D4: buy air compressor, use built in unit or co2 air system?

[wombathole]

Recently got my 3.0L D4 and took it to Canunda NP near Mt Gambier on Australia day long weekend.

Great truck! Very comfortable on the 6 hour drive from melb, loads of space, huge grunt to pass trucks on the highway, 10L/100Km average.

Didn't read about turning DSC off on sand and got very stuck on a steep beach near #2 Rocks. Another car got stuck trying to pull me out, then a third got both of us free with the help of a fully extended winch cable, 50m extension strap, a snatch strap and a newspaper. We didn't want him to get into the soft stuff and join the party. Then... after reading the manual(!) and with sand mode on and DSC off, had no problems there after on any of the hardest challenges.

Wheels and tyres. Agree with all the articles and posts regarding the issues with only being able to use 19" rims. Look forward to hearing about either a solution for 18" rims or a reasonable 19" off road tyre.

My question is in regard to tyre inflation: Should i buy an off the shelf compressor like the ARB CMKA , or buy a kit to use the on board air compressor , or buy a compressed co2 solution like Powertank?

(http://www.arb.com.au/resources/pdf/...ifications.pdf)

(Discovery 3 - Air Off Kit)

(POWERTANK - CO2 Air Systems)

[Tombie]

At Robe one of the biggest things is the tyre itself, not the profile.

I've had a horrible run on one brand of tyres, and then next visit (2 weeks later) in identical if not worse conditions, had a great run at higher pressure!

[DiscoSaffa]

or buy a kit to use the on board air compressor

I wish I had known this was an option before buying my compressor last week!

I must have been through every compressor thread on here and never saw anything about this mentioned..... that said, the thought did cross my mind, the D3 carries one around all the time, can't i just tap into that, and I probably should have asked the question......

So would be very interested to know if anyone has done this on a D3/4?

[Guss]

Although this has been discussed before I am interested to hear what everyone has to say.

Using the onboard compressor makes sense as long as it's not detrimental to the car or void your warranty

[rmp]

Exactly Gus. Personally, I knew of the kit before I bought an ARB compressor and I still got the ARB anyway. Several reasons:

- warranty would definitely be void on that part
- changing a very high pressure (but low volume) air supply, reliability questions? Introducing extra duty cycles for which it's not designed?
- the time saved would be minimal, the ARB compressor is extremely quick
- cost; not a huge difference between the two
- ARB can be removed from the car and re-used, or even powered by another vehicle in extremis

I have an under-bonnet ARB CKMA12. About 30 seconds after stopping I'm already airing up, and typically I can do my four tyres and 2-3 other tyres before many others have done all their four.

Note that the D4 has less under-bonnet room than the D3. There's space for the ARB if you don't run a second battery, if you want both some relocation is going to be required on both the 2.7 and 3.0 D4s. Or, put the compressor inside somewhere, or just use a portable unit.

As for the air tanks, not really required for tourers IMHO. Yes, they will inflate tyres quicker, but compressors like the ARB are pretty quick anyway, can reseat a bead easily, and you don't have the extra weight and storage of a compressed-air tank.

So my recommendation and experience is just get a powerful, small compressor and the ARB is the current pick of them, mount it permanently and run with that. But each to their own.

[djhampson]

That kits is pretty expensive for what it is. $300 gets you a fairly decent compressor.

Also I'm not sure what the capacity of the AS compressor is but its probably not all that much.

I'm going to buy a compressor and mount it in the spot in front of the main battery.

Because really do you want to muck around with the air suspension? Imagine what you could go wrong if you or the kit buggers something up.

[wombathole]

Thanks rmp, all your points make sense. Much appreciated.

[CaverD3]

The Air-off kit will not fit the D4 (LR deleted the bung on the MY09) it can be done but needs to be connected to the back of the tank and needs a bracket manufactured as well.

[Guss]

Has anyone tried the repco 12v compressor. They have a special on at the moment $90, 40% off

specs: 12V, 120 psi. 72 L/min. Quick release 4.8m coil hose. Includes storage bag & 3 inflation adaptors

[rmp]

Has anyone tried the repco 12v compressor. They have a special on at the moment $90, 40% off

specs: 12V, 120 psi. 72 L/min. Quick release 4.8m coil hose. Includes storage bag & 3 inflation adaptors

Don't even think about it.

Never buy an air compressor worth less than $100. Those cheapies simply do not last. Buy once, buy well. ARB, Bushranger.....many to choose from.

12-Volt Air Compressor Comparison - Equipment Tests - Overlander 4WD Magazine - Australia's leading four wheel drive magazine