On board air or portable tank

[Rogue7]

Have a new 2019 Tacoma and want/need a air source for re-inflating tires. Options are the ARB vehicle mounted twin compressor which would be mounted under the hood or the Power Tank portable CO2 tank which would be mounted in the bed or on the rack. Just curious what you all are using and why. Thanks!!!

 

[Boostpowered]

I use neither, i just use a harbor freight 150psi air compressor when not in use it hides under the rear seat. Use caution where you install an onboard compressor they get hot after re inflating 4 tires. I wont consider co2 because of the cost to fill the tank or get your own generator.

 

[RoarinRow]

I picked up this little guy.

 

[Boort]

@Rogue7

@David Green Used his bike pump! (Google Maps)


Photo From @JCarter

Boort

 

[Rogue7]

If i was 20 something the bike pump might work!

Leaning towards the ARB compressor mounted under the hood.

 

[JCarter]

@Rogue7

@David Green Used his bike pump! (Google Maps)

View attachment 106319
Photo From @JCarter

Boort

To be fair @David Green he did only pump up one tire and used my onboard air to get the last three. I have a VIair system that I mounted to a skid plate under my Jeep JK.

I felt the ARB compressor was overpriced for what you get and that is why I went with Viair. One thing I would highly recommend is getting a 100% duty cycle compressor with whatever brand you decided to go with.

Also, it's not a bad idea to have a bike pump as a backup, their lite, don't take up much space, and the reality is you are not going anywhere until you get air into a flat tire.

Carter

 

[Lindenwood]

I had on-board air in my 4Runner, and hated not having it in my new Rav4. It seemed like at least once a week I am reinflating my rig's tires, topping off bike tires at the trail, or inflating pool toys. Not to mention rattling off lug nuts with my impact wrench. Hauling my compressor out each time was just a hassle after experiencing a permanent high-flow air source.

So, I took my Puma's compressor off the tank and stuffed it under the hood! Much better.



I am not a fan of a fixed supply of air (well, CO2). Even if it could fill a half dozen rigs' tires, doing one or two sets would just leave that cloud over my head of one more chore that needs to be done before I know I am at full capability.

 

[EricGagne]

I would go with onboard air because it gives unlimited supply of air. Tanks are nice but once you used and emptied them they become useless and nothing more than dead weight and waste space for the rest of the trip.

 

[rsweet]

I use a super tank...doubles as huge canned air to blow out computers since I am a IT professional

 

[Mtn lion]

I carrier a small 5lb tank on my Can Am X3, love it. I want to carry a second 10-15 lb Power tank on my truck. They are very handy for tires, and air tools.

 

[Shane Waters]

Had the ARB on my 16 Taco and now just have a portable 12v for the LR3. Both are equally as good but had air lockers on the Taco so needed it tied in.

 

[MidOH]

None of ya'll go SCUBA diving? You're missing out. Every other boat ride, is nearly as good as the best days of camping that I've ever had.

That being said. Air tanks are as expensive as a compressor, as heavy, and as large. I use tanks because I have a half dozen of them filled up and ready to go. And if I'm really lucky, my camp site IS a near a dive sight.

 

[Mojavewanderer]

I use neither, i just use a harbor freight 150psi air compressor when not in use it hides under the rear seat. Use caution where you install an onboard compressor they get hot after re inflating 4 tires. I wont consider co2 because of the cost to fill the tank or get your own generator.

I also use a Harbor Freight compressor, it’s still going strong after a year of use. Find the right sale and coupon, and it will only cost around 40 dollars.

 

[Road]

I have the ARB CKMA12 with 18' high temp hose mounted in the nose box of my trailer, and keep a ViAir 90P in the van at all times.

Even with six tires to air back up, and I do it a lot, I haven't honestly found the need for the twin compressor. I may switch the ARB to the van so it's always with me, as I often leave my trailer set up as base camp. The little ViAir 90P is a surprisingly robust and capable compressor and will get mounted in the trailer's nose box.

