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Onboard Air... a few questions before I buy.

2K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  TANK'S 250 
#1 ·
Ok so I am in the process of putting together an onboard air kit for my truck. I will be airing up my tires and well as a set of Train Horns and ari bags for rear are in the works too. How large of a compressor should I get and what numbers like max psi, cfm, and duty cycle should I look for?
 
#3 ·
higher the duty cycle the better. PSI around 150 I think is ideal. Alot of tanks are only rated to 150 or 200 psi working pressure so you need to keep that in mind. Buy as much CFM as you can afford. I really like the air zienth

Air-Zenith OB2 BLACK | suicidedoors.com

If I go electric compressor when my thomas 337's die I will probably go this route.

The Oasis are very nice but $1500-$2000 I would get a huge inverter and a 1hp compressor before doing that.

I am really wanting to use a york and run it off the engine you get about 10cfm that way. The air zienth cfm is 3.7 @ 0 psi, but I can not find the cfm chart as the psi increases.
 
#4 ·
VIAIR Corporation - Dual 480C Part No. 48012 48032

I run that ^^^ kit. I changed out the pressure switch to a 145psi cut-off. It is 100% @ 100psi, which is all you need for inflating tires. Also use it for the ARB diffs, air horns, and I have even used a framing nailer and brad nailer on the system for small repairs. I have a 3 gallon aluminum tank rated for 200psi.
 
#5 ·
i agree with betaracer. i install air suspensions and air horn kits. i use only viair compressors and havent had a problem in five years. the new air zeniths are just that new. their first gen comps sucked and burned out within 6 months. your limiting factor in your equipment will be the rear bags as most kits aremt designed for anything over 90-120psi max. but you would want a 100% @ 100psi.they drop as pressure increases but if you use a 480 or 380 viair you will be fine. you can get a good deal on a dual pack and a 5 gallon tank. the dual kit will come with all your hardware youll just need air lines .
 
#6 ·
Are there any vendors on psn who sell these kits? I already have a nice tank I just need the compressors, lines, and a solenoid for the horn. But the Vair 380 or 480 should be all i need?
 
#8 ·
Hey Farmer,

I run my own shop building custom air ride suspension for what started off with low riders and has morphed into 4x4 trucks as well.

As few things to consider when building your system:

First and foremost, I am not here to steal business from PSN supporting companies! Support them as they support the site!

Compressors:
The weakest link in the system by far.
Depending on if you want to run a tank or not, I would look strongly at a 150psi rated compressor rather than a 200psi rated. Reason being that the 150 psi compressors have a slightly higher cfm which equals quicker fill times.
Next, a general rule of thumb is 1 compressor per 5 gallon tank. This is just a bit of a starting point if nothing else.
Compressor wiring is major killer of performance. 3 things to note here:
1. Use a #10 or larger wire for EACH compressor.
2. Try to stay away from car audio wire. It's nice to look at but the insulation may not stand up to the abuse of the heat, rocks, mud, snow, cold, road salt, etc. I use welding cable that is U.L. or CSA approved.
3. Ensure a good ground. Keep the grounds short and clean. Once you find a location (frame rails) scrape the paint off enough to make sure that the whole surface area if the connection makes contact. Once the wire is bolted down, use a under coating style spray to re-seal the exposed metal to stop rust.

If you plan on using your air system a lot, look into dual compressors. Not only will you have a back up compressor but your fill times will be almost cut in half.

Drain the tank or tanks often or use water separators.

I have used just about every brand of compressor out there over the years. The 2 that I have had the least amount of issues with are Viair and Thomas.
Viair works very well for bigger systems and have products that span the whole spectrum.
Thomas, works well for smaller systems with cost in mind.

I hope that this is a bit of help.
Feel free to pm me or email with questions : dragnflymini@yahoo.ca

Jason
 
#9 ·
Hey Thanks! So I am running a 5.5 gal. tank right now i'm leaning more towards a Viair. At this point in time I think I'm going to start by running a single compressor and add a second one later.

So are there any vendors who wanna hook me up here....? I'll call KT monday.
 
#11 ·
This is what I did.......









A single Air Zenith compressor. I had all my teflon lined steel braided hoses made to length at the local Parker store. Tank is 5 gal and running a 200psi switch. I have since added an electric drain valve. Junction box is a Home Depot 10"x10" I used to provide power and fused connections for everything.
 
#12 ·
I take it that clears the drive shaft under full compression or articulation? Looks very clean and well done.
 
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