

[ QUOTE ]
(The ARB compressor with tire inflation kit from 4WheelDrive Hardware is $259.90) First of all....this is really high. Go to Ebay and look at the new Viair 550. For the same price ( 269.00 ) this is one hellava 12 volt pump. ARB comp does ok pumping up tires if you have a couple of hours. Ok it's not that bad, but it is slow. And they advised most of the time to not run it longer than 5 mins at a time. That's why most of the time I have my nitrogen tank. This will run air tools, but gets in the way in the back. I'm looking at either the on board or the new Viair. ARB comp is great for what it does. Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, Mike. I saw a jeep with the viair setup and a custome made tank this weekend. It worked great and was mounted where the airbox would normally go. It did a great job but the York still out performed it I aired up all 4 tires in less then 5 minuts.

The only downside I have found so far is without the self adjusting belt tensioner I get belt squeel on startup. I'm going to check and see if the belt is adjusted properly. I'll keep you posted. I liked the viair and read some good writeups on it as well. The main reason I went this route was the ability to repair with out ordering parts or sending the unit off for repair.

[pirate_over50]

Excellent point.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I guess what I need to do is go ahead and have the freon removed from my compressor. I bet I didn't use the air twice last year. Course it is not my daily driver either. I need to find write ups on using stock comp and go from there.

[pirate_over50]

And one other thing. This is what I do at work. Work on compressors that supply air to our underground cable. Hummmmm......connectors, hose, pressure switches, gauges, I think I have seen those parts laying around somewhere. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hee.gif

[DavidC]

The ARB's and gears are supposed to be done tomorrow. I'm still looking at all options as far as air goes.I really appreciate the advice that you guy's have given me.The decision may come down to ease of install as I am running out of time.

I'll let ya all know what I end up with.

Thanks again,

David

[mikea]

[ QUOTE ]
The ARB's and gears are supposed to be done tomorrow. I'm still looking at all options as far as air goes.I really appreciate the advice that you guy's have given me.The decision may come down to ease of install as I am running out of time.

I'll let ya all know what I end up with.


[/ QUOTE ]

I hear ya. It'd be hard to wait having the ARB's in and not able to use them.

[DavidC]

Mike,

I have had Rubicon envy ever since my first trip with you and the gang at TB. Kelly(my 6 year old) has asked me repeatedly when Sara the Jeep was going to get air lockers.I made up my mind in December to go with the Eaton Elocker's but they don't have any for a Dana 30 yet and the Dana 44's have been on back order since January. Couldn't wait any longer as wheelin season is about here.

SO...called up the local 4 wheel shop, Attitude Performance,
and now I hopefully will have lockers tomorrow.I visited them again yesterday and they had some incredible Jeeps all with ARB's (one TJ even had a 350 V8 in it an Atlas 2 and 8" of lift!!)One was running the ARB compressor and few others had various compressor + tank set ups.

So as of 9:00pm tonight I still am debating.

David

[pirate_over50]

mikea....just got my York 210 out of an 83 Volvo this past Sat. Cleaned it all up, and it works great. Ordered my bracket and flange fittings from Kilby, so I ready to install and start plumbing. Hope it turns out looking as good as yours. If not, I'll come to Evansville and you can help! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif