on-board air compressor opinions

afg10000

afg10000

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Folks that have this. Just looking for opinions and feedback (brands, installation, speed, etc.) Thanks -
 
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I have had good luck with Viair compressors on other projects. Air flow was good and I never had any failures with the ones I used. I think it was a 400C, but can't remember for sure. I used them to run ARB's, air tools, and of course airingup tires. I ran a small storage tank to provide some volume of air to run tools with.
 
I've been beating on an ARB compressor for a couple years now. I use to engage my front locker as well as air up my tires. It takes a while to air up as it is a smaller compressor but it works and hasn't failed yet. (Knock on wood) Viair are great products too. You can't go wrong with a Viair setup. Down side is that they are big and expensive.

ARB I have:
ARB On-Board High Performance 12 Volt Air Compressor (CKMA12)
 
Kurtis said:
I've been beating on an ARB compressor for a couple years now. I use to engage my front locker as well as air up my tires. It takes a while to air up as it is a smaller compressor but it works and hasn't failed yet. (Knock on wood) Viair are great products too. You can't go wrong with a Viair setup. Down side is that they are big and expensive.

ARB I have:
ARB On-Board High Performance 12 Volt Air Compressor (CKMA12)
Click to expand...

How big of tires are you pumping up and from what psi are you pumping from and to? How long does it take? I want to run air locker in the rear and pump up tires and fit it under the hood. I've been looking at that compressor, but I don't want something that takes an hour to pump up 4 tires. Does it feel underpowered? I'm just running 265/75 at3.
 
im running the ARB CKMTA24 twin. this thing is a beast and almost shows up my CO2 tank. i dont run a tank on this at this point and not sure if im going to. ARB says you dont have to and i can attest to that. its a 100% duty cycle compressor, and makes 6.7CFM @ 90PSI -thats better than most garage 30gal compressors you will buy at home depot or sears ect. if you want to run air lockers then yes you will need to run a tank. but imo this is compressor is worth ever bit of the $550 you will spend on it and will be the only compressor you will need. it can even run air tools.
 
the great him said:
im running the ARB CKMTA24 twin. this thing is a beast and almost shows up my CO2 tank. i dont run a tank on this at this point and not sure if im going to. ARB says you dont have to and i can attest to that. its a 100% duty cycle compressor, and makes 6.7CFM @ 90PSI -thats better than most garage 30gal compressors you will buy at home depot or sears ect. if you want to run air lockers then yes you will need to run a tank. but imo this is compressor is worth ever bit of the $550 you will spend on it and will be the only compressor you will need. it can even run air tools.
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If I want to run one air locker do I need to run a tank? From what I read I thought you could use the CKMA12 and be fine running a locker. Is this not the case?
 
Run 4 Fun said:
If I want to run one air locker do I need to run a tank? From what I read I thought you could use the CKMA12 and be fine running a locker. Is this not the case?
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no you will need a tank. ARB sells a small tank just for air lockers. its not a large volume tank but its enough to run the lockers. its call a manifold, and about $70
 
There's really no need for a tank for ARB lockers. They use very little volume unless there's a leak somewhere or if you're constantly turning them on and off.

I've run them for almost 20 years with and without my tank (2.5 gallon) filled.
 
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csp said:
There's really no need for a tank for ARB lockers. They use very little volume unless there's a leak somewhere or if you're constantly turning them on and off.

I've run them for almost 20 years with and without my tank (2.5 gallon) filled.
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Exactly, December will be 18 yrs for my ARB lockers and the first 15 was without any tank. I added a tank so my airhorn would blast a little longer. But the volume is nothing, so just the air in the line will do it.
 
Has anybody run compressed air in their sliders? My buddy w/ an LC runs this. Just interested in other opinions.
 
I mounted a York 210 compressor under the hood. It's powered off the alternator with a modified v-belt pulley (belt not installed in this pic). The install is more complicated but it's the route I wanted to go for various reasons. Only running a 2-gallon tank right now but am planning on installing something bigger soon.
 

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Run 4 Fun said:
How big of tires are you pumping up and from what psi are you pumping from and to? How long does it take? I want to run air locker in the rear and pump up tires and fit it under the hood. I've been looking at that compressor, but I don't want something that takes an hour to pump up 4 tires. Does it feel underpowered? I'm just running 265/75 at3.
Click to expand...

I haven't timed it but I am running 35" Pitbull Rockers. For snow wheeling I go down to 0-6psi and fit them back up to 34 and 36psi for the road. I don't feel like it's under powered. It works. Some are better. Some are worse.
 
Kurtis said:
I haven't timed it but I am running 35" Pitbull Rockers. For snow wheeling I go down to 0-6psi and fit them back up to 34 and 36psi for the road. I don't feel like it's under powered. It works. Some are better. Some are worse.
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I had an ARB until it fried a few years ago, I'm using a small Viar now and it takes 15 minutes to go from 18 to 35 PSI on my 35's. That is for EACH tire, so I don't bother unless I have a longer drive, in which case I'll go to like 28 PSI in about 10 or less.
 
csp said:
There's really no need for a tank for ARB lockers. They use very little volume unless there's a leak somewhere or if you're constantly turning them on and off.

I've run them for almost 20 years with and without my tank (2.5 gallon) filled.
Click to expand...
Except that the arb twin does not come with a manifold... You will need one or a tank to run lockers with that compressor. The compressor does not store enough volume to run lockers without one. If you don't believe go ahead and try it, but expect to buy a new locker with break it because it didn't engage all the way. You need stored volume with the pressure, and without a tank or manifold you will have neither
 
at this 4runner meet t4r4life had in Dublin a couple days ago, a 3rd gen placed the compressor in the rear side panel where the gas fill is... and was using the trailer hitch as a tank... pretty inventive and basically didn't take up any space anywhere because the compressor was behind the paneling inside the car... i guess there is space for a small compressor behind there...
 
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