Pac Brake Compressor(Viair 275)

[WTreat]

Just wanted to drop a line about the Viair compressor that Pac Brake used to use! I have an 05 Dodge 3500 that I have had the Pac Brake in since 2006. The system has worked pretty much flawlessly minus some freezing up issues where I had to move the activation switch right off the pump until recently when the pump quit on me.



The pump would run and hum but no air. After taking the pump off and calling Pac Brake they told me that the Viair pump was obsolete and could not be rebuilt that I needed the upgrade kit at at cost of $260! I took them at there word and bought the upgrade kit! This is where it gets good. Like anyone who forks out good money for such a product I took the old pump apart to find that the crank and piston assembly was broken. I contacted Viair and the pump is rebuildable! For $30 I bought a replacement piston and took the time to install it and the pump works like new. I contacted Pac Brake about this and explained that the pump was rebuildable and wanted some kind of price drop for the new setup I was told I needed and they went on about how I got the new pump setup for well under list price. Wow, a company who stands behind there product. Oh and Pac Brake went to a Puma pump!



So the moral of this post is that if you have a Pac Brake with the Viair 275 pump it can be rebuilt and you don't have to spend the money like I did I hope that this saves someone else some money!!

 

[Bob4x4]

Just wanted to drop a line about the Viair compressor that Pac Brake used to use! I have an 05 Dodge 3500 that I have had the Pac Brake in since 2006. The system has worked pretty much flawlessly minus some freezing up issues where I had to move the activation switch right off the pump until recently when the pump quit on me.

The pump would run and hum but no air. After taking the pump off and calling Pac Brake they told me that the Viair pump was obsolete and could not be rebuilt that I needed the upgrade kit at at cost of $260! I took them at there word and bought the upgrade kit! This is where it gets good. Like anyone who forks out good money for such a product I took the old pump apart to find that the crank and piston assembly was broken. I contacted Viair and the pump is rebuildable! For $30 I bought a replacement piston and took the time to install it and the pump works like new. I contacted Pac Brake about this and explained that the pump was rebuildable and wanted some kind of price drop for the new setup I was told I needed and they went on about how I got the new pump setup for well under list price. Wow, a company who stands behind there product. Oh and Pac Brake went to a Puma pump!

So the moral of this post is that if you have a Pac Brake with the Viair 275 pump it can be rebuilt and you don't have to spend the money like I did I hope that this saves someone else some money!!

That is the trend... ..... we are going(or already in)a throw away society,Pac brake will make more money selling an upgrade than repair parts.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I have the older Viar pump so this is good to know! Thanks.

 

[Motorhead]

Good to know about the repair parts. I have the old Viair in my truck also. It has worked well. One thing that preserves the pump life is making sure the air system doesn't leak down causing the compressor to cycle more often. So was the case when I first installed My pacbrake. I checked ALL air connections and had no leaks. Gee... . Seems that Pacbrake knew that the compressor valves leak down the air pressure but didn't include a small, inexpensive check valve. I installed the check valve and it works well now.
Bob4x4, I couldn't agree with you more about the way todays markets lean heavily toward "Replacement and not Repair" I have what I have today because for MANY LEAN years I fixed and repaired either stuff I already had or scrounged and fixed stuff to use myself. I am proud of it too!

 

[MTstones]

Motorhead, Where and what check valve did you put into your system. Where did you get it?

Thanks, Mtstones

 

[Motorhead]

I got it from Pacbrake. I don't remember the part number. I am sure they will know.