Thoughts on onboard air?

Hi all, I am interested in putting on board air into my 4runner. I'm looking at a single arb compressor. I'm super new at this so I have some questions for the group:

1) Is dual compressor necessary or will one work?
2) installation location - I've seen them mounted in the engine bay and also under the seat. Any pros and cons I should consider? Ideally I'd like to put it in the engine bay so that I don't have to go through the firewall. But I'm concerned about having the compressor in the engine bay during winter- we routinely see -30 to -40 degrees C where I live for months on end. Conversely we also see 40 degree C weather in the summer. Will extreme cold/hot in the engine bay impact performance of the compressor at all? Or damage it?
3) Any recommended brands? I'm considering arb bc its the only one I'm familiar with.
4) Is dealer installation recommended or can I do this myself? I don't want to impact the extended warranty so considering dealership install; I understand this will be more expensive

Thanks in advance

 

Sorry forgot to add - the reason for install is bc i travel to extreme remote locations in the Canadian bush for work and fishing/camping etc. I have a spare and tire plug kit etc but also want a small onbaord air system to deal with leaks in emergency situations etc. It's not for airing up and down all 4 tires for offroading trails, which I understand is a thing

 

For me a stand-alone compressor is sufficient for that application, rather than everything you need to do for onboard air.

 

Hi backpacker. So you mean just keeping a free standing small compressor in the truck with my tools/recovery gear etc as opposed to a hardwired installed unit?

 

I ended out going with a Portable Viair unit. I probably have used mine less than 20 times over the last 2 years. A few times for flat tires, including boat trailer and golf cart and the rest of the time airing back up when off roading. Had I invested in on board air, I probably would have saved 5 minutes or so per use with the quicker inflation speed and less time to put away. The less than two hours I have wasted, I would have spent installing the onboard air. I also did not have to spend much $$ on the portable unit. Retrospectively, for my use case, onboard air would not have made sense. The only reason I did not do it was laziness and procrastination. Sometimes those habits lead to the best choice. For those who air down every weekend, YMMV.

 

My thought process, if I don't have an air locker I will keep the air compressor in my storage box / bag. Only use when needed.

I bought this off brand compressor from Amazon when my very old Craftman one gave up. Very fast and have a quick disconnect. But I guess not that useful putting details much as it seems to be discontinued now.
It looks same like very reputable brand BUT, Reliability = unknown.

 

Have you considered CO2? For me the speed, lack of electrical/mechanical/portable/noise was selling point. No matter where I am at if tank is not empty very low failure points. For my tire tize estimating about 40 complete air ups all 4 tires before needing to fill tank.

 

Yes, that's right. Even for airing up, I use a Viair 440 for airing up, which is still stand-alone but high-capacity. A smaller unit would be appropriate for emergency conditions. My wife and I have carried small portable compressors in our cars for many years.

 

This is what I do, and I am often way out in the boonies. I just don't understand installing an expensive air compressor permanently under the hood taking up space, adding weight and wired into the trucks electrical system, possibly messing with the warranty of the truck. Many good portable units on the market. But to each his own.

 

I’m only considering on board to save space. I currently have a portable, Walmart Slime brand, and it has been fine. This one does require me to poop the hood to power it from the battery, which isn’t a big deal, it the scratches on the plastic inside my hatch has been annoying me and then when I’m packed, the compressor isn’t the easiest to get to.

 

If done right, there is no way a warranty claim could be refused due to the on board air. And there is a big open space on the passenger side under the hood by the cabin, looks to be perfect for on board air.

I have heard of folks talking about the possible damage to the compressor being stored under the hood with all the engine heat.

 

Is that true when tapping into electrical? Any electronics/computer problems I would expect dealer to blame the on board air. I have seen weird electrical gremlin posts for simpler installs like raptor lights.

 

I plan to install aux fuse box, that anything electrical I add will be run through. I will not mess with factory wiring. That being said, I think it would be easy to run the needed wiring and what not from the battery and not have to touch factory to install a compressor. But, I haven’t done it so I really don’t know yet.

 

Regarding dealer install and warranty. Not sure how that would work. Personally I have never heard of dealer doing a mod like this. On a similar topic like dealer installing a suspension lift. I think remember someone commenting the dealer would not warranty the work or any problems that may occur since not OEM. My rig is still newish with 15k miles so still conservative on every mod weighing risk of it being blamed for unrelated problems and warranty denied.

Electronic problems are my main concern with all the new technology.

 

Dual is just going to be your best performance/quickest. Not necessary.
ive not seen under the seat mounts, but I wouldn’t do that for lack of access.

