Thread: Air compressor brands?

I have a VIAIR 380C that I have fitted perminanty to my D2 to run the Air Suspension. It was going great until one day I went down to Gunlom Falls at Kakadu. It was about a million degrees and I have the compressor mounted in the engine bay next to the turbo. I had dropped the tyre pressure to 28psi for the corrugated road and then I was reinflatting them to 50psi on the way out. The compressor slowly started to stop pumping. I got my wife to pour water over it while I continued to pump. The water sizzled and boiled. To my surprise it's still going. Not as strong as before I cooked it but still quite reasonable especailly considering it runs evry couple of minutes while I'm driving around town.

I wont replace it but I will consider adding a second compressor to help it along when I'm filling tyres. Yes It will be another VIAIR.

You can also buy a rebuild kit for about $90.

Happy Days.

Wow thats pretty good they are tough little machines i tell ya!!

I have had an ARB in two cars now. No complaints. Perhaps not the cheapest but no problems.

Originally Posted by newhue

I have had an ARB in two cars now. No complaints. Perhaps not the cheapest but no problems.

Thanks

I have one of these..Good Value for money and a decent Output



Powerful 600W motor
1.8m battery cables
6m coiled air hose with pressure gauge
150 L/min
45AMP draw
12V DC input
Power on and off switch
Includes sports adapters

Max Pressure:
150 PSI
Max Flow Rate:
150 litres per minute
Max Current:
45 Amp
Approvals:
EMC

Just to expand not so much on brads, but where and how you want to mount it. Some bands will allow you to mount a compressor in all sorts of awkward spots. The clamp that holds it allows the motor and air reservoir to remain upright, or what ever position is required to fit. This also allows for flexibility in hose port fittings. I don't think any of them run oil, but some are made to sit in one position be it horizontal or vertical.

Reservoirs, really only practical for air lockers. Larger storage tanks under a vehicle don't make that much sense to me. A workshop compressor generally doesn't have enough storage to fill a tire of the bat, and you don't need storage to get a tire beaded but it can help.
Air flow from the compressor into a small nozzle fitting makes for a decent air blower as it is.

Size, some units are big chunky things, others barely look like they can service a bush bike let alone your 4 tires and your mates 4.
Size then translates into where you want to mont it if thats the option. Smaller is usually easier and has more options. Also up high away from water I recon is alway practical. Engine bays are ok but they are hot, dusty environments. Mounted towards the fire wall would make more sense than the grill. However my mates compressor gave up recently in an engine bay mounted to the rear of the motor. I wondered if it was due to engine heat, or perhaps never cleaning the air intake so perhaps overheated trying to breath. Myself, after killing one compressor due to drowning, I mounted mine high on the head board of the ute's tray away from dust and water. But of course you require a ute.

To mount or not. Mounting means its probably faster, is hooked up, and always there. Not to mount can give you a little more flexibility with friends, but getting to a Defender battery to connect into is a pain at anytime of day. Plus it's another box floating around in the car. Generally the hose is long enough to service all 4 tires if you mount in a corner of a vehicle.

Fittings, some compressors only have a valve fitting, they have no allowance for an inline air gauge. So a separate air gauge and another bit of kit is required. This may or may not be misplaced easily.

Just some thoughts that come along with purchasing a compressor, or for me all after I bought it.

Originally Posted by newhue

Just to expand not so much on brads, but where and how you want to mount it. Some bands will allow you to mount a compressor in all sorts of awkward spots. The clamp that holds it allows the motor and air reservoir to remain upright, or what ever position is required to fit. This also allows for flexibility in hose port fittings. I don't think any of them run oil, but some are made to sit in one position be it horizontal or vertical.

Reservoirs, really only practical for air lockers. Larger storage tanks under a vehicle don't make that much sense to me. A workshop compressor generally doesn't have enough storage to fill a tire of the bat, and you don't need storage to get a tire beaded but it can help.
Air flow from the compressor into a small nozzle fitting makes for a decent air blower as it is.

Size, some units are big chunky things, others barely look like they can service a bush bike let alone your 4 tires and your mates 4.
Size then translates into where you want to mont it if thats the option. Smaller is usually easier and has more options. Also up high away from water I recon is alway practical. Engine bays are ok but they are hot, dusty environments. Mounted towards the fire wall would make more sense than the grill. However my mates compressor gave up recently in an engine bay mounted to the rear of the motor. I wondered if it was due to engine heat, or perhaps never cleaning the air intake so perhaps overheated trying to breath. Myself, after killing one compressor due to drowning, I mounted mine high on the head board of the ute's tray away from dust and water. But of course you require a ute.

To mount or not. Mounting means its probably faster, is hooked up, and always there. Not to mount can give you a little more flexibility with friends, but getting to a Defender battery to connect into is a pain at anytime of day. Plus it's another box floating around in the car. Generally the hose is long enough to service all 4 tires if you mount in a corner of a vehicle.

Fittings, some compressors only have a valve fitting, they have no allowance for an inline air gauge. So a separate air gauge and another bit of kit is required. This may or may not be misplaced easily.

Just some thoughts that come along with purchasing a compressor, or for me all after I bought it.

Thanks for that definitely some interesting food for thought, it does appear from a bit of research that the Dr Air Pro Flo is a great compressor but due to me doing some work for a local Iron Man 4x4 dealer i got a Max Flo 160lpm off them for $160 anyway which covered 2.5hours work so i guess ill give it a crack and see how it goes and its got a 3 year warranty. But if i was coughing up out of my own pocket i guess i would probably go with the Dr Air just from what i have read, as it will only be used for the odd beach trip once or twice a year not to much else.

I have a Boss PX07 really pleased with it.
100% duty cycle, fully rebuildable and Great performance.
usually end up pumping mates tyres after mine.
I even pumped up 1 of our fire truck tyres at work the other day no problem.
Mounted in cab with a small tank under the floor.
A bit dearer and need a good supply, but we'll worth it.
cheers