here is how I set up my on board air system. First I took an A/C compressor from a 96 XJ, then took it all the way apart to see just how it worked.http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_204649103581_536063581_402149.jpg
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_204650568581_536063581_402153.jpg
Next I blocked off the oil port on the far left of the picture below, the hole with the slot.
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_206098383581_536063581_403558.jpg
Then I drilled a hole in the swash plate case and taped it for a zerk fitting. This way the pump can be lubricated with grease instead of oil. The blocked off port keeps the lube in the pump as it normally circulates oil with the refrigerant. Then I went to the junk yard and got a A/C pump mounting bracket off of a 93XJ to mount the pump to my Jeep which is a 90. Next I went to the fluid couplers supply down the street and had them make a custom hose that bolts to the out port on the pump and then has normal air/pipe thread on the other end.http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_213923788581_536063581_410287.jpg While I was there I got a check valve pressure release safety valve and all the connectors and reducers that I needed to make every thing bolt together. I parted out an old compressor that had rusted through and used the gauges pressure switch and regulator.http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214767048581_536063581_410909.jpg http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214706063581_536063581_410822.jpg http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214767303581_536063581_410910.jpg[/IMG] I used semi truck air brake line to run down the frame rail to the air tank in the back of the jeep. I also used the smaller air brake pilot line to run to the pressure switch mounted on the fire wall. http://http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214767048581_536063581_410909.jpg http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214750208581_536063581_410897.jpg This type of air line does not require any hose clamps or compression fittings you just push it in to the fitting and it locks. It can be easily removed and the fitting reused. I got a 7 gallon air tank from a friend that he had used for air bags on his truck and stuck it in the back for now, I plan to make my bumpers in to air tanks but have not gotten that far yet.http://http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214750693581_536063581_410897.jpg I tested it out tonight it pumps up the 7 gallon tank at idle to 120psi in 1.5 min seems to run air tools just fine. I will do some more testing this weekend in the snow.

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214750693581_536063581_410897.jpg

bad ass.

Is there anyway to change the grease in it without taking it apart?
Might need another port so you can pump in new grease from one and let the old grease out the other hole. Did you use High temp grease?

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/on%20board%20air/16133_214750693581_536063581_410897.jpg

Harbor Freight Tank Ehh??

Yeah, Ill fuckin pass on that :nuke: . Why did you choose such a cheap ass tank?

Sweet little write up though man. Good work!

Harbor Freight Tank Ehh??

Yeah, Ill fuckin pass on that :nuke: . Why did you choose such a cheap ass tank?

Sweet little write up though man. Good work!

they sell campbell hausfeld at home depotand lowe's??? never seen one at HF. I've got one in the garage.

Interesting.

Two questions:

Why grease, and not oil? I wonder how that's going to "flow" compared to refrigerant oil.

Why did you run that line down the outside of the frame where it's unprotected?

Otherwise I like it.

It uses grease as it runs so you don't really have to change it just add it once in a while. I will probably add a separator to it but the grease does not seem to make it out of the air tank so it doesn't seem to cause any problems. I just used the ep grease that was in the grease gun for now but I am going to look for something that is synthetic and a bit stickier. If I used oil it would all blow out. The pump gets pretty warm as it runs so the grease should move around. I got the air tank for $5 that is why I used it, seems to work fine. I took one of my wheels off with a half inch air gun and it only dropped about 25 psi turned back on for about 20 seconds and was back to 120. I went snow camping last night and did some testing I found that an air hammer with a chisel splits kindling nicely. Then to day when I got back to the highway I aired up my 35's from 10psi in about 3 minutes. Seems to work as planned. That was the easiest way to run the air line and the truck brake line is pretty tough so we will see how long it lasts. The entire setup only cost me about $130.00 I will try to get some better pictures in better light and put them up. Here is another website where I got some information. http://www.grungle.com/endlessair.html

Good write up. I plan on doing a similar setup but I was going to use an air tool oiler inline with the intake, and then a separater on the output. Do you think there is any advantage to using grease as opposed to oil?

also I couldn't tell from your pictures, did you run an air filter?

I haven't tried it with an oiler but it seemed like too much stuff going on that's why I went this way. I used the air filter that came off the parts compressor and attached it with some heater hose but I may put a hole in the air box and just use the engine air filter so that it wont get as much dirt sprayed on it. A couple of my friends are going to build compressors so maybe I can get some more step by step pictures and we might try to do it with less fittings. Still I thought no hose clamps on the entire thing was the way to go.

