Question:
I thought I'd get some thoughts and ideas. I'm looking for the pros and cons of each. I like the idea of the Power Tank, a York compressor and all the stuff to make it work, or A Viair 450C 100% duty cycle model. Here's a link to the Viair

What say you?

Choices:
Power Tank
York Compressor
Viair 450C

 

bang for the buck to me there really is no options. its the york 210.. easy to get at most any junk yard. cost about 35.00 with about 100.00 for the kilby bracket and alternator pulley. then about 300 for the tank, hose, and fittings and accessories..... it'll last you for yrs!

Not much work to put together a reliable system with this setup. Mine has run everyday for 3 years now with very minimal maint.

The viar solution, while nice. Does put load on your electrical system that you need to address.

Jason

I have the 400p and love it! mounted it in the rear, and it has never given me a problem.

On my Jeep I converted my stock A/C to a compressor, with all the bells and whistles like tank, prs switch oilers, and filters. My wife uses the old Viair 400P we had before that. While the Viair works OK for filling tires, OBA rocks! I can run airtools on the trail, go with the York or do what I did with the stock compressor. Looks factory, works great.

HTH,
Mark

thats a good one as well but poses two problems. 1. not everyone has ac on their rigs.
2. most peoples ac works and when it goes they just get it serviced.
here in cali on a hot summer day on a desert trail i dont want to be with out my ac. not an option.

Wow it looks as though the power tank is loosing the battle here. The power tank works great til it's out then you have to remember to take it to get it filled. For me that's a 50 mile drive. With a york or Viair it's a flip of the switch.

My Viair even survived an accidental partial submersion. (Sahara submarine)during a recovery of a pal, and it is still kickin'

York,

that's going to be a project on my CJ7,
I just love having it on the TJ

Can I ask why Thomas Compressors weren't considered? They make a very reliable system, And I've had them on my last 2 TJs. Its marketed by Currie, but you find their products in almost every fillingstation (the quarter air pumps.) You can find them used on most gas powered school buses. While kind of expensive if you buy brand new, you can buy and install the rebuild kits at modest expense. Look for a wrecking yard near you with yellow buses crashed. Then see if they'll let you look or show them to you.

Most York compressors are also used when you install them. Not an issue if you're buying a product designed for continuous use like an air brake pump for a school bus.

Forgot about those

My Gen I AiRock setup was powered by a small thomas compressor that I picked up used on ebay. With tank it was enough to get a few hits out of an air ratchet also.

Sadly, the Gen II setup put it well past its duty cycle one day and siezed it up. (it was a fairly small thomas.).

Jason

LOOK

bang for the buck nothing beats a York210 set up

you have the freedom of pretty much setting it up the way you want.

the compressor it self is about 35.00 from a junk yard.

the tank can be made from your bumper or a 2.5 gallon air tank from who-ever.

yeah you need regulators, fittings, hose, one way check valves, filter, and coalescent filter.

yeah you need the kilby bracket kit.

your at 400.00 for everything. that 400.00 doesnt touch the priceless value that you get from being able to seat beads, air up, run power tools, spray yourself down after a dusty run, and do whatever else a air supply provides. i even use it in my garage cuz i dont have a garage craftsmen or whatever tank now. it went south. works fine and ive had it for about 3 yrs now.

Thomas compressors come in 3 sizes that I'm familiar with. I've got the 1/3rd horsepower unit, and since we only use it to inflate tires, its great. They make 2 smaller ones, one a 1/4th and the other a 1/5th horse unit. Currie sells the big one, and thats what they put on the vehicles they prep.

I can't say that the smaller ones are good or bad. I've also read that some dive shops use them to compress air for tanks, so you do get the high pressures if you want them (some applications, not rockcrawling, require more than 25# when airing up.)

buy arb's wire harness,and pressure switch its cheaper than yuo think and has the relay and fuzes needed for fire free operation

Viair all the way I have 2 jeeps so portability is important.

i have never personally used any thing but the york i installed on my tj. but york gets my vote from seeing the other options fellow jeepers use.

if your tank is empty, it does no good.

the smaller portable compressors i have seen dont seem to have the power the york does when the engine is at idle.

love the power tank. nice thing about it, is you can take it with you in whatever rig you are in. i use mine in my truck, jeep, RV ect, or if your buddy 5 jeeps ahead of you needs air you can walk the tank up to him instead of trying the old trail jeep shuffle. you can run air tools and set tire beads fast. a little on the costly side, and if it runs out of air you are done. i just make sure i fill it before a major trip and have had no problems.....love the power tank (plus they look cool...mine is polished!)