OBA -> On Board Air Mega Thread & BS

I'm still working on the wiring, so I'm not sure how loud it'll be yet, but here's what I'm doing:

 

That location would also be easy to box around if it is super loud

 

Yea but boxing around it (depending on material) might not be good for air circulation

 

I don't find the dual ARB compressor to be excessively loud. I have mine behind a passenger seat in my DC.

I will say though, that you have chosen a very unusual place to mount it being inside the cab of an AC truck. Didn't want to stick it in the bed or under the bed somewhere? The ARB unit is relatively well sealed against the elements...

 

Yea interesting area for sure. I'd look into putting some type of protective barrier around it. I did something with my 2nd air compressor in my tool box. Breathable but secure barrier:

 

Agreed 100%, I would definitely put vents to get air flow.
I am putting mine in the AC rear seat storage area, boxed in for protection from hitting gear but vented right off the side of the storage area towards the door to ensure gear can't block the air flow.

Do you drop the seat when airing up tires? Overheat issues?






Mine will be drive side, opposite of the dual batteries

 

You're not the first person to question that mounting location, but I liked it being in the cab specifically because it would be protected from the elements. It may eventually move it to the bed once I figure out permanent storage back there...but for now the holes are drilled and it's staying right were it's at.

I really like what you've got in progress and am thinking of removing my seats permanently as well. I will be watching your build thread.

 

No need to drop the seat. When airing up tires, the compressor runs for 5 minutes or less.

And air flow does happen in my case because I pulled out the plastic bin and that created some space at the bottom where fresh air can enter. I also did some controlled tests with an IR gun to be sure.

 

There it is! Testing is the way to go, plus the no plastic too.

 

Nobody can sit in the back seats for long hauls. Put it to good use. Cut the back panel, cut a notch in the passenger storage compartment to seat the batteries as far back as possible. MDF and bed liner to fill the back panel and hold the dual batteries. No battery under the hood now. Twin air will be driver side. marine port in the floor to run front locker and also future chucks on front and rear bumpers.

All wiring of the dual battery and the locker solenoid will be stuffed in the remaining original storage compartment.

 

Much as I like my AC, I kind of agree. However I find myself stuffing a third person into the back from time time. Perhaps not for long hauls!

I have been thinking of removing just one of my rear seats to make room for a compressor. It seems to me that there would be enough room for a compressor with some sort of a box around it so that it would have some cooling when in use. Above that could be some dedicated storage. Above that radios.

 

To make the most of that space you can also cut into that storage box like I did for my dual battery side. I can still push the passenger seat all the way back and recline it. Just depends if you ever want to go back to stock. I can't and never would anyway.

Personally have only used that back seat a handful of times.

 

I like your idea. I am taking out the interior shortly and will look to the hack then.

I have my second battery in the bed behind the drivers seat. I am seriously considering moving it to behind the drivers seat.

 

Well... I have the single ARB and it's louder than I would like to have in my cab... But if you are like me, most of the time you will be using it you won't be in the cab. The thing I would worry about is burns. Mine will burn the hell out of you after I get done airing up, so if you have pets or kids back there I would find a way to cover it. I keep mine under my hood so I pop my hood to use it and I have to wear gloves to handle the first 2 feet of hose coming out of the compressor after I get done airing up. I don't use a tank or anything. I run the hose right off the compressor.

 

You really should use a small tank, if only just to isolate that heat from the pump. It will shorten the air-up time as well.

This amuses me a bit, since the system I use (liquid CO2 tank) get cold when used. The fitting on the tank get pretty frosty.

 

I don't really see how a small tank will help speed up air up times since the compressor now has more volume to fill up since it is trying to air up the tank and the tire at the same time. I don't think it would help move the heat around much either since the heat is coming directly from the compressor motor.

Another reason for not wanting one is I have no where to put it. I can't put it under the truck anywhere because it'll get hit in the rocks. There's not much under the truck that isn't scuffed and dinged up. And I don't want to run it in the bed taking up what little bed space I have left. I already had to move the spare tire into the bed to protect it.

My current plan to help it from getting so hot is I am going to buy a dual ARB compressor and add it in so I'll have the 3 compressors airing up my tires. That'll split the load up plenty and hopefully cut my air up time below 10 minutes.

 

A tank will only help fill time (assuming you precharged your system) for the first tire. The other compressor is not filling the tank quick enough in between tires to count.
I have a tank for my locker so the compressor doesn't have to keep turning back on.

 

I have 25' of 1/4" air hose that pressurizes to 150 PSI between tires. That's my tank!

 

It might save you a couple minutes at most depending on the pressure you fill the tank to. ARB's pressure switch shuts off at 100 psi. A 5 gal tank at 100psi will only fill 14.3 gal at 35 psi and even the stock 265/70R16's hold upwards of 50 gallons of air so a 5 gallon tank will only fill about 25% of the first tire. For the next 75% of that first tire and the next 3 tires you are now filling the tank and the tire at the same time will probably slows you down those couple minutes you saved from pre-filling the tank in the first place.

If you run 200 psi in a 5 gal tank you get about 28.6 gal at 35 psi which might fill that first tire to 50% so you still aren't saving much. On stock tires you would need a 9 gal tank at 200 psi to really save you much time since the tank could fill the first tire to 35 psi all by itself.

As for the locker, when I hit the switch for my ARB locker my single ARB compressor doesn't kick on at all. If I turn it off and then turn it back on again, then the compressor will kick on for a few seconds and shut back off and stay off. If your compressor keeps kicking on when you have your locker engaged, then you have a leak somewhere.

 

I have 50 ft of 3/8" hose. I fill all 4 tires at once though.