lets kick around ideas for on the trail air compressors!
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 9
From: Paso Robles Ca
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
are you planing to start to motor to pump air if you are you will need some type of pressure relief valve for when you are not using the air or you will pop the hose
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
Cos
That is the best option by far. I can fill tires in a minute or less from flat. If you rev the motor, the AC pump will pump 8 cfm at 100 psi, about double a 6 hp shop compressor. Here is my set up, tank is on the back and not shown. It is elaborate, but fully automatic an requires no brains at all to operate.
That is the best option by far. I can fill tires in a minute or less from flat. If you rev the motor, the AC pump will pump 8 cfm at 100 psi, about double a 6 hp shop compressor. Here is my set up, tank is on the back and not shown. It is elaborate, but fully automatic an requires no brains at all to operate.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Mine has oil in the crank case. When it shuts down, the oil separator is purged and he oil automatically returned to the case. That is what those relays are on the air tube are for. There is also a seatbelt timer you can't see in the air box because it is heat sensitive. The reason I set it up this way is to have 100% duty cycle and no brainer operation and could be just left on for the ARBs. My wife will be driving this also. I also have some ideas kicking around in my head for air operated steps for my sweetheart. She is having trouble getting in and it's going up a little more.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
compressor
I have always run a Vair 400 to a 5 gallon tank. I use to build air bagged mini trucks. This is a simple cheap trail compressor. Can fill tank to about 145 psi. I will have some pics of my setup soon.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
Won't work for big tires. I drop my 33s to 8-15 psi, depending on terrain, and with a 5 gallon air tank in the back, I don't even get one tire filled to 30psi on that tank.
My last XJ had the A/C compressor converted to air compressor, and that worked OK, but I found that at idle, it really didn't put out much more air than the 12V plug in compressors. It's entirely possible that my compressor was just getting worn out, but since I was the only one I knew with the setup, I had no points of reference. Being that I was running open exhaust at the time, it was rather annoying to have the thing running at 2K RPM while at the trail head airing back up, lol.
Current setup is the $25 chinese high volume compressor, similar to the Harbor Freight model - http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96068
Mine is tagged at 0.88CFM, and the big $70, 30amp models that people are running are only something like 1.25CFM. I haven't timed myself yet, but it seems like I'm within 5 minutes of the people with the 30amp models. I figure I can always pick up a second one, and end up with more air at less cost, plus I still have air if one dies.
My last XJ had the A/C compressor converted to air compressor, and that worked OK, but I found that at idle, it really didn't put out much more air than the 12V plug in compressors. It's entirely possible that my compressor was just getting worn out, but since I was the only one I knew with the setup, I had no points of reference. Being that I was running open exhaust at the time, it was rather annoying to have the thing running at 2K RPM while at the trail head airing back up, lol.
Current setup is the $25 chinese high volume compressor, similar to the Harbor Freight model - http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96068
Mine is tagged at 0.88CFM, and the big $70, 30amp models that people are running are only something like 1.25CFM. I haven't timed myself yet, but it seems like I'm within 5 minutes of the people with the 30amp models. I figure I can always pick up a second one, and end up with more air at less cost, plus I still have air if one dies.
Do you hear banjos?
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 9,644
Likes: 6
Model: Cherokee
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 7,661
Likes: 15
From: Smiths Station, Al
Year: 87
Model: Wagoneer
Engine: 4.0 I6
My A/C has long since stopped working I have been researching converting that compressor to OBA. And it seems pretty straight forward. When I get frisky I will create a write-up for it. Unless some one has one I can follow to make my creation go smoother.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Won't work for big tires. I drop my 33s to 8-15 psi, depending on terrain, and with a 5 gallon air tank in the back, I don't even get one tire filled to 30psi on that tank.
My last XJ had the A/C compressor converted to air compressor, and that worked OK, but I found that at idle, it really didn't put out much more air than the 12V plug in compressors. It's entirely possible that my compressor was just getting worn out, but since I was the only one I knew with the setup, I had no points of reference. Being that I was running open exhaust at the time, it was rather annoying to have the thing running at 2K RPM while at the trail head airing back up, lol.
Current setup is the $25 chinese high volume compressor, similar to the Harbor Freight model - http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96068
Mine is tagged at 0.88CFM, and the big $70, 30amp models that people are running are only something like 1.25CFM. I haven't timed myself yet, but it seems like I'm within 5 minutes of the people with the 30amp models. I figure I can always pick up a second one, and end up with more air at less cost, plus I still have air if one dies.
My last XJ had the A/C compressor converted to air compressor, and that worked OK, but I found that at idle, it really didn't put out much more air than the 12V plug in compressors. It's entirely possible that my compressor was just getting worn out, but since I was the only one I knew with the setup, I had no points of reference. Being that I was running open exhaust at the time, it was rather annoying to have the thing running at 2K RPM while at the trail head airing back up, lol.
Current setup is the $25 chinese high volume compressor, similar to the Harbor Freight model - http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96068
Mine is tagged at 0.88CFM, and the big $70, 30amp models that people are running are only something like 1.25CFM. I haven't timed myself yet, but it seems like I'm within 5 minutes of the people with the 30amp models. I figure I can always pick up a second one, and end up with more air at less cost, plus I still have air if one dies.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee
Mine filled tires too, just that it didn't like it was that much faster than those who had the high volume 12V compressors, and certainly not enough to justify losing the A/C in my current XJ that actually had working A/C, lol. But like I said, without a point of reference, I may just have had a worn compressor that wasn't putting out the volume that it should have.
Either way, for just filling up tires, I'm pretty happy with the setup I've got now
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Mine filled tires too, just that it didn't like it was that much faster than those who had the high volume 12V compressors, and certainly not enough to justify losing the A/C in my current XJ that actually had working A/C, lol. But like I said, without a point of reference, I may just have had a worn compressor that wasn't putting out the volume that it should have.
Either way, for just filling up tires, I'm pretty happy with the setup I've got now
Either way, for just filling up tires, I'm pretty happy with the setup I've got now