Air tank

So the rattle gun is probably not that good of a idea on air but the 12v might be better? I Think I might just get a Big Red as well I have heard nothing but good things on them....how long does it take to say take a tyre from 18psi to 32psi?

Thanks

I agre Wayne, the ARB compressor is far to low in output for this application. An ex-airconditioning compressor such as the Endless Air or one you can get from a wrecker will certainly run a rattle gun but you need to keep the motor running as these tools consume a fair bit of air at around 60 psi . You will need a tank too to keep the pressure somewhere near constant, and like even rattle guns run off large volume sources, never trust their tension as their power can fluctuate with such marginal air supplies.
I have a Big Red hooked to a stainless steel fire extinguisher for my tank now being unable to mount an airconditioner comp. on the 3 litre Nissan. It struggles with the rattle gun and is slower than doing it by hand but OK for tyres.
The fire extinguisher is one of those stored pressure types which operate at over 120 psi so they are quite safe and being stainless won't rust. They are light and can be fitted between the chassis rails of a GU and I would reckon most other mid to large 4WD's. I made a bar the width of the inner edges of the chassis and used one of the bull bar mounting bolts to secure it. It has a couple of lugs to support the tank and the tank is held to the bar with some really long worm drive stainless clamps [super sized radiator clamps].

Ken

Hi Robin,

At the risk of hijacking this tread, how do you build the air transfer system?

Cheers,

Fanbelt

Hi Fanbelt

Had a few air systems but the gut practicality of this simple device
means it gets used more than the others.

Just get $15 trigger operated tire inflator mechanism from say K-Mart,
it even has a guage, add in 6m of blue air hose (not the curly cord)
and then your up to the hard part. Attaching the hose end to a normal
tyre valve. You can buy lots of cheap fiitings here that push on but
you really need a screw on to the spare tyre for reliability,

I got a short truck valve extension bit and cut end off. I think motorbike shops have metal extension bits to. Someone else may have better source for this part.

P.S. The Transfer hose works particularly well when you attach the other end to someone elses tyre.

Robin Miller

Thanks Robin. Although I don't think I'll be parking next to you next time you need to air up!

I don't have a problem with mine and it does the job fine but when I have to go from 18psi to 32psi it takes about 8 min a tyres....so was hoping for a quicker solutions...

Been using the ARB compressor for years and it does the job quite well. Mounted in the valley beside the roller drawers and is kept out of the dust and other muck. On a trip of any significance I don't have a problem with time, especially a few minutes longer in pumping up tyres. Of course I'd like a bot more air volume for reseating the tyre but hey I get there in the end and I still have change in my pocket and no lost space due to tanks etc.

ARB ~35 lpm, Bushranger Maxair 72 lpm.

Take the above times and halve them....

With an 24l tank you should be able to do short bursts of a rattler

Rattlers usually use 6 cu ft/min (170 lpm) at 60psi.

24l tank at 110 psi (tank pumped up full)= ~44l at 60 psi

Add another bit from the compressor and you should have about 15-20 seconds of continuous running. (more than enough for a wheel change)

Best guess would be about 4-5 min recovery.

Mulga Bill, using a PVC tank for compressed air is a bit like playing russian roulette. I sincerely hope you are not anywhere near it when (not if!) it blows.
Get a steel tank like everybody else with a bit of common sense has .
Klaus

Ideas like PVC high pressure air tanks are why "Innovators" are in short supply.....

Darwin award material for you (or one of your family, or anyone else that happens to be walking past...)

Hmmm, seems like taking the tyres up and down are not the only slow things out there ! Mulga Bill and his PVC pressure vessel would be a potential Darwin Award contender.
Ken

The "tank" is made from high pressure PVC 60mm tubing with chemical welded end caps - as in modern plumbing - about 5L capacity - the material is rated by the manufacturer way above the pump cutout - the "tank" is inside the bull bar - stick around and wait for it to blow if you like folks, but its been about 3 years now.

er..... just noticed that the ARB pump 'baggers' may not realise that this seemingly reliable performer is pressure limited with a 100psi cutout........

All the research I have done keeps telling me that rattle guns (Chicago Pneumatic) wont make thier max torque untill about 90 psi and using 4 to 5 gpm air and hi torque ones use up to 24 gpm at 90 psi

Size: 35x12.5 R15
Pressure: 15-32 psi
Number of tires: 8
Time: 32 seconds

Now that thing looks cool...a bit hard justifying spending that kinda money...but I like it