| On The Air... |
| A while back I heard about converting automotoive air conditioning compressors to air pumps for onboard air supplies. I intended to install a York air compressor system in my truck, to provide me with a infinite supply of compressed air for inflating tires, running air tools, inflating basketballs and Macy's parade floats, etc. The York is ideal because it's cheap, it produces a large volume of air, and it is self-lubricating. There are several kits on the market to adapt the York for compressed air service on Jeeps, GMs and Fords. There are also some great web resources for installing the York in a Toyota, however, because of the enormous power steering and ABS components in my engine compartment, installing something as large as the York is out of the question. As I really want an onboard air system, and as I have already purchased most of the fittings and hoses for the system, I decided to try the kit from Front Range Offroad which converts the stock Toyota a/c compressor to air compressor duty. Front Range's kit cost US$150 in May 2002. The Toyota compressor was originally lubricated by the freon which circulated throuth it, so using it to pump only air requires an 'oiler' unit, which is included in the Front Range kit. Although the quality of the kit itself, and the clarity of the installation instructions included is excellent, Front Range should be chided for thir slow processing and shipping practices. As they are a 'cottage industry', they are entitled to a little bit of tardiness, but the order took several weeks to ship, due to backordered parts. My personal feeling is that if one is offering something for sale, one should be sure to have stock before he begins advertising. Hopefully Front Range will expand and become successful enough to hire a full-time staff and properly market their fine products. In fact, I have a feeling Front Range may soon become one of the most frrquented and respected Toyota 4x4 fabricators in the US, replacing some of the "Big Boys" who have let themselves get a little too comfortable in their success. Don't forget you heard it here first! Front Range is coming out with some clever and well-made components, and I'll shop there again! Their kit includes everything you need to convert a stock Toyota a/c compressor to an air compressor, except the compressor itself, