Compressor and tank location

[azzss Member Find all posts View Profile Close azzss]

Hi, I want to mount a compressor (arb one I'd say) and tank to the prado (08 d4d). I have rear airbags and I would like to be able to raise and lower them from inside the car as I do a lot of towing. I've seen the bracket on here that houses the second fuel filter (I have a cat one) and Compressor it looks a good idea. I was after ideas were to mount the tank? I would like to use it for blowing up tyres, air filters etc hence needing the tank. I was hoping someone has already done something like this take all hard work out of it
Cheers.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

On my first 120 I had an air tank mounted where a winch would normally go behind the sovereign bar. For what it's worth I found the air tank to be a complete waste of time and effort. If anything I reckon it made things worse rather than better.

I have my ARB compressor mounted behind the right headlight.

Cheers Andrew

[Guest Close Guest]

My air tank is behind the second fuel tank and rear bumper.
18 litres. Air line runs down in the chassis rail for extra protection.
I use a viair compressor after killing two ARB units.

[azzss Member Find all posts View Profile Close azzss]

Thanks guys, Andrew, interesting you found the tank no good, I thought it would be better for running a air blower, tyre inflater etc might try the compressor first. I looked at the space between the bumper and the fuel tank too piggy, hard to mount there?
Cheers.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

I used an air tank on a previous car and I also fitted an isolation valve. If you just started the compressor when you needed it you wasted a lot of time filling the tank with air. If I needed quick air just the compressor but usually I would switch the compressor on when we aired down (switch in teh cabin) and leave it on letting the pressure switch take it off. Then I have 20L or so for 110 psi air to pump the tyres back up with. I fitted the tank in the winch space as well. When I moved onto the 90 I didn't have a winch bar and couldn't find anywhere to fit such a big tank. It also wouldn't fit in the winch space for the 120 due to the way the brackets were situated so I gave the tank away a few years ago. In short the tank works fine but you need to pump it up early otherwise bypass it. In the 150 I just run the dual head ARB compressor so a tank would be a waste of space. If I go air lockers then I will just use the small reservoir to house the solenoids.

[Guest Close Guest]

Easy to mount. Couple flat brackets.
I am always chasing a never ending leak and find my tank airs down overnight to about 40psi from 120 psi.
Compressor comes on every hour or so when the car is running.
Chasing leaks sucks..

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Thanks guys, Andrew, interesting you found the tank no good, I thought it would be better for running a air blower, tyre inflater etc might try the compressor first. I looked at the space between the bumper and the fuel tank too piggy, hard to mount there?
Cheers.

Unless you have a really big tank you will drain it in a matter of a few seconds. If I remembered to switch the air compressor on in order to fill the tank before I was ready to use it, it was maybe marginally better, but on pumping up 4 tyres the difference was so small you wouldn't ever factor it in. If I forgot it was heaps slower, an isolation valve would fix that, but just one more expense for what I found to be a novelty at best. For blowing it gave maybe 5-10 seconds of useful air and that's about it. If I wanted to use my car compressor for blowing or using air tools or anything with a large capacity needed I would save my money on the tank and go for an endless air instead.


Cheers Andrew

[azzss Member Find all posts View Profile Close azzss]

Endless air are the engine driven ones (air con compressor)?. I reckon you've talked me out of a tank Andrew, don't want to muck around if no real gain also more potential for air leaks. The other option is the twin arb one with its own tank in a case but not cheap.
Cheers.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Yes endless air is the engine driven compressor. If I had my time over I reckon I would look seriously at one. There was Inge for sale section just recently, but I think it might have sold.

Cheers Andrew

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

I have a long skinny tank mounted between the chassis rails and the side step.

I think the advantage of the tank is if you need an extra blast to seat a tyre or run a tool of some type.

Leigh

[Tazdevil Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close Tazdevil]

Hey guys

I have a made fitting that allows me to pump up a spare tyre to a high pressure (or one of the other tyres) and then use that as a tank for a blast of air.

[Guest Close Guest]

I use both tank and a spare at 74PSI.

If I air down, I'll pump the spare to 74 whilst airing down ( your only standing around waiting anyway). Reason I pump spare to 74 is it equalises a tire out perfectly to 36psi when joined by an air line.

With compressor, tank and spare, I can put 4 tires back to 36-40 psi using my two air lines in the time it takes most to do 1-1.5 tires. ( I have lines made for rebeading and air transfer from the spare).

I run a VIAir constant duty compressor, more output and pressure than an ARB and way cheaper. Kept breaking ARB ones.

Tanks can also be used to run other things that you will find fitted to some 4x4,s.

[seenthelight Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close seenthelight]

I use an old gas tank mounted between the gear box and chassie, as for air leaks it last 8 weeks before the compressor
has to start to build up pressure.
I also fitted a one way valve to the air commpresser so the air does not leak through the compressor.
Cheers

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I think the advantage of the tank is if you need an extra blast to seat a tyre or run a tool of some type.

Leigh

Those are the 2 reasons I usually hear for fitting a tank.

Firstly the air tools, how many people actually own air tools? Not many would be my guess, and if you do own any you would know they use a massive amount of air, cordless would be much better.

As for reseating a tyre, 9 times out of 10 they just pump straight back up again, if you really need an extra burst of air from a tank then use you spare tyre as a tank.

Cheers Andrew

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

Those are the 2 reasons I usually hear for fitting a tank.

Firstly the air tools, how many people actually own air tools? Not many would be my guess, and if you do own any you would know they use a massive amount of air, cordless would be much better.

As for reseating a tyre, 9 times out of 10 they just pump straight back up again, if you really need an extra burst of air from a tank then use you spare tyre as a tank.

Cheers Andrew

It's the 1 out of 9 that's the problem, yes you can use your spare but the valve is going to
reduce the air flow considerably.

Yes air tools do use a lot of power but the tank will run a rattle gun for long enough to loosen a nutor power an air grease gun etc.

Besides with my setup I have it plumed to an outlet next to the tow bar, simply plug the hose in and away you go, no need to go searching for adapters or over inflating a spare and risking personnel injury etc.

Leigh