Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

Reading this thread makes me feel like I'm back in the days of Eff Tee Wee with the microanalysis of every little thing that goes into this truck.

That was mostly 'Dad's Truck'.

Though I honestly forget when Gary and his brother went to Florida to pick up Big Blue behind Blue.

Yes, you've got to expect the analysis and pedantry.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Reading this thread makes me feel like I'm back in the days of Eff Tee Wee with the microanalysis of every little thing that goes into this truck.

Jim - My plan is to have a 2 to 2.5 gallon air tank. Probably steel.

And you are right, a high CFM electric system is pricey. Which is why I was planning to go with the York compressor, which puts out 6 - 8 CFM. And a 100% duty cycle electric one of that capacity is very expensive.

So perhaps I don't need that much capacity? Maybe I can fill the tank as I'm coming to the end of the trail, air up a couple of tires, and then wait a few min's to fill up the other two?

The issue with the Yorks is mainly to due with the oil. Rock Crawler has a page on how to fix that. This page from The Ranger Station explains how they would do it. What are your thoughts?

Shaun -

[Nothing Special]

That was mostly 'Dad's Truck'.

Though I honestly forget when Gary and his brother went to Florida to pick up Big Blue behind Blue.

Yes, you've got to ENJOY the analysis and pedantry.

Fixed it for you

[ArdWrknTrk]

That was mostly 'Dad's Truck'.

Though I honestly forget when Gary and his brother went to Florida to pick up Big Blue behind Blue.

Yes, you've got to ENJOY the analysis and pedantry.

Fixed it for you

> Nothing Special

Where's the 'like' button?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim - My plan is to have a 2 to 2.5 gallon air tank. Probably steel.

And you are right, a high CFM electric system is pricey. Which is why I was planning to go with the York compressor, which puts out 6 - 8 CFM. And a 100% duty cycle electric one of that capacity is very expensive.

So perhaps I don't need that much capacity? Maybe I can fill the tank as I'm coming to the end of the trail, air up a couple of tires, and then wait a few min's to fill up the other two?

The issue with the Yorks is mainly to due with the oil. Rock Crawler has a page on how to fix that. This page from The Ranger Station explains how they would do it. What are your thoughts?

Shaun -

2.5 gal @ 120 psig = 10gal @ 30.

It's not a big tank. I have a few around that size.

I'm a visual thinker so I envision two joint compound buckets worth of tires filled. (or twice as much if going 15->30)

If you're not trying to blow something clean or spray paint with it I see an autolubing pump as advantageous as far as keeping a steel tank from rusting out.

I definitely wouldn't mount an auto-drain under an off-road truck

A check valve and pressure cut out + unloader seem the only reasonable WTG.

Would you have a regulator?

Some kind of hose reel?

A quick connect mounted in the bed?

 

[Nothing Special]

> Nothing Special

Where's the 'like' button?

It seemed fitting!

.... If you're not trying to blow something clean or spray paint with it I see an autolubing pump as advantageous as far as keeping a steel tank from rusting out....

Any concern with putting the oil into a rubber tire?

And how much can you count on air flow direction changes to separate it out? I have an electric compressor so lube isn't an issue, but I still get a lot of water of course. I have a 2.5 gallon air tank under my Bronco and I run the line from the compressor to the side of the tank with the line coming out from the top of the tank. I'm hoping that most of the water doesn't make the turn and falls to the bottom of the tank. Oil would likely do something similar.

.... I definitely wouldn't mount an auto-drain under an off-road truck

A check valve and pressure cut out + unloader seem the only reasonable WTG.

Would you have a regulator?

Some kind of hose reel?

A quick connect mounted in the bed?

And I know you weren't asking me, but since I know Gary likes picking people's brains...

I don't have a drain valve, but there is a drain plug in the bottom of my tank. Every so often (probably a lot less often than I should) I pull it to drain the water, then I spray some WD40 in before I put the plug back in. And that reminds me, it's probably time for that.