ARB is what I run, but I believe Ironman and others have one that looks suspiciously the same and wouldn’t surprise me if they came from the same factory.

easy install that won’t void warranty - just choose your mount wisely. Mine was an absolute terror to install.


If your goal is to have air just to have, then there’s certainly plenty of portable options. These are good for small tasks and not airing up multiple tires. I had a dewalt that worked great before getting on board.

 

Yes, I got that documented in email that it will void Toyota warranty for related items even though the lift is purchased from the Toyota dealership which the same will do the install.

 

As others have stated, portable is a good choice. I’d suggest you stay away from those that use Cigarette lighter power. You will wish you brought dinner while waiting for your first tire to inflate.

Look at the ones that clip onto your battery. The good units will be able to power up and push the CFM to get you going.

I have an engine bay mounted unit but I have air lockers, so it makes sense.

Cheers
Mike

 

I've been using a Viair 300P for a few years and it's been fine for my needs. I tend to air down and air up every couple of weeks from around May until October.

 

Get yourself a Viair portable (I run the 450p) for significantly less $ than installing on board air and call it a day. It will do anything you need it to for work with ease and reliability.

$320 VIAIR 450P/45044 Automatic Portable Compressor, Tire Inflator Kit, Air Compressor for Truck, Jeep, SUV, and Car Tires, Air Pump Kit, Car Accessories, 100% Duty Cycle, 150 PSI/1.80 CFM, Stealth Black

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Compressor-450P-Automatic-Stealth-45044/dp/B007X8LVKK

 

May I suggest a Milwaukee M18 Fuel inflator. Works for me.

 

Howdy
I use the dewalt 20v air compressor, have the AC adapter and carry the battery charger in the rig. Always have a batter on the charger and just kick in the rear outlet to charge on the trail. Carry second battery on the compressor so two total. I use dewalt tools so adding the battery and charger was no problem. Can then take the compressor in the 4wheeler as well. Takes more time than Co2 or dual compressor but more versatile for me. Good luck.

$107 DEWALT 20V MAX Tire Inflator, Compact and Portable, Automatic Shut Off, LED Light, Bare Tool Only (DCC020IB)

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DCC02...cint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584276296744019

 

I'd go ARB dual because cry once. They are made to be in extreme temps so it will be fine.

I personally don't want one hard mounted so I keep a Viair 450P in a milk crate with other offroad gear. I also have a Milwaukee inflator but I only use that around the house.

 

https://www.4runners.com/threads/arb-twin-compressor-mobile-unit-in-box.28565/#post-399701

I built this recently for a buddy. My twin ARB is mounted under the hood and I love it. I built this for him so I could use it in my other truck.

 

I use this one as well. Takes a bit of time to inflate all 4 tires but works perfect. Just used it yesterday to reinflate the tires after driving on the beach in Oregon.

 

Then you don't need an onboard system, just a portable one kept in the cargo area. I keep a

$80 VIAIR 00089 Tire Inflator for Class B Motorhomes 89P-RVS

Viair 89P-RVS compressor in my vehicle full-time. It's "RV-rated" with a 20-ft hose. The power cord has a 20A maxi fuse. Decently quick for its size: 2 min 30 sec to air up a 35" tire from 15 to 30 psi.

For situations where you're trusting your life to the compressor, go with a good brand, ARB or Viair.

To be clear, I would recommend a bigger compressor if you air up tires often for trail runs, but the chineseium isn't as reliable, especially in extreme temps.

 

I like the Pittsburgh 12v 100psi (Project Farm shout-out) just fine for occasional use, plus it's tiny and cheap. Might grab a second one for safety.

 

I absolutely love my ARB twin mounted under the hood, it is probably my favorite mod out of the lot. One other thing to consider is if you wanted to run a second battery, if you're into serious overlanding, then the battery would most easily go in the same space as the compressor. For me I only do weekend excursions so I really don't need a second battery. Plus I would like to eventually put in an air locker so I'm already part way there by having on board air. This is probably not a concern for you as yours should have a factory e-locker in the rear already. The Co2 tank is a cool idea too but you have to refill it now and again and I just didn't want the hassle.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies and advice. I think I will probably get a portable one, viair 300p for example looks like it will be adequate for my needs.

 

Milwaukee M18 is stupid fast. Battery lasts a long time. Can bring a second battery. I also bring an M18 hedger and use it all the time in the forests to not get pin stripes.

Super easy to take it over to a different vehicle. Or use at home on other vehicles, bicycle etc.

 

Also a fan of the M18 Milwaukee inflator. Hasn’t let me down yet. Milwaukee makes great battery tools.