On Board Air

[javelinadave]

A guy on the Disco. Org web site made an onboard air compressor with an "air ride pump" off a Buick that he got from a junk yard. He spent 450 for the compressor and another $20 for the rest of the supplies. I think it is a pretty damn good idea and the price is right. Has anybody out there done this? If so, what brand of pump are you running??? A person on Discoweb.org stated that the GM pumps are plastic and melt after 10 minutes?? Let me know what you think...Dave

[Mike Hippert]

I have been working on converting my AC compressor to Air. I think $450 is allot for a pump. I have heard of people getting AC compressors for under $50 from the yard. Don't the quick air pumps cost around $450? Is an "Air Ride Pump" run off the engine or off a motor? I will have to check out Dweb.

[dante18]

Mike if you could post a how to when you are done i would appreciate it. I am looking to do the same but lack the knowledge.

Dante

[Mike Hippert]

OK, looked at Dweb under the disco section. He paid $50 for it. I have no experience with them but looking at the size I don't think it will put a very high CFM. I would guess that It will pump up to 100 psi but I don't think it would run air tools. If you could why not use the compressor that comes on Discos with air springs?

[javelinadave]

Typo, it was $50 for the compressor. I live in Arizona, I would dry up and die if I converted my A/C compressor from an A/C to an air source. I would also render my D-90 as un-sellable here in the Southwest....Dave

[Mike Hippert]

OK so not having AC might be a small health risk for you:grin I think it will be fine for pumping tires up slowly unless you have a big tank. I cannot think of another car that uses air more actively, thus giving a better duty cycle on the compressor so you don't have to worry about it melting. But I don't think a compressor capable of 100 psi would h have anything plastic in it. I would say to try and find one cheap and to experiment with it.

[Mike Hippert]

You snuck in Danta and i missed your post. So far I hooked it up and It pumps air fast, even at idle. the problem is the oil I put in the compressor comes out with the compressed air. I meet some one with the same compressor, but he bought it in Australia and instead of oil it used grease. With the idle set at about 2k it pumped my 35s from 15 to 30 psi in about 60 seconds, not bad. I have been preoccupied and have not spent to much time on it, my next step was to drain the oil and try some heavier oil to see what it did before I pump it full of grease.

[Buckon37s]

Just to offer a different option to those that want to keep the AC.

Try CO2. It will inflate a 37 from 8 psi to 30 in about 30 seconds or so and you don't have to drop major PowerTank coin to do it. I am also running my air lockers with it.

[javelinadave]

I just got back from the junk yard. Paid $50 for a Caddy air ride suspension pump. I get 98 psi out of it. Next project is to figure out some sort of tank. I may try something small under the seat or a capped pipe inside of the hollow front bumper. Any thoughts???...Dave

[TwisteD90]

I second CO2 Power tank.

[TDI Guy]

Also, with the tank, you can take it out of the truck and use it in another or for air tools when you are not near your rig.

[Mike Hippert]

Does everyone have a tank? I see alot of them on the trail. How many times can you inflate your tires with them?

[TDI Guy]

I think with the big tank you can do like 20 tires or something like that..

[Buckon37s]

Not sure since it depends on the tire size but 20 is a pretty good number. They hold a lot of CO2. Plus, they can reset a bead which no compressor that I am aware of can.