Air compressor suggestions

Netori

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I feel like there is such a range of air compressors to choose from out there that it can get really confusing. My main question is can I get by with a cheap portable air compressor or is it a necessity to buy something like the ARB one. I see a lot of guys have on board tanks but im not too sure how that works... Any guidance is appreciated.
 
Compressed air is free, same as regular air. Anything that works , works . On board air is for convenience.

I'd rather be on the trail with a cheap set up than none.
 
Personally I like the OBA setup it always there I never forget to pack it and I already don't have enough room for more stuff. The tanks look cool but you have to keep getting them refilled and when your out your out. My OBA never runs out. But then I am running one of the old school York systems.
Just my 2 cents
 
I generally recommend Viair for 12v portable compressors - good value with good customer service.

88P for "stockish" size tires;
300P for up to 33" tires;
400P for up to 35" tires.

Prices aren't great right now for the 400P, which is one of the compressors I own. I haven't looked at the others. Sign up for an Amazon price watch at camelcamelcamel.com and you will know when they are a good buy. [I paid approx. $165 for my 400P in July 2016.]

I owned one of those ubiquitous cheap Chinese red compressors. You get what you pay for, but barely. They tend to overheat and suck reed valves. I do not recommend them.

My onboard air thread, which is based upon the Viair 400H compressor (essentially the same compressor as the 400P):

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/how-to-simple-onboard-air-for-your-tj-lj-viair-400h.10235/
 
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I’d go ARB or ViaAir - the big thing to note is the duty cycle. You’ll want to make sure it can keep up with what you want. Even my nice ARB gets my 33s from 10 to 26psi in about 1:40 for the first Tire; by time I hit the 4th it takes around 3 mins. If you get something too underpowered, you’ll be waiting around a while or overheating and possibly damaging the compressor.

It looks like you got good guidance on the viaair options above!
 
I feel like there is such a range of air compressors to choose from out there that it can get really confusing. My main question is can I get by with a cheap portable air compressor or is it a necessity to buy something like the ARB one. I see a lot of guys have on board tanks but im not too sure how that works... Any guidance is appreciated.
Unless you have a very specific need that requires the buffer of a small amount of air in a tank, do not install one, they add complexity, more points of failure, expense, and effort for no gain whatsoever.

With any tolerable size tank you can fit in a TJ, all you get for your effort is that scant few seconds between the cut in and cut out pressure of the compressor before the compressor turns on and runs full time non stop until you are through with whatever task you are using compressed air for. Once the compressor turns on, the tank is useless as in it is doing nothing for you except acting like a big bump in the airline right from the pump.

When you are done, the compressor will have pumped the exact same number of strokes to fill a tire whether the tank is there or not. (assuming a viable leak free system)
 
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I've managed to get by all these years with this one:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X9AXR8/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Onboard air is cool in some ways, but I actually like having it portable in all honesty.

I have the same or a very similar kit I got during a Toyo promotions years ago. It pulls double duty riding in the Jeep when I wheel, and in the truck tool box when I go to the lake and tow. I also carry a plug kit, and a 20v Dewalt impact all in a plastic knock off Pelican case. Its saved many peoples day along the way.

Need to add some emergency valve stems to the kit. I carry regular stems but breaking a bead isn't always easy to do. I tore a stem out last time I was in the woods.
 
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I’d go ARB or ViaAir - the big thing to note is the duty cycle. You’ll want to make sure it can keep up with what you want.

Here's my take on duty cycle, the percentage of a one-hour cycle that a compressor is rated to run at a specified pressure before a cool down period is required.

1. All 12v compressor manufacturers calculate duty cycle slightly differently. Some rate at lower pressures than others so the compressor isn't working as hard and the duty cycle will appear longer. If comparing duty cycles between manufacturers be sure you are comparing apples to apples. A duty cycle rated at 0 psi is meaningless (as is a cfm rating at 0 psi).