What I'd like, though, is a longer damned hose for the ARB, though if I mount it towards the back of my van, it would be a moot point. Right now, with compressor in the trailer, the hose won't reach my van's front tires unless I unhitch.

 

[Rogue7]

Liking the idea of unlimited air. Slee Offroad makes a nice mount that holds the twin ARB compressor next to the air intake box. Will most likely go with that set up.

Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[BcYeti2503]

I have a 2015 Tacoma and run the arb single at the moment. It's really good for 33s. I am on 35x12.50r17 and it's starting to slow down. Faster with a tank.
Some of the things to consider when buying a compressor for your vehicle
1. How much do you air down/up?
2. If your air was faster would you air down more?
3. Are you going to use it for anything other then tires?
With those questions in mind, I suggest running a duel arb compressor/Smittybilt 5.65 in the rear storage boxes of the truck. They make larger containers to allow the duel and even kits for that.
Then add a 5 or 10 gallon air tank underneath hooked into a manifold. I like using electronic air solenoids (like what arb provides for the locker) so you can pressurize with or without the tank.
This setup will allow 33s to be filled in under a minute from 10-30psi and 35s in 1:00-1:30 minutes per tire. Will feel like nothing. Also gives large volume inflation for doing inflatable or even cleaning.

 

[EricGagne]

I saw this battery powered inflator at Home Depot today. I wonder if it would be a good alternative to the very expensive ARB or Viair compressors. As long as one has a 110v outlet in the vehicle, only one battery and a charger is needed. The web site says it's rated to deliver over 120 psi, I noticed on the box in the store that it said "Real 120 psi".

Milwaukee Inflator

 

[Raul B]

I saw this battery powered inflator at Home Depot today. I wonder if it would be a good alternative to the very expensive ARB or Viair compressors. As long as one has a 110v outlet in the vehicle, only one battery and a charger is needed. The web site says it's rated to deliver over 120 psi, I noticed on the box in the store that it said "Real 120 psi".

Milwaukee Inflator

Most of the major tool brands make a version of this. Dewalt makes one that you set the psi you want and leave it. It will auto shut off once it gets to thr psi you inputted. It also runs on their popular 20v batteries. Considering I have thousands of dollars already set up with Dewalt tools I'm going to get one.

They also have power inverters that run off their batteries. I would say they are game changers esp for people that already have the batteries

 

[Road]

I saw this battery powered inflator at Home Depot today. I wonder if it would be a good alternative to the very expensive ARB or Viair compressors. As long as one has a 110v outlet in the vehicle, only one battery and a charger is needed. The web site says it's rated to deliver over 120 psi, I noticed on the box in the store that it said "Real 120 psi".

Milwaukee Inflator

.

Not a bad idea, really, if you already have the charger and at least two batteries for the Milwaukee cordless tool system *and* a 110 outlet. Wonder how efficient it is, duty-cycle wise, or if painfully slow like some are.

Using one of those means, though, having a decent inverter and deep cycle batteries, or you'll kill your starting battery in no time trying to keep that cordless battery charged. If buying the Milwaukee Inflator and a battery and battery charger just to have the Inflator, the cost would be more than twice as much as the capable ViAir 90P. Add in the inverter so you can run 110 to charge the cordless battery (most compressors for vehicles run directly from 12v or 24v) and the cost would exceed the ARB single.

Also, speaking from experience, anyone thinking it might work to depend on a cordless tool for anything while out adventuring, best to always have at least two larger capacity batteries. When you only have one, it will invariably go dead and stop suddenly in the middle of whatever you're doing. Then you have to wait 'til it charges back up sufficiently to finish your work. I keep a number of cordless tools in my van for various projects when traveling, but personally wouldn't count on a cordless air compressor if I didn't already have other tools and multiple batteries in that brand's system.

 

[MidOH]

How many batteries to fill a 37" tire?

Good luck with that. While my portable electric stuff has become more powerful, stamina, it has not. And those batteries loose half their charge when the temps drop. My electric impact eats a battery in just a few uses in the winter.