Air compressors and air tanks: have air, will travel: onboard air systems

Being prepared for a mechanical breakdown is vital to the enjoyment of the 'wheeling experience. While you certainly can't anticipate every possible vehicular problem that may occur on a trail ride, it's wise to carry a supply of tools and general repair items that can be used during a field fix on your truck. Certainly, flat tires because of punctures or a popped bead are a concern, and carrying an onboard air supply of some type is paramount if you want to fix a flat.
An onboard air system is also handy if you lower the tire pressure for the tough stuff, since that allows you to air up the tires before you hit the highway. Another excellent use for an air compressor or air storage tank is to provide air for air-powered tools, though some enthusiasts consider packing air tools for a trail ride a bit extravagant. Whatever the use, an onboard air supply is so handy, versatile, and useful, it should be a part of every serious 'wheeler's stash.



* Oasis Off-Road Manufacturing has introduced its latest, greatest, onboard air compressor, the Trailhead, which was designed to be way-powerful and totally stout. The Trailhead's secret is the electric motor that powers the heavy-duty York OE-style compressor. The 5hp motor equipped with thermal-overload switch was originally designed as a winch motor, so powering an air compressor pump hardly taxes it at all.
Because of the powerful motor and the York air pump, the Trailhead doesn't use an air storage tank, yet it's powerful enough to run air tools or quickly inflate a large tire. How quickly? In less than 1 minute, a Trailhead compressor can inflate a 35x12.50 tire from 15 psi to 30 psi. For comparison, a typical 5hp shop air compressor with a 60-gallon tank will inflate the same tire to the same pressure in approximately 55 seconds. The Trailhead system is complete with 4-gauge power cables, a solenoid, air line fittings, an air filter fur the pump, a dipstick, and oil. The Trailhead will typically produce 125 psi when its motor is wired to run on 12 volts; for more output, the Trailhead can be set to accept 24 volts of juice, sending its max output to an impressive 175 psi.You can see the other compressor at my website.


* VIAIR manufactures an onboard or portable air compressor fur virtually every application, including compressors strong enough for fleet or tow-truck use. Although many of the smaller-capacity VIAIR compressors are perfectly adequate fur off-read use, we concentrated on VIAIR's big 500C unit for this article. Designed fur heavy-duty mobile applications, the 500C is loaded with performance and functionality.
The 500C generates a max pressure of 150 psi, draws less than 30 amps of electrical energy, is completely sealed against dirt and moisture, is fitted with a 1-1/2-feet-long stainless braided air hose, and includes an air filter on the compressor's air inlet. A gearless direct-drive electrical motor with an automatic thermal overload switch powers the compressor pump. That air pump is stout, using an oil-less design for low maintenance, and stainless steel valves, a (Teflon) PTFE-coated piston ring, and an anodized aluminum alloy cylinder for long service life. Note the trick cooling fins on the 500C's tank as well as the stout mounting feet. The VIAIR 500C is available with either a 3- or 5-gallon tank. The fill rate (from zero to 150 psi) fur the 3-gallon tank is 1 minute, 30 seconds.

* Advanced Air Systems doesn't manufacture air compressors. Instead, AAS takes a different approach when it comes to onboard air systems, using an extremely pressurized tank of C[O.sub.2] to provide air for all manner of uses, AAS offers two styles of air tanks: the original Power Tank and the new Power Shot.
The tanks share the same concept for supplying pressurized air: an aluminum cylinder (tank) fitted with a 250-psi SuperFlow regulator valve is filled with liquid C[O.sub.2], which creates an interior gas (air) pressure of 700-800 psi. When the valve is opened (to fill a tire), a small amount of C[O.sub.2] vapor gas (air) is released and used as compressed air.
After C[O.sub.2] is released from the tank, the chemical nature of liquid C[O.sub.2] causes a regeneration of vapor gas inside the cylinder, thus repressurizing the cylinder to 700-800 psi. By the way, C[O.sub.2] is completely safe as an air supply, as it's nontoxic, inert (non-flammable), and non-corrosive.
The DOT- approved, 6061-T6 aluminum alloy tanks are conservatively rated at 1,800 psi, with a burst pressure of 3,000-plus psi. The Power Tank is available in 5-, 10-, and 25-pound models and includes an adjustable (zero to 150 psi) SuperFlow regulator.
The Power Shot tank is available in the same sizes as the Power Tank' but uses a SuperFlow regulator that's factory set at 250 psi. In use, the Power Tank is impressive: the 10-pound bottle has enough pressure to air up a 33x12.50 tire from 20 psi to 20 psi in 30 seconds and enough capacity to air up the same tire 38 more times. Air tools can also be powered from the Power Shot or Power Tank, and the 150 psi produced really makes an air ratchet zing.