How would you seal up driver's side cubby to protect ARB compressor?

So I installed an ARB dual compressor in the driver's cubby of my 20 OR. A pic right after it was installed - nice and new and clean



A year and a half later it got so filthy and crusted with dirt/mud from wheeling out in the desert that it quit running. I pulled it all out and cleaned everything out including filters, but now I want to seal that area and also put in a top dust cover from Expedition Essentials.

My question is - how would approach sealing this area up? Adhesive backed audio deadener? Home based insulation? Trying to figure the best material to use, and how to get it to adhere and hold up in that area. Latest pic for reference. You can see the opening which is totally exposed to elements/ rear tire.

 

It looks like you cut out the bottom of the cubby to fit the ARB...leaving the whole bottom exposed and open to well behind the tire eh? Looks like you have high clearance bumper too? You could measure that space (below the ARB where the cubby box was) and look for a small flexible plastic/rubber tub that you could fit in there and bolt it to the bed and HC bumper and seal with flexible sealant. You're going to have to get lucky/creative to find something, but its possible. Just my 2 cents. That's were I'd start, good luck.

 

Where's the rest of your cubby? It's possible to seal them up from dust if you haven't already chopped holes in it.

 

Yep cut to fit the expedition essentials mount, plus a Mobtown HC bumper. Since this was a 20, there was no original cubby, so required some surgery to the truck to get it to fit. All is well, just need to figure out a way to seal it.

I was thinking of using Flex seal somehow. Hadn't thought of using some sort of tub though

 

Try using drywall mesh tape to cover the inside of the cubby, then shoot it with Flex Seal, the tape will help the FS bond to it and create a cocoon (no water, dust, sand, etc..)

Outus Drywall Joint Tape, Drywall Mesh Tape Self-Adhesive Fiberglass Repair Fabric Adhesive Tape for Wall Cracks Seam Patch, 2" by 131.4 Feet, 1 Roll

https://www.amazon.com/Outus-Self-a...t=&hvlocphy=9027276&hvtargid=pla-356348772417

 

I'd look for an appropriate sized marine glove box of some sort. Or if you want to do it yourself maybe grab a plastic cooler, battery box, etc.

 

Marine stowage boxes and marine parts in general have very good protection against the ingress of debris.

I had a water pump mounted in my stock stowage box and I holes in the bottom of my cubby for the hoses. I had to get some tight fitting panel grommets to keep the rocks, and crud out of the cubby.

I have no idea how that would help you, but there it is.

 

Appreciate the responses, but if you look at the first pic in the OP, I already have a cubby installed that houses the compressor. There would not be room for any additional glove box or any sort of tub. Just need to figure out how to seal the one I have now. You can see behind it is exposed to the outside.

Will check that out, thank you...

 

I would fabricate an aluminum or SS insert for the "cubby" space, and put the ARB in that. Do it right.. do it once. I have a really hard time seeing Flex-Seal and drywall tape standing up to any kind of off-road use.

 

Maybe I wasn't clear enough, my bad. Check these out as an example:

$30 YaeMarine Marine Boat Deck Access Hatch & Lid Boat Marine Caravan RV (Black, 10-5/8"x14-3/4)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B1MMXMB/

I meant that the storage containers built into boats have locking doors. Just find your style, color, and size then seal the the whole thing with black gasket maker before you mount it with rivnuts or whatever.

 

This is what I have in there now. I seriously doubt I could fabricate anything that would be an improvement. Just need to seal around this mount

 

Gotcha. I actually have the Mobtown locking cubby door for the front. I need to seal behind the existing compressor mount if that makes sense

 

Wait, like, the whole top portion, not just the bed opening?

 

Metal or Poly Ammo Box?

https://www.princessauto.com/en/50-cal-poly-ammo-box/product/PA0008747073

https://www.princessauto.com/en/metal-military-ammo-tool-box/product/PA0008734105

 

They make a dust cover that bolts at the top of that mount, which I have on the way. My problem is all the dirt/dust that gets in from the opening in the wheel well behind the cubby mount. So need to seal in between that area. As of right now, the mesh tape/flex seal idea seems to be the best option

 

This is completely my fault, didn't do a good job of explaining what I'm looking for.

 

Agreed on the flex seal thing

 

I'd be looking toward a big Rubbermaid or Sterlite storage box that would encapsulate the entire exposure from the backside. Attach and seal its opening against the composite bed around the entire mount and apparatus.

There are a zillion different dimensions of those things. Walk the aisle at Walmart, get creative. Maybe a Home Depot visit. Repurpose something made for an unrelated use.

 

Maybe just take it out and clean it from time to time. Have a couple of beers...

 

I'd hesitate a bit on trying to make it "air tight".
It's an air compressor. It needs to be able to take in ... Air.
It also needs to shed heat.

I completely get you wanting to minimize the amount of dirt/dust getting to it, but you should also consider providing it with some ways to get some airflow as part of your plan.