Electric Air Compressor Mounting

[mwilson]

Well, it would appear that I am going to be the proud owner of an Air Lift air bag kit. With compressor and remote control.

So I have been wondering if I can get away by installing the compressor and valve in the rear storage compartment behind the seats. I'm debating how much heat and noise (downside) versus less system moisture and longer valve life (upside)...

Airlines will exit the cab using bulkhead / female pipe fittings. Same thing we created for Ozy's seats when he installed them.

I can't imagine that the little buzzing compressor will make much heat, but I could be wrong.
In my mind it's a long way from a 2 cylinder Bendix Two-Flo 750 air compressor bolted to the forward gear train of a Cat 3406B engine....

Bring it on, good and bad......

 

[petersonj]

I'm debating how much heat and noise (downside)

Noise could be an issue but I don't think heat would be, unless you were performing a large task such as inflating a tire.


If it is being installed with a pressure tank and a pressure switch, then compressor run times would be few and far between. You could even use a toggle switch in the dash to control a relay that operates the compressor. This would allow you to have more control as to when the compressor kicks on, which would make your concern of noise a lesser issue.

- John

 

[BLNRAY]

i have an viair 450 compressor on my truck and i assure you you don't want that inside the cab,noise and heat.mounted mine on the frame just forward of the right rear tires,also mounted a 3 gal.resivoir

 

[lpennock]

I have the Kielderman two stage with the tank the pump doesn't run often but when it does it is at least as loud as the FASS. Wouldn't want to have it in the cab.

Leonard Pennock (AD7AS)
Sent with Tapatalk

 

[Bob4x4]

In your climate/road condition I understand why you would not want it under the truck.As long as the system is tight(leak free) the compressor would not run very much while driving and less than 30 seconds on start up or leveling after adding a load.If the noise is not an issue for you the next obstacle will be adaquite clearance to upholstery and or air circulation .Adding sound insulation/sound deadening on the back wall of the cab would help to keep amplification of the noise.I would do the install and see if you can live with it

 

[Jim W]

Mike,
I have the Air Lift 5000, with the on-board wireless air compressor on my truck. This is mounted under the truck bed on the frame. Every time I air up the compressor it does make noise and you can feel it, at least I can the vibration from the compressor. Which I do not mind as this is not often unless I am towing my trailer, then it seems to fill up at every rest stop we are at. Now if I lived in Maine and I had your weather conditions with a lot of road salt, I would mount this is a small box in the bed of the truck under the side rail in front of one of the rear wheels. The only connections would be an electrical wire from a fuse source with a ground wire and two air lines out of the air compressor one for the RH bag and the other for the LH bag. All of the of the wiring is self-contained by the compressor and controller with no intrusion into the cab by wires or air lines. just another suggestion.

 

[mwilson]

In your climate/road condition I understand why you would not want it under the truck.As long as the system is tight(leak free) the compressor would not run very much while driving and less than 30 seconds on start up or leveling after adding a load.If the noise is not an issue for you the next obstacle will be adaquite clearance to upholstery and or air circulation .Adding sound insulation/sound deadening on the back wall of the cab would help to keep amplification of the noise.I would do the install and see if you can live with it

I think I will have to lay it down in order for it to fit. The compartments have covers but worried about the heat if they are closed with a bunch of crap stacked on top.

I don't fear some noise, I used to drive heavily loaded trucks with 8V-71 Detroit power and the left hand stack exited about 1 foot above the open drivers side window.....I have some hearing loss as a result.........

The truck is in storage with a snowbank in front of the garage doors so I have to go on straight memory for now until Spring thaw.

 

[mwilson]

Vibrating air compressor pales in comparison to this...same exact powertrain as what I drove...but this truck is just playing around with no load on it...and the windows are up...

Wife wonders why I have a hard time to hear on occasion...

https://youtu.be/TPm-CSpF2wg

 

[CBari]

Mike the plastic batter boxes make a great cover for the compressors mounted on the frame rail.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I mounted my compressor when my truck was a few weeks old and had been driven in the rain enough that I could tell where under the truck it would stay the most clean and dry. That ended up being a recessed area under the rear seat area. It has been there 13 years and is still only slightly dirty and it works great!

 

[mwilson]

Noise could be an issue but I don't think heat would be, unless you were performing a large task such as inflating a tire.


If it is being installed with a pressure tank and a pressure switch, then compressor run times would be few and far between. You could even use a toggle switch in the dash to control a relay that operates the compressor. This would allow you to have more control as to when the compressor kicks on, which would make your concern of noise a lesser issue.

- John

Yes, I will switch it. I left an extra circuit in my Painless wiring block just for the compressor. I like the idea of powering it down when it suits me.

I have several types of air tanks here in stock, most likely will use an El Cheapo semi-trailer air tank. Probably take an hour to fill it but I'll plenty of reserve air when I need it.....

 

[mwilson]

I mounted my compressor when my truck was a few weeks old and had been driven in the rain enough that I could tell where under the truck it would stay the most clean and dry. That ended up being a recessed area under the rear seat area. It has been there 13 years and is still only slightly dirty and it works great!

