Air compressor mounting options

I'm looking to add on board air to my '19 and was thinking about the ARB dual compressor.

When looking at mounting options I've come across the Rago Fabrication and the Slee Offroad mounts ($125 and $140 respectively)

Is it just me or does this seem kinda expensive for a bent piece of metal with some holes in it? (Granted I don't have tools to make one so who am I to talk!)

Anybody know of other less expensive mounts or have success rigging up a mount in the engine bay (or elsewhere)?

I'm also not married to the ARB dual, just seemed to check all the boxes, heavy duty, good reviews ect.

Any advice/input is appreciated!

 

I’ll probably just buy an air tank and turn it into a portable fill tank. Can be done for around $150

 

I was thinking of the same also, but sorry forgot to mention that the reason I'd like on board is just for the purpose of saving space. I'd like to go on camping trips ect and with family and dog supplies it gets tight!

 

I feel that! My trips for two people would absolutely load my crew max tundra to the max. Haven’t done any big trips in the runner yet.

 

My buddy had an air tank that he let me use. Yep, filled tires right quick. But it was a total PITA to have to take to a shop to get re-filled.

I had the twin ARB on my jeep. Worked great for filling 35" tires. But it was installed on the jeep. If I wanted to use it anywhere else I had to take the jeep.

Currently I have the Portable ARB single. I have all my tire repair items in the case, compressor, air hose, ARB filler/gauge, tire plugs, emergency valve stems, gloves and maybe a couple of other items I forgot. The small ARB case does take up some room in the rig but I can take it with me in any vehicle to any location which I have done several times to help out my daughter or a friend.

 

Thanks @rkwfxd , still trying to make up my mind!

 

I was thinking about using a Viair 400p. It’s portable, handles up to 35” tires, and I don’t have to mount it in the 4 Runner. It doesn’t seem to take up much space and comes with a carry bag.

 

hit up bandi on the toyota4runner forum if your on there also, he did mines. sorry cant remember what i paid tho. heres a far away photo. its all i have right now. haves a 1 gallon viair tank underneath of the mount.

 

Oh nice thanks! He even makes one to fit a tank underneath.

 

Yes thats why i went this route.

 

Nice horns!!

 

I was eyeing those too!

 

Lol thanks, truck horn

 

btw my mount will be up for sale $80 plus shipping if interested.

 

Putting the air compressor in the engine compartment is a bad idea. The underhood temps and the heat load from the compressor itself along with high desert ambient temperatures will kill the seals in short order. This is a pneumatic device not an alternator, PS pump or scroll compressor for an AC system. Put the unit some place else like at the back of the vehicle away from the exhaust systems heat load. Take it from me I have lived with this underhood solution and died with it as the solenoid valves for the ARB diffs will keep leaking and the compressors efficiency will degrade to the point of realizing that you can't make any real CFM or pressure as the end draws near for the compressors overheated life under the bonnet.

 

I imagine there have been thousands of ARB lockers sold through the years, with the majority of the compressors for those mounted under the hood...wouldn't ARB have built their compressors with what you're describing in mind?

 

That^ and I plan on popping the hood prior to using the compressor to mitigate this risk as much as possible. Thank you though!

 

Anything pneumatic that is subjected to operating temps from the engine is going to kill the seals in a solenoid valve and a compressors inner seals. All three of the ARB compressors that I have put in engine compartments were ruined inside of 5 years. A pressure regulator that I used to bring the pressure down to 90 PSI for the air locking diffs started leaking after several years as the filter bowl could not handle the heat and cracked. Even an Rancho RS-9000 pneumatic compressor kit I had installed on my 82 4X4 died a short death and was just out of the warranted period when it stopped making enough pressure to adjust the sock valving on Rancho's adjustable RS-9000's shocks that they sold as an accessory.

Go ahead and put this stuff in the engine compartment and if you keep your truck for a decade you will regret it. There are some immediate conveniences like the electrics are simpler to hook up and such but electric motors (I am not talking about a starter motor here) and pneumatic compressor seals do not like heat for the long term. This is why the compressor has a duty cycle so that the sustained high operating temperature needed to compress air doesn't ruin the damn seal immediately. The elastomeric properties in the o-rings and lip seals and tubing go away with heat cycling and once the compliance is gone the leaks will happen and the compressor will take longer and longer to charge up the tank pressure. This is my experience and I'm not trying to rain on your respective parades here but trying to tell you that it is a bad idea. After you have respectively cooked all the components enough times the first cold snap you are in with freezing temps those seals will leak like they weren't even there. Take my word for it I've been there and experienced it first hand on several occasions in Calico and Bishop, CA and Moab, UT as well.

If you think running the ruddy thing with the bonnet open is going to make it better your are sorely missing the point. Smog legal OBD-II engines are operating well into the 200°F range to make the emissions palatable and that is just to be warmed up let alone any high demand heat load from a hill climb or heavy right footed driving. That is basically >120 degrees above ambient for an 80° day with just a warmed up engine. If you think your seals are going to win the day your kidding yourself for the long term. With that thing sitting on the inner fender panel in direct sight of the exhaust manifold it will perish in due time! Put a thermistor under the bonnet and record the temps and then you might believe me.