I also used the stock Sanden pump but i ran an air filter and inline oiler.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v685/nobs48/Projects/4x4029.jpg
also McMaster Car sells air lines and barbed fitting a lot less than Kilby
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v685/nobs48/Projects/4x4030.jpg
i did mine with a VIAIR tank for about $125. I do get a little oil in the air lines but not enough to bother me and its never seemed to bother my tires and i run them at 8 lbs with no bead locks on a constant basis.
Nice write up id like to hear back in a year to see how the grease is holding up.

Yeah I will use the hell out of it and let you all know how long it lasts on grease, I've heard quite a while. Just blew up my front diff so won't be doing any testing any time soon.

auto-oiler is the way to go, and a seperator should be used in fornt of an oiler when on the disharge side, but you don't have to worry about oil in the tires, all industrial shops are set up for discharge water seperator and then oiler to keep air tools oiled, guess what they used the same air line to fill your tires.
unless you have more money than brains and want pure nitrogen in your tires...

how do you monitor your grease levels?

Nice work bro. Here's what I'm still trying to figure out, since when is Campbell Hausfeld a HF brand? :shaking:

Just like a leaky engine make sure there is more grease in it than you need I suppose.

Just like a leaky engine make sure there is more grease in it than you need I suppose.

Great write up! Thanks! :smokin:

I have been using the shit out of the compressor, while my axle was broken i used it as a mobile compressor to run air tools and fill peoples tires. Now that I have 4 wheel drive again I have been doing some driving in the snow and airing up all my friends tires as well as mine. I need to start selling air in the woods or something.

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/P1010008.jpg
using the impact to swap on some snow tires on the side of the highway

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/P1010044.jpg
tire was leaking out the bead, I was stuck at the time but he pulled up to get some air

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/P1010065.jpg
nothing like letting all the air out

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll148/XJOREGONDIRT/P1010029.jpg

When I had mine hooked up, I would just squirt some slick 50 into the air pickp every few months to keep everything lubed up, never had a problem with it drying out that way. just run it a while and let it blow off the air to get the extra lube out is all

I've seen this done before to get onboard air for ARBs, it's a great idea.

Nicely done, thanks for the detailed writeup.

Nice writeup and nice 2 door.

I did this a few years back, and for compressor oiling I teed into the crankcase vent hose on a 4.0 valvecover. The slight amount of oil in the blow by(no, the motor was not worn out)kept the compressor lubricated. I never had any issues with it, and the person I sold it to used it to run air tools away from his shop. I did run a cut off wheel continuously, with only the front bumper as an air tank. The volume of the bumper was 1.8 gallons, and I would run the engine at a fast idle by putting a nicel under the throttle stop.

Maybe I missed it, but did you mention where you mounted the tank. I have a tankless OBA setup right now, but only because I couldn't figure out a good place to mount the tank. Photos would rock.

I mounted mine in the back in the cargo area to where the spare used to go. Also, the air coming out of the compressor can get hot. I blew a PVC hose there before but the copper helps now. Also add quick disconnects at the front an rear of the vehicle.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f164/RuffedUpXj/New%20Stuff/IMAG0040.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f164/RuffedUpXj/New%20Stuff/IMAG0042.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f164/RuffedUpXj/New%20Stuff/IMAG0031.jpg

Thanks for the pics. Final question. With the tank mounted on the side, are you not worried about moisture getting in the tank and you not being able to drain it? That's the reason I haven't mounted mine, because I couldn't locate a spot where the train plug was situated to be usable.

Checking back on this as I'm looking for a similar solution...

Any updates? Long term durability?

Thanks,

Chris

I'm curious as well, my sanden has been sitting doing nothing for years, I've got a 2.5 gal vair tank and I want to make it happen. I'm tired of 12 volt pumps :mad3:

I really like this idea, just put an oil collector after the pump as you always would so your not spitting dirty motor oil through everything and call it good!

I did this a few years back, and for compressor oiling I teed into the crankcase vent hose on a 4.0 valvecover. The slight amount of oil in the blow by(no, the motor was not worn out)kept the compressor lubricated. I never had any issues with it, and the person I sold it to used it to run air tools away from his shop. I did run a cut off wheel continuously, with only the front bumper as an air tank. The volume of the bumper was 1.8 gallons, and I would run the engine at a fast idle by putting a nicel under the throttle stop.

Mine has been holding up well, i use it quite a bit. I did melt the plastic air brake line once when i was using it with an air cut off wheel. The copper tubing on Ruffedupxj's looks like a good idea. I pile snow on the compressor when we are airing up tires in the mountains. a smaller pulley and water cooled or something would be sweet.

nice write up...plus 2door XJ's are SEX! :beer:

are you around eugene? this jeep looks familiar.

yeah im from eugene. Trying to move though.

cant blame you. Setup looks good, eager to hear how it holds up. Been thinking of doing this myself but didn't like the idea of an inline oiler.