Idaho BS thread in the PNW

I just briefly looked into people's results with a 5lb CO2 tank. I found this chart (it's for a 10lb tank though, so you divide by 2 for a 5lb tank)


Those numbers look decent, the smallest tire on there can be filled 13 times from 10-35 psi.

Well for kicks I did some rough estimates of the volume of our tires (They are pretty rough, I treated the tire at a cylinder and took the volume of the tire and subtracted the volume of the rim. Skinnier tires get an advantage here since I just assumed the rim was the same width as the tire to keep things easier). That 30x9.50R15 tire is ~5036". I found a post from a guy that said he can fill up the factory tire on his FJC, they are 265/65R17's, 8 times with a little air left over (it said 15-45 psi). The volume for that tire was 5284". Ben's 235/85R16's had a volume of 5453" and my tires had a volume of 6605". These numbers are pretty rough but I would imagine Ben would get 8 fills out of a 5 lb tank and I would be lucky to get 7 fills out of one.

Most all of the posts I found from guys running 35's on Jeeps and claimed to get about 8 fills as well but they were doing much smaller psi changes like 20-30 or 15-25 or so.

Depending on the cost to fill the CO2 tanks (they'd have to be pretty cheap), I just don't think that is worth if over a compressor, that costs me like 10 minutes in fuel at idle to fill up my 4 tires from 15psi to 40 psi.

 

If I went the CO2 route it would be with at least a 15 or maybe a 20 lb. tank. Some of the associated refill cost has to be hook up cost, not just the quantity of gas. So the difference between 5 and a 10 is not going to be twice as much for the 10.

Prices seem to vary by they aren't anywhere near the price rctoy quoted.

http://www.growannex.com/environmental-control/co2-equipment/20lb-co2-refill

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=135252

 

That grow annex has the best price if you have one nearby. Looks like the average is just over $1/lb (accounting for hook up fees).

So based on what I found, it looks like most people can fill up 8 tires with a 5 lb tank, So a 20lb tank would get you 32 tires. At $18/refill that is about $0.56/tire.

If my chart up top is accurate, with the smallest tire on there going from 10-25psi (I figure that is about what most of us were doing in Moab) it would cost $0.20/tire, or an extra $0.80/trail basically. That doesn't sound like much, but that tire is smaller than all of ours (about a 240/80R15) and I think that chart has estimated a bit high and that is if you get to fill it up for the cheapest price.

Another catch here is when you go wheeling in groups, if you are the only one with CO2 it doesn't exactly save you time since you have to wait for everyone else to use their compressors.

Also, unless you have a good regulator on it, CO2 could damage an ARB locker. They are only rated to use 90 psi and most CO2 tanks output 120-150psi. I think I will just stick to my compressor personally.

 

It's cheaper to refill the bigger bottles. Y i don't know, my 5lb only cost me 40. then again my argument is i don't wanna pack around a big bottle just to save money. id much rather just have a renewable source. and only being able to fill my tires up once with my 5lb bottle according to the chart seems just pointless. Im that guy that changes air pressures alot depending on trail conditions.

 

Then again when i was in moab i dropped to 10 psi and didn't air back up untill i left. And gas stations down there are very acomadating with big compressors.

 

How fast were you driving on the pavement at 10psi?

 

Definitely have to have a regulator between the tank and the locker. I think this is the kit for that.

http://powertank.com/products/sfID1/27/productID/135

 

Or all four of mikes and yours in the time it took to do mine

You have to have a variable regulator for the lockers. They have a kit too.

and 20lb tanks are the only way to go..or 15lb. Small tanks are pointless.

Jerry claims his lasts all summer refilling his tires and others and the occasional use of power tools. Adam says the same.

Trump on Expo portal has never had issues running out or filling tires or running his lockers.

Ill make you jelly next time Brady haha

 

That regulator cost another $80 which you don't have to spend if you have a compressor. haha. I think it just depends on what psi's you run on and off road. I've been running 20/40psi so I don't think a 20 lb tank would last as long as someone who ran 15/25psi. If you had factory tires and ran 15/25psi, a 20lb tank might last you quite a while, but if you have 35's or bigger and are running 10/30psi, it may not last you very long... Maybe just your week in Moab at the rate we were all going and that's if you don't let your friends use it. haha

I just found this chart on another forum: (fyi: a few guys commented that they think powertank was a little optimistic with these numbers)


Apparently 10 psi is 10 psi and so on though. I was thinking it would take more air to go from 30 to 40psi than it would to go from 10 to 20 psi.

This chart has your tire size on there. You could re-inflate your rig 20 times on a 20lb tank if you only do 10 psi. 10 times if you do 20 psi. Just doesn't seem worth it to me, since I have been running 20 psi changes I doubt I would get more than 25 times before I had to refill.

 

The way i am reading that graph..id get 40 refills on a 20lb tank..

 

40 tires. So 10 rigs.

 

yea. still worth it IMO.

 

Maybe now on your 33's if you could get it filled for $18. When you go to 35x12.50's it drops to 8 rigs per 20lb tank. I just don't think the speed is worth the extra cost. Too each his own though. haha

 

We shall see

 

I will stick with what I have. It may not be the fastest. But it's reliable. And I have filled up many trucks in one sitting and never ran out of air. So far I have only over heated it once in its life. Few mins later, back on duty...

 

oh shit we did did about 60 running back to moab from norther moab trails.

Ive run air comp. co2 and nitrogen. and let me tell you nothing is faster than nitrogen with right regulator.. co2 is the second fastest but if you have a good compressor and a small tank co2 isn't that much fast and in the long run if i would have just avoided the co2 tanks that i have and just stuck with air compressors i could be running 2 of the bigger arb comp. by now. it's a all in the long run type thing as far as cost goes. and as far as speed goes well sometimes when the trail has kicked your ass and your tired and wanna go home that speed is so worth it.

 

Well I got looking at my budget and looks like I can afford my next project. So now I got a stupid question, o any of you think there would be interest on TW for people wanting custom skid plate replacements for their bull bar. With fancy designs(Toyota, Tacoma, TRD) and such? I know its not for the rock crawler folk but for others.

Another stupid question, where can I get the Tacomaworld.com sticker?

Thanks!

 

Most trails (except maybe the morrison jeep trail) dont drive off the cliff face. 5 feet in front of the front wheels is the cliff face that drops down to the railroad tracks about 30 feet below.

Just because I did not show you the road I took to that lookout does not mean I was trailblazing.

You should know me better than that by now Missy!

 

I could use some cut outs, they would have to fit my specs and be cost effective as well...

You can get tw stickers by pm'ing tcbob and asking nicely. They are free from him