I have a pressure switch (cut-out?) that turns my compressor off at about 120 psi and back on around 100 or so. I do not have a check valve (other than whatever plumbing came with the compressor?). And I do not have an unloader.

I think I have a regulator, but if I do it's only for the "toad brakes". (I know I did on my old CJ5, I can't remember for sure if I set up the Bronco the same way and it's at the exhaust shop tonight so I can't check.) But for any use other than the toad brakes I wouldn't bother with it.

I have a quick-connect under the hood, and another in the "bed" (it's a Bronco, not a pickup, so I'm not really sure what it has qualifies as a bed). But as it turns out I rarely use the one under the hood. And I don't have a hose reel, but that might be a good idea. I have about a 20' long old air hose and it has sprung some leaks on me, so I really ought to upgrade to something.

 

[FoxFord33]

Jim - My plan is to have a 2 to 2.5 gallon air tank. Probably steel.

And you are right, a high CFM electric system is pricey. Which is why I was planning to go with the York compressor, which puts out 6 - 8 CFM. And a 100% duty cycle electric one of that capacity is very expensive.

So perhaps I don't need that much capacity? Maybe I can fill the tank as I'm coming to the end of the trail, air up a couple of tires, and then wait a few min's to fill up the other two?

The issue with the Yorks is mainly to due with the oil. Rock Crawler has a page on how to fix that. This page from The Ranger Station explains how they would do it. What are your thoughts?

Shaun -

I have a small chore compressor which I have stopped using because:

A) The power switch broke on it

2) It was too small for most jobs I wanted to do, besides airing up a tire or two

d) I no longer have a garage or a good way to plug it in right now

Q) I work at a tire shop and have unlimited air (if I plan ahead).

If you want it for experimentation or even use on BB, it's yours. I believe it to be ~5gal.

I have a power inverter if you want to see about amp draw...

[ArdWrknTrk]

Any concern with putting the oil into a rubber tire?

... I spray some WD40 in (the tank) before I put the plug back in

Any concern putting kerosene + propane propellant in a rubber tire?

Maybe a stainless tank would be a better (if more costly) alternative?

Having an inline check valve at the tank inlet would keep you from losing everything in the event you damaged the line from the pump.

If there was an unloader it would keep it from draining the whole tank too.

I have a pressure switch (cut-out?) that turns my compressor off at about 120 psi and back on around 100 or so. I do not have a check valve (other than whatever plumbing came with the compressor?). And I do not have an unloader....

I don't have a drain valve, there is a plug in the bottom of my tank to drain the water.

A ball valve to blow the tank down every day it's used seems a lot easier than a procedure that reads like an oil change to me.

But I don't have one, and I see how little it will actually be used.

I do know how hard a compressor starts.

I just think giving it a hand getting up to speed will make its life easier.

Being in the building trades I see a lot of guys that have air and electricity built in to their vans.

(Some of these things rival Apollo control! Definitely a command center for the jobsite)

Hose reels always seem to accompany that, but bulk and complexity in adverse conditions are not a good combo.

25-30' of hose seems like it would reach anywhere on the truck.

Onboard air would be nice on the trail of you wanted to take a tractor tube on a stream/lake/pond.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Any concern with putting the oil into a rubber tire?

... I spray some WD40 in (the tank) before I put the plug back in

Any concern putting kerosene + propane propellant in a rubber tire?

Maybe a stainless tank would be a better (if more costly) alternative?

Having an inline check valve at the tank inlet would keep you from losing everything in the event you damaged the line from the pump.

If there was an unloader it would keep it from draining the whole tank too.

I have a pressure switch (cut-out?) that turns my compressor off at about 120 psi and back on around 100 or so. I do not have a check valve (other than whatever plumbing came with the compressor?). And I do not have an unloader....

I don't have a drain valve, there is a plug in the bottom of my tank to drain the water.

A ball valve to blow the tank down every day it's used seems a lot easier than a procedure that reads like an oil change to me.

But I don't have one, and I see how little it will actually be used.