2. Compressors with 100% duty cycles when compared to other compressors with a similar displacement tend to have a lower flow rate in cubic feet per minute than those with a shorter duty cycle. For example, the Viair 450 series compressors are all rated with a 100% duty cycle and put out 0.94 cfm at 100 psi. On the other hand, the Viair 400 series compressors, which are about the same displacement, are rated at a 33% duty cycle but put out 1.19 cfm at 100 psi. What this means to the end user is that a Viair 400 will inflate four tires of the same size faster than a Viair 450 but you can run a 450 all day.

3. DUTY CYCLE DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU CAN INFLATE ALL THE TIRES YOU NEED TO INFLATE BEFORE TIMING OUT ON THE RUN CYCLE. Continuing with the Viair 400 as the example, it's fill rate for a 35x12.50 tire from 15-30 psi is 2 min. 40 sec. +/- 5 sec. However, the Viair 450 fill rate for the same tire from 15-30 psi is quite a bit longer - 3 min. 30 sec., +/- 10 sec. Even if it takes twice as long to fill tire #4 as tire #1 with a Viair 400, a person should be able to fill all four tires long before the expiration of the 20 minute maximum run time recommended by Viair before a cool down. In my experience, I have been able to air up two sets of 35's with a Viair 400 series compressor without experiencing any heat issues. I haven't tested beyond that.

Moral of the story: Be sure to compare apples to apples when comparing compressor output and duty cycle and don't blindly subscribe to the theory that a 100% duty cycle is automatically better for you. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. It wasn't for me with the Viair 400 series compressors and 35" tires and the fill rate charts suggest that a 33% duty cycle won't be an issue for the Viair 300P and 33" tires.
 
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Good is the MV-50 at under $100, many people have them and they test very similar to the Viair just without the brand name. Mine is a backup and still works fine. There are plenty of reviews to read on the internet describing them, don't take just one persons advice on them, mine included.

Better is any of the Viair units suggested above in the $150-200, avoid the 88P it is worse than the mv-50, you are just paying for the name.

Best is the ARB at $280 and up, for a bit more money you get allot more performance.

Personally I'd start with the budget option, if you get tired of it skip the mid range stuff and go for the good stuff which is ARB.
 
Good is the MV-50 at under $100, many people have them and they test very similar to the Viair just without the brand name. Mine is a backup and still works fine. There are plenty of reviews to read on the internet describing them, don't take just one persons advice on them, mine included.

Better is any of the Viair units suggested above in the $150-200, avoid the 88P it is worse than the mv-50, you are just paying for the name.

Best is the ARB at $280 and up, for a bit more money you get allot more performance.

Personally I'd start with the budget option, if you get tired of it skip the mid range stuff and go for the good stuff which is ARB.
I am a big fan of ARB and most of their stuff, most because I don't have experience with all of it but what I do have experience with has always served me very well.

That said, I installed the big double for airing up 40" tires on a build. I'm not impressed at all. Takes about 2 minutes per tire to go from 15 to 25 psi. My shop compressor does the same in 45 seconds. (we were testing a bad compressor against a new one to see if the repair I did on the one that was bad out of the box worked, it did)
 
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How well do these non-lubricated compressors hold up over time? They must do "ok" as I don't see any oil lubricated options (other than York).
 
ARB compressors are good little units, good performance in a smaller package than the competition, but too spendy for some.

The price of the larger ARB compressor is what pushed me in the direction of Viair - something considerably less expensive with decent value for the dollar - critical at the time because I was still putting a child through college and had nothing extra for offroading.
 
ARB compressors are good little units, good performance in a smaller package than the competition, but too spendy for some.

The price of the larger ARB compressor is what pushed me in the direction of Viair - something considerably less expensive with decent value for the dollar - critical at the time because I was still putting a child through college and had nothing extra for offroading.
And the Viair units will work just fine for ARB And other air lockers.