Thread: TD5 Onboard Air!

G`day all, my onboard air set up in my 110 needs an upgrade, I have a truck air tank mounted behind my LHS rear wheel, don`t know it capacity, but it is the biggest one I could fit whilst still maintaining clearance between the rear wheel, I have it set up with a 70/100psi px switch which allows it to operate my front ARB locker(rear is detroit so I don`t need it here), apart from using it for my locker it gets a rear work out re-inflating tyres and the tank also makes easy work re-seating tyre beads easy(mainly Prado and Patrol ones).

So far they system works perfectly, but the air compressors are not up to the job, I think the 70psi start up pressure is the real killer, it trashed one of the rings on my Thomas Twin Tongue and after my last trip it has now also trashed my Viar 440p compressor, previously before installing this set up my Twin Tongue had provided 5 years of faultless service so I can`t blame the compressors, it just looks like they cannot cope with the demands of a higher pressure system.

I was almost certain of trying to fit a modded Sanden or Endless air compressor, it looks like with quite a bit of work I think I could squeeze in an 8 inch compressor by removing my idler pulley and trying to fit it there, there are 5 bolt locations to try and pick up on, but they are small bolts into an alloy housing which does worry me, I can also run a brace somewhere on the rear to help support it and hopefully run it off the engine drive belt as it will be in a similar location as the ACE pump on a DII. I looks like I will probably have to move the air cleaner to turbo duct and also turbo to intercooler pipe as well to allow room for the compressor.
My real worry is with having a heavy compressor hanging way off the side of the engine, as it would be running from the engines drive belt if this flexes a bit it might end up throwing belt, I spend a lot of time in 3rd and 4th low on the rev limiter over some pretty rough dunes from time to time in some very remote locations so I do not want to compramise on reliability at all.

It would be a lot of stuffing around getting it all mounted, but if I could do it successfully this would be the best way forward, its just if it does`nt work successfully I might be sacrificing engine reliability.

Has anyone else fitted one of these set ups on a TD5, if so any photo`s or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Now for my next option which I had not really considered until yesterday is a Warn Power Plant, I was going to fit a winch later in the year anyway, that is why I an starting to consider one of these. I have been looking at the specs or the compressor and they are very impressive and pretty well match the endless air set in every department apart from cost if I modded and older Sanden compressor, but the cost would be similar if I fitted a new Endless air, the other things that I like is I can leave my TD5 un-modded and it will work out lighter over all.

I found this real life review on it yesterday Warn Dual-Force Winch - Technical Pictures - Off-Road Magazine

The spec are Air flow rating: 12 CFM @ 0 psi, 5 CFM @ 90 psi Max air pressure: 100 psi
which stack up again endless air very well, and it also has an internal pressure switch in its over reserviour of 70/100psi so it is designed to run at the correct pressure as my locker which is what my current compressors cannot do reliably.

If you look at the comparrision in the link above they seem to be a fraction slower than the Sanden, but only by a second or less which is neither here nor there in real life.

Has anyone seen one of these in operation or had any experience with them, if they do what they say they can this would save me a hell of a lot of stuffing around.

Approx cost in Australian dollars for the Powerplant out here in Dubai is $1580.

Sorry about the long post.

Thanks for that, I just found some more info on the Boss compressor on the TJM site Air Compressors it seems to flow 170lpm with no load and draws 35amps, so with a 35amp current draw it is in a similar class to the Twin Tonque at 33amp and Viar 440p(Bushranger Supermax) which has a max draw of 40 amps, so after frying both of these I doubt the Boss will be much better.

Yesterday I had a look at 2 different Warn compressors which were very nice Warn Industries - Air Products: WARN Air-Power SPI
Warn Industries - Air Products: WARN Air-Power VTC the smaller one has the same compressor as the combined winch one, but the winch one flows an extra CFM at 90psi due to the slightly bigger motor, the V twin looks to be the dogs nuts of 12v compressor, I doubt anything else will come close, I did`nt get a price on the V twin but over here it would probably come in at approx $1000, as the single is about $800.

After having a look at these and the having a play with the smaller one I am really leaning towards the Warn Power plant as it do look like a very well built unit that will do everything I want with the least amount of fuss, the only thing I don`t like is the fact is looks worse than a hat full or &rseholes.