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Air pump & tank or CO2?

1K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  Stu Olson 
#1 ·
I will purchase an on board air system tomorrow for my 2006 LJ Rubicon. The system will only be used to air up 33 x 12.50 tires from about 15 to 30 psi. I am looking at 2 options. Both options are about the same price of approx $400.

1) Viair HD (400c) pump and tank.
The good - permanent mount, pump under hood and tank under jeep so its out of the way, difficult to steal and is a one time cost.
The bad - harder to install and takes about 2 min per tire

2) 10lb CO2 tank.
The good - easy to install, fast to air up at about 30 sec per tire. And very portable.

The bad - eaiser to steal, takes up interior space, if mounted to the roll bar it can interfere with soft top raise/lower. When the tank is near empty it may run out of CO2 before getting all 4 inflated, Costs $$ to refill.

Between my two options (I know there are other pumps like york) which would youi install and why?????
 
#2 ·
I have an ARB Compressor under the hood that has an air fitting on it for filling up my tires, takes like 4 min per tire. I like it but will be adding a CO2 tank because with high pressure you can reseat a bead or use air tools if needed, in addition to filling up tires in no time
 
#3 ·
Gunnison said:
I am looking at 2 options. Both options are about the same price of approx $400.

Between my two options (I know there are other pumps like york) which would youi install and why?????
I've used CO2 and a high quality 12V compressor for several years now. I still have both of them and don't intend to dispose of either one.

First off, I don't think I would spend $400 on either of the setups you mentioned. I paid $100 for my CO2 tank setup (slightly used) which included the aluminum tank, regulator, and CO2 rated hose. I paid about twice that for my used 12V compressor and used an old 5# CO2 fire extinguisher bottle for the air tank.

Anyway, it all boils down to your wanting to refill the CO2 bottle or not wanting to bother with it. It is an on going expense but the fill ups are fast. You need to decide which you want....speed and future $$ or a slower fillup with no future $$ (this assumes nothing ever breaks).

It is like so many other Jeep mod decisions.....it all boils down to what YOU want to do (not what everyone else did or did not do). ;)
 
#4 ·
Well, my humble 2 cents here...

I bought the larger ARB compressor to operate my front locker and also to inflate a few tires on the trail. I mounted it under my hood and it works pretty well...but it's slow on inflating tires.

If I had to do it over, I should have bought a 10 lb CO2 bottle and rigged it to run the locker as well as airing up tires. Why? My thinking is that IF you have a electrical/mechanical failure with the compressor, you can still stay locked (and air up) with a CO2 bottle.

Mount the bottle low on the rollbar, just behind the drivers seat. That location shouldn't take up much room.

Good luck with your decision. :)
 
#5 ·
I personally wouldn't do either, but, since your question was to choose between the two...

I would go with the Viair.

I wouldn't want to deal with getting the CO2 tank filled since I tend to impulsively go wheeling. I've been known to air up intending to drive home then get distracted by an interesting looking trail.

You can air up someone else if needed.

Saves some room inside although the tank does look kinda cool

And all of the reasons you have already listed
 
#6 ·
I have a 20# co2 tank, and I use a $50 air compressor (Pep Boys) as a back-up if my tank gets empty before I can fill it. to fill my 33's from 12-30psi takes the co2 1 minute and my back-up compressor can do it in 3.5 minutes (not too bad for $50). I built my own tank and it cost me $80 for hose, regulator, fittings, etc. I run air tools with it also, so I couldn't tell you how many tires I could fill before I'm empty. It costs me $20 for a fill-up. the downside is the storage, a 20# tank is huge, you can transport the tank on it's side - but it needs to be upright when you use it, I have a mount installed in the back but I have plans on building my own tire carrier so I will be integrating a mount for the co2 on that, next to the gas can.

as far as what you should do - that's up to you. I got my tank for free, so I went with building my own co2 system.
 
#7 ·
CO2 ... it's easier, faster and you can pull it out of your Jeep and walk it to where it's needed. I live a mile from a welding supply place who refill it while I wait, for $10, so it's convenient for me. Also I wouldn't run an ARB pump to fill tyres ... it's not a 100% duty cycle pump so you will kill it eventually (I speak from experience). $400 is way too much for a CO2 system, I paid $140 for mine ... shop around.
 
#8 ·
I had to make the same decision a while ago. I decided to go with a 12V compressor.

The 12v compressor works for me because we wheel with a group of people all the time and at the end of the day when we're airing up we're hanging around talking anyway. So whats the hurry? It takes a while to air up the 33x10.5s so we gab abit, then I go and switch to the next tire.

Size was a factor too. We take our kids wheelin with us. So we have very little space to spare. Everything we take has to fit behind the rear seat. That little compressor in its bag is much smaller than any CO2 combo.

I'm also cheap. So a one time expense of 60 - 100 bucks is easily justified over the $80 & up cost for the initial CO2 set-up plus the refills. Plus how convenient is it for you to get the tank refilled? Will they do it while you wait or do you have to leave your tank there.

Lastly, and this is just me being a safety freak. But something doesn't sit right with me about having a heavily pressurized tank anywhere in or attached to the jeep. I knw there are brackets and handles designed to hold and protect the tank, but if something were to happen to allow the tank to fall onto its valve and break it off, you'll be in a world of hurt.

I've never regretted the 12V compressor decision. I'll upgrade to a better one, but that's about it.

Good luck with your decision.
Mike
 
#9 ·
CO2 is only stored at about 700psi. It won't go anywhere if the handle broke off. It isn't like a N2 tank that can reach 3000psi.

I have a CO2 tank but I got tired of filling it up so I am going to convert my a/c to oba. I really like the idea of having the CO2 as a portable backup however.
 
#10 ·
kercher said:
CO2 is only stored at about 700psi. It won't go anywhere if the handle broke off. It isn't like a N2 tank that can reach 3000psi.
think of it more as a big fire extinguisher than as a missle - it'll be loud if it breaks but it won't kill anyone
 
#11 ·
I decided on the Viair system. Thanks for the help!
 
#12 ·
I have hardcore offroad friends that swear by their C02 tanks but I still prefer my belt-driven compressor with 2.5 gallon air tank OBA system. Volume-wise, it will run air tools all day and refill my four aired down 35" tires in five minutes total (from 7 to 28 psi). It's been 100% reliable for the 7-8 years it's been installed and... it never runs out of air (or C02). ;)
 
#13 ·
kercher said:
CO2 is only stored at about 700psi. It won't go anywhere if the handle broke off. It isn't like a N2 tank that can reach 3000psi.
yes and no
With an ambient temp of about 70F, a full tank will hit about 700 PSI. Increase ambient temp and the tank pressure rises. Increase ambient temp and overfill the tank just slightly, it will rupture the 3000 PSI copper disc in the safety valve. Been there, done that.

More details can be found at.....

http://www.stu-offroad.com/recovery/co2/co2-2.htm

It is worth reading, IMHO.
 
#14 ·
whitham_wannabe said:
Also I wouldn't run an ARB pump to fill tyres ... it's not a 100% duty cycle pump so you will kill it eventually (I speak from experience).
You need to qualify that statement by referring to only those ARB pumps that are not 100% duty cycle rated. I know of one current production ARB pump sold here in the US that is 100% duty cycle rated, runs submerged, etc. ARB put it on the market a year or two ago.
 
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