Engine-driven air compressor - anyone ideas?

[Kyle]

I've been thinking about an engine-powered air compressor for some time. Called up Cummins Southwest and asked an engineer about one that fits the accessory port on the B's. I can get one for about $750, does 13 cfm and well over 150 psi (it's designed to power air brakes). Basically it would replace the vacuum pump though it's a about twice the size in length.



The engineer told me it wouldn't fit in a Dodge configuration. Later he faxed me a drawing with dimensions and it looks to me like it will fit. I'd just have to lengthen the return line on the PS pump so it'll move back about 6 inches. I'd replace the vacuum pump with an electric one since vacuum's not that important (just AC vents and cruice control on mine).



Anyone ever tried this?



Any other ideas on an engine driven air compressor (I don't like PTO's off the trans)?



That's not a bad price for constant duty and those capabilities. (beats the $7,000 I was quoted for a belt-driven one).

 

[pcorssmit]

A lot of four wheelers fab up brackets to mount a York air conditioning compressor. They work pretty well for airing up tires and light air tool usage, and are available with different outputs. The Yorks are the compressor of choice due to their seperate oil resivior and high output, and are plentiful in the junkyards.



Pete

 

['956Wheel]

Air comp

Check out www.onBoardAir.com this guy is a jeep fan but owns a V10 Ram and has a York on it... he is looking to do a Cummins!



Mike

 

[Kyle]

Can't use a belt drive

The trouble with belt-driven is that the only place I can see to put one would be on top of the alternator. That place is reserved for my hydraulic pump -- future upgrade to run a whole host of options. I've thought about a hydraulic-powered air compressor. That wouldn't be too hard to build. Just where to mount it? I'd much prefer the one driven off the accessory port if that's possible. That way it's out of the way and I know the Holset would work well.

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

On-board air compressor

I researched this whole thing just over a year ago and discovered that whilst the CTD is capable of powering an on-board air compressor, the engine bay configuration under the hood in the Dodge RAM will just not support it. To put this another way, the rear engine HD mount occupies the same physical space that the CTD compressor would do in a commercial vehicle.



My own requirement was for an air compressor to drive air over hydraulic brakes on my trailer as here in Europe, electric trailer brakes are not "recognised". If this is what you're trying to do, it may be worthwhile considering the "suck" rather than the "blow" approach and consider extending the use of the vacuum pump, which is more than man enough for the task... .



Elsewhere in the TDR website, you'll see one or two references to Dave Fitz and Toolman Tim Taylor who've got a lot more experience in on-board air. It's worth a detailed search of the archives.



Good luck!!

 

[swamp rat]

Looks like you Overvalved guys are in luck! VMAC makes a unit to fit the 98. 5-'01 Dodge Rams with and w/o AC.



Look here: http://www.vmac.ca/underhood/applications_list.htm



I emailed them several weeks ago for info for us ahem correctly valved types and they never bothered to respond. Maybe some of you will have better luck. Better yet, maybe several of us interested in the same thing could bombard them collectively demonstrating a commonn interest.



Swampy

 

[Straight6Jeff]

HEyya guys, definitely contact ONBOARDAIR.com. The owner, Brad Kilby is a really nice guy. He just emailed me yesterday in regards to the v-10 set up... still in development. The guy is a perfectionist. Even if he doesn't have a cummins kit, the rest of the materials are available from him at a very resonable price.



JEff

 

[moparguy]

Here's a 2cent idea.

I've given this some thought. At the moment, I'm thinking the first thing to do is relocate the batteries to a underframe location, use jell-pack units like Optima's, they don't care how you mount them, just so it's secure. Put them on the drivers side so as to reduce the amount of cable needed.



This frees up tons of underhood space for compressors, air horns or whatever.