Compressor alternative to ARB?

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Aeneas said:
I was looking around at tire inflators the other day, when I found this: https://www.amazon.com/Slime-40026-Heavy-Direct-Inflator/dp/B005Z8HAUK
It's a 12v 2cylinder air compressor. I was thinking about hardwiring it and using it to fill a compressed air tank. Obviously, it won't be the same quality as ARB, I have the option of getting 30% off, so I could get it for like 70 bucks. Any thoughts?
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I'd be leery of using a cheap compressor to actuate something as critical as a locker. If you needed a locker to get into a particular trail or area.....you'll likely need it to get out. If the compressor shits the bed.....and you don't have redundancy in your air system (C02 bottle or another compressor, engine driven OBA, etc.) you may be in a pickle.

Personally, I'd get the small ARB compressor for the locker and get a Viair with 2.5 gallon tank to air up tires (with the prerequisite regulator to be able to hook up to your ARB in the event of the smaller compressor failing)....but that's just me.
 
Aeneas said:
I was looking around at tire inflators the other day, when I found this: https://www.amazon.com/Slime-40026-Heavy-Direct-Inflator/dp/B005Z8HAUK
It's a 12v 2cylinder air compressor. I was thinking about hardwiring it and using it to fill a compressed air tank. Obviously, it won't be the same quality as ARB, I have the option of getting 30% off, so I could get it for like 70 bucks. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I have that exact pump in the back of my truck in case of roadside tire issues, but I would never recommend it for any duty purpose.

I don't recall the exact duty cycle, but it takes about 2 minutes or so, from what I remember, to pump one tire from 15 psi to 34 psi.
 
Shouldnt you get several actuations out of a tank before the compressor turns on? I honestly wouldnt be that concerned about even a relatively cheap compressor being able to handle having to ru 2 minutes at a time once per day, especially if you only run a rear locker that doesnt require unlocking with every turn.

That said, I just ordered a Puma 12v to mount in the cargo area of my rig. It will mostly be used for tires, but within the next year I will be going with at least one ARB and figured why not just get a decent compressor now.
 
Lindenwood said:
Shouldnt you get several actuations out of a tank before the compressor turns on? I honestly wouldnt be that concerned about even a relatively cheap compressor being able to handle having to ru 2 minutes at a time once per day, especially if you only run a rear locker that doesnt require unlocking with every turn.

That said, I just ordered a Puma 12v to mount in the cargo area of my rig. It will mostly be used for tires, but within the next year I will be going with at least one ARB and figured why not just get a decent compressor now.
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Guess it all depends on where you wheel. "Once per day" on trails around here isn't accurate.
 
As I'm understanding the OP he only wants the compressor for tires not a locker . I bought that Viair 88 before I got my ARB and it's always been a great little portable compressor but I wouldn't hardwire it because it gets so hot . Once I used the Viair to inflate a 13X24 ( that means a 24" wheel with a 13" wide 48" tall ) grader tire , took a long time but it did it .
 
+1 on VIAIR pumps...

I have one and its been an awesome piece of kit. I think I have the 400P portable unit for the 4Runner.

I intend on buying a 2nd unit, their on-board-air setups with a tank for my Silverado too. Seems like some really decent stuff.

Viair also smaller kits for lockers, bags and air-horn setups... but for lockers I think the smaller ARB locker specific pump is worth the cost. Its a nice piece of kit with a mini tank built into the unit.

If its my truck I would prefer two independent air setups... if driving lockers was one of the goals.
 
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[MENTION=144462]Sean K.[/MENTION] You screwed everyone up [emoji23]
The ViAir definitely has a much more well known name than "Slime", but you'd probably be just fine with either pump.
 
I keep this for inflating tires, served me well so far usually just for airing back up if I dropped pressure for trails.

https://www.amazon.com/Industries-M...rd_wg=0axai&psc=1&refRID=X79FRXKJHR9ZDF6PTJG5

You have to be careful using those type compressors with an air tank. For one you need to have a way to cut them off at a desired pressure, but more than that on these cheaper compressors, what kills them is making them start under pressure. People hook them up to a tank, then flip them on as needed. That isn't quite what they were built for, and it puts a lot of stress on them.

With mine I turn it on before I connect it to a tire, that way when it has to start pushing air against pressure it's already running. A cold start against pressure strains everything, forces the motor to demand a huge surge of power, which can burn out the wiring.

Hooking them to a tank not only demands they start against at least some pressure, but you probably want to fill it to a much higher pressure (say 90 instead of 40 for a tire) plus depending on the tank you might have the volume of a large tire to fill at higher pressure, all meaning the compressor is working much harder to fill a tank than a tire.

If you had a small tank and only needed modest psi to operate the air locker, it might do okay for periodic use, but fill the tank each time by connecting the compressor after it's running.
 
Sean K. said:
Guess it all depends on where you wheel. "Once per day" on trails around here isn't accurate.
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Like I said, with only a rear locker, it would not be unreasonable to only need to actuate the locker half a dozen times or so if there is no pavement between trail sections. I am trying to imagine a scenario where one would need to unlock a rear that many times.

I would also second the Viair models. The 450 is a 100% duty cycle. It was my choice for a long time before I discovered the Puma, because I was expecting to regularly refill two sets of 33s and knew it would stay relatively cool and quiet for that.
 
Lindenwood said:
Like I said, with only a rear locker, it would not be unreasonable to only need to actuate the locker half a dozen times or so if there is no pavement between trail sections. I am trying to imagine a scenario where one would need to unlock a rear that many times.

I would also second the Viair models. The 450 is a 100% duty cycle. It was my choice for a long time before I discovered the Puma, because I was expecting to regularly refill two sets of 33s and knew it would stay relatively cool and quiet for that.
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Actually, you're right. In the rear, you likely won't need to be turning it on/off constantly like what I do in the front. I've only run a rear ARB for a few years total and while I turned mine off/on a lot on the trail, it was b/c the trails here are very narrow/tight and you want to try and minimize how much driveline wind up you're getting (especially with gearing over 200:1) while also helping with manueverability.
 
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