I've got to get the truck out of storage soon, I can't remember what's available for room underneath. I guess I have to call in a favor and get a bucket loader to clear a path to the storage garage. It will not stop snowing.......and then I have to do the same for the trailer....

We signed on to take the two oldest grandsons to DC the last two weeks of April so I gots to get moving......decided to take the truck and trailer instead of flying or taking the Yukon. Motels are some kind of pricey in that area.....Plus we would rather have all of our stuff with us...

Nice campground right in College Park with a Metro Bus Stop right out front. That will be just perfect!!!

 

[CBari]

Mike I will try to take a pic of my tank under my 03 for your I got a tank from truck salvage yard and mounted behind the transfer case in between it and the fuel tank. *I worked well. *

 

[mwilson]

Vibrating air compressor pales in comparison to this...same exact powertrain as what I drove...but this truck is just playing around with no load on it...and the windows are up...

Wife wonders why I have a hard time to hear on occasion...

https://youtu.be/TPm-CSpF2wg

Did anyone notice the circuit breakers right on the dash??? (The vertical row of red buttons)......reset a bum circuit on the fly.......

 

[BarryG]

On my 01 I hung the tank from the rear bed cross member. It was more or less over the axle and driveshaft. Worked great for 12 years. On the comp I hung it off the frame rail right behind the cab using unistrut. I took 4 pc of unistrut mounted comp to two of them. so that they went perpendicular to the frame. Then took the other two pcs and put them on the other side of the frame like a unistrut frame sandwich. Put bolts through the unistrut above and below the frame and tightened them down. The bolts above the frame would keep it from possibly sliding down over time and the ones below were really just used to keep the sandwich together on the bottom. I cut the struts long so that I could mount the comp as high as possible it was essentially above the frame right behind the cab and an inch below the bottom of the bed. It is fairly well protected there. I also had some sheet metal laying around and fabbed a sort of box leaving the top open to protect it even more. When I sold my 01 in December I took it off and was pleasantly surprised at how well it looked. It had worked fine for 12 or 13 years and still was, planning on doing same with the 17. Had enough room in my box for the the electrical connections etc.

 

[JKosten]

Only downside to cab install is if you add an exhaust brake down the road, the compressor would cycle more often. Otherwise for only air bags, it shouldn't be that bad.

I have a Viair compressor mounted under the bed where the spare used to live (35" tires do not fit under the bed) with a 5 gallon tank. It runs the air bags, exhaust brake, air horn, and air chucks on each bumper (really handy).

 

[1weldit]

Not sure what kind, if any, mounting brackets that come with the compressor you're getting, but the one I installed a couple months ago in my '07 was made to fit between the inner and outer fender on the right front of the truck. Although it was part of the kit from BD with the exhaust brake, it fit very nicely in there above the plastic fender liner. The wiring harness for power and control was really simple to install also. A true plug-n-play design. This compressor could also be used to supply an airbag suspension or air ride seats. I'm actually thinking about installing a small air tank on mine to reduce the amount of cycles the compressor goes on and off but would increase run time per cycle. Check out BD for just the air compressor if you don't already have one purchased. Might be worthwhile. It's a pretty well protected area out of the way too.


2007 3500 4x4 QCLB DRW, 5.9, G56 SBDD, S&B intake, 4" custom exhaust w/ cat-muffler delete, Airdog II 165-4g, BMS-50 injectors, Exergy Sportsman CP3, 110# springs, ARP Studs, Tater Built 62 65 he351cw Towmaster, BD manifold, BD remote mount exhaust brake, EFILive by Firepunk w/ CPS5, Autometer factory match boost & pyrometer, Amsoil by-pass filter & Amsoil fluids!

1990 Toyota 4x4 22re
5420 John Deere MFWD w/541 loader

 

[mwilson]

Thanks to all who replied!!! I got truck out of storage yesterday and will be starting the install this week. Weather has turned favorable for a few days at least. A quick peek in the left hand storage box makes me think it is going to fit...will measure in detail tomorrow night. Have to go get the camper out. May have to hook it up tonight and then drive it in here early in the morning while the road is frozen...things are a mite squishy today....frost just coming out of the road....

 

[mwilson]

Air bags are installed, going out in a bit to mount the compressor and valve...time is tight as I want to leave Wednesday so I'm going quick and dirty by mounting it to the underside of the cab just ahead of the fuel tank. There is plenty of room in the rear storage compartment but I just didn't have the gumption or time to tear the interior apart over the weekend. It looks fairly protected right there.

I can change it later on as time permits. I'm going to run the air lines up the center above the driveshaft. I had Seth bring home some Freightliner dohickeys that push into a 1/4" hole and have a wire tie made to them. I'll just drill holes as needed and use those fasteners. That should work pretty good and I will not have to move them if I relocate the compressor. You can change the wire tie later without disturbing the push fastener base...

Will get pictures later on...

 

[mwilson]

A few quick shots....

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