I do know how hard a compressor starts.

I just think giving it a hand getting up to speed will make its life easier.

Being in the building trades I see a lot of guys that have air and electricity built in to their vans.

(Some of these things rival Apollo control! Definitely a command center for the jobsite)

Hose reels always seem to accompany that, but bulk and complexity in adverse conditions are not a good combo.

25-30' of hose seems like it would reach anywhere on the truck.

Onboard air would be nice on the trail of you wanted to take a tractor tube on a stream/lake/pond.

Wow! Janey and I took most of yesterday off to go shopping and watch a movie, and LOTS happened here. So let me try to address or ask questions of what was said:

Bob - Yes, one should enjoy the discussion. (Aka "micro-analysis" by those who are jealous. )

Steve - Thanks for the offer, but you are going to need that at some point. And cannibalizing a compressor for the tank wouldn't be right since fixing the switch would make it useful. Plus I want to either go with the engine-driven York or a 12v purpose-built system.

All - A stainless tank would be nice, but I suspect that a steel tank will be much less expensive - see below for the portable one I have that cost $30. And I do want a safety valve as my nephew told me his pressure switch failed and when he caught it the pressure gauge was pegged well past 200 psi - on a tank that is rated at 120.

But I'm not sure I see the need for a regulator. The intent is to use the air system to inflate the tires after airing down for the trail. And, maybe a tube for swimming! So a regulator would just be another point of failure as well as more connections to leak.

And, speaking of airing up, perhaps I should air up my portable air tank to 120 psi and use it to fill one of Big Blue's tires from 15 psi to 30. That would give me some sense of how much air is going to be needed for these tires. The air tank I have is this 5 gallon unit, and I'd be surprised if it can do more than one tire. If so I'd probably better find a way to get a 5 gallon tank in rather than a 2 gallon.

As for connections, I'm thinking one on the rear bumper might be the way to go since I'll carry enough hose to go all the way around the truck. That way it'll be easy to air up the air bags since their connections will be there as well.

What did I miss?

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

Wow! Janey and I took most of yesterday off to go shopping and watch a movie, and LOTS happened here. So let me try to address or ask questions of what was said:

Bob - Yes, one should enjoy the discussion. (Aka "micro-analysis" by those who are jealous. )

Steve - Thanks for the offer, but you are going to need that at some point. And cannibalizing a compressor for the tank wouldn't be right since fixing the switch would make it useful. Plus I want to either go with the engine-driven York or a 12v purpose-built system.

All - A stainless tank would be nice, but I suspect that a steel tank will be much less expensive - see below for the portable one I have that cost $30. And I do want a safety valve as my nephew told me his pressure switch failed and when he caught it the pressure gauge was pegged well past 200 psi - on a tank that is rated at 120.

But I'm not sure I see the need for a regulator. The intent is to use the air system to inflate the tires after airing down for the trail. And, maybe a tube for swimming! So a regulator would just be another point of failure as well as more connections to leak.

And, speaking of airing up, perhaps I should air up my portable air tank to 120 psi and use it to fill one of Big Blue's tires from 15 psi to 30. That would give me some sense of how much air is going to be needed for these tires. The air tank I have is this 5 gallon unit, and I'd be surprised if it can do more than one tire. If so I'd probably better find a way to get a 5 gallon tank in rather than a 2 gallon.

As for connections, I'm thinking one on the rear bumper might be the way to go since I'll carry enough hose to go all the way around the truck. That way it'll be easy to air up the air bags since their connections will be there as well.

What did I miss?

If you're going steel just buy a cheap compressor to cannibalize for parts.

Harbor Freight (horrible fate) is having a 4th of July sale...

You'll get a tank, unloader switch, pressure blow off, quick connect, bleeder, etc.. for WAY less than the components.

Whether you go 12V electric (and use the Furnas switch), or go with the York, and use the same pressure switch to control the AC clutch it's a package deal!

I agree on losing the regulator, but I was asking....