Air for race trailer?

My trailer should be here tomorrow.

Need to figure out how to outfit it with air for tire inflation and to be able to blow stuff off if I need to. Don't need air tools. Here are the options I see:

1. Generator + 120v compressor. Heavy, two units that take up a lot of space.
2. Gas compressor. Probably not a bad choice. Fairly expensive as far as I can tell.
3. 12v compressor system with tank. Fairly expensive as far as I can tell.
4. Cheapo 12v compressor without tank. Cheap but seem to take a long time to air up tires.
5. $30 air tank from HF; bum air from other dudes at the track. Cheap option but I do like to be self sufficient.

Thoughts?

5 is pretty compelling, unless you do a fair amount of blowing stuff off and/or a significant number of tires. A tank at 125 psi will allow for quite a few tire pressure adjustments, but not much in the way of inflation from nothing...

How likely are you to want the compressor on its own merit? If you want 110 anyhow, then you're getting additional utility for giving up that space...

Ah, here's one that might be a pain, or might be a perfect compromise: $30 HF air tank, and a cheapo 12V compressor for when you can't get to an air source. Cheap, small, and you never get caught completely airless.

How about fabricating an on-board air system off the engine of your tow vehicle using a second A/C compressor? Use it to fill a small portable air tank.

Anyone else read that as Air Force Race Trailer?

Volks-Air?

I have a gas powered compressor, great to have at the track since it can run air tools no problem. Mine came out of a Forklift service van, so they can be found used out there for reasonable prices. Been using it for several years now with no problems.

oldopelguy wrote: Volks-Air?

I've been wanting one of these bad boys for years. There was a used one for sale on the local Craigslist a while back, but was still too expensive.

12V big-rig compressor? The type designed for use in big rigs to adjust the air suspension. Not cheap, but these seem to have an actual duty cycle rating vs the more pedestrian versions meant for occasionaly topping off a tire.

Combined with a reasonable reserve tank, it might even allow limited tool use.

One example:

http://www.truckspring.com/products/Firestone-Level-Command-Heavy-Duty-Air-Compressor-System---Single-Gauge__FIR2097.aspx

6' tall bottle of nitrogen and a regulator. It will last all season even using air tools.

Rather than a second A/C compressor on the engine, what about the engine-driven compressors to charge air shocks?

Here's a good article about adding on board air to a Jeep.

http://www.jeepaholics.com/support/Topic656910.aspx

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: 6' tall bottle of nitrogen and a regulator. It will last all season even using air tools.

This

http://austin.craigslist.org/tls/3451381891.html

+

http://www.harborfreight.com/horizontal-engine-gasoline-epa-212cc-ohv-7hp-69730.html

= on track Air?

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: 6' tall bottle of nitrogen and a regulator. It will last all season even using air tools.

Do you have an approximate cost on that? I like the idea.

I've got a bigger 12v "cheapo" compressor that is pretty dang quick inflating great big Mustang tires, like less than a minute from 35 to 50psi on a 255/50-17. I think I paid about $75 at O'Reilly's for it. Combine that with the HF air tank. Pressure up the tank before leaving home and use it for blow downs, then use the compressor directly for tire inflation.

search for kilby on board air and viair. The off-road world has a lot of this stuff dialed if your tow rig is going to be around. If you go with CO2, you might as well get a second regulator for on board kegarator for post race festivities.

I built a 13 cfm at 110 psi compressir using an old propane grille frame, a spare 10 gallon air tank (like the harbor freight air tanks), a dual piston compressor new off ebay for $90, and a 6.5 hp harbor freight horizontal shaft engine for $120 plus 20% coupon (recently on sale for $99 before coupon). I had to get one pulley from tractor supply as well as a belt, and I made copper air lines from ace hardware. I bought an air activator that kits on at 90 and off at 160 or something, and an idler clutch off a go kart that I plan on putting on the motor eventually so it will idle the motor under the clutch when it reaches the pressure set, but I haven't got around to that. It works good the way it is, I've been using it for 3 years, runs all my air tools, and total investment is around $250. If you buy a used air compressor off craiglist with a bad electric motor you can probably get a tank and the compressor unit for somewhere around $40-50. You can cheap out and find a used horizontal shaft engine on cl or at a swap meet, but for $99 plus 20% off the harbor freight one is kinda hard to beat for brand new.

Small electric compressor like a dewalt and a good sized power inverter?

I thought this was going to have something to do with a trailer you got from the airforce. I need to read more slowly.

glueguy wrote:

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: 6' tall bottle of nitrogen and a regulator. It will last all season even using air tools.

This

+1 most guys i race with use this.

I use a Northern Tool air compressor and either a 5000 watt inverter or a small generator. CMP, where I usually run, has power in the paddock so the power isn't usually needed.

Woody wrote: Here's a good article about adding on board air to a Jeep. http://www.jeepaholics.com/support/Topic656910.aspx

I have OBA system on the mgb. $20 a/c compressor, $15 in new gaskets, a couple of bucks for synthetic grease and a few pennies for a set screw to seal off a hole. I got a small tank for free. Spent about $100 on hose, manifold, pressure switch, relief valve and coagulating filter. It puts out more air than my 5hp craftsman (approx 8 cfm @ 100 psi) - easily runs air tools and can fill tires in seconds. I modified a sanden 5 series (jeeps, some mazdas) - also possible on sanden 7 series. Maybe another $10 for a switch, relay and wiring. You can also use a york a/c unit unmodified - it has it's own lube system so you don't have to do the grease mods like a sanden (extreme outback sells the modified sandens for about $400), but you do need the coag filter with it. 911 people will give yorks away, offroaders covet them. Heavy beasts. Sandens need a new shot of grease every few months of regular use. A lot of the offroad folks don't do the mods to the sandens. Without the mods they have a very short life. Here's the how to: sanden a/c mods for onboard air

Or you can get a viair knock off from the low rider/air suspension crowd/fleabay for about $120 that will put out a continuous 100 psi (at about 2 cfm). Loud and harsh, will have 1/2 the lifespan of a real viair compressor but will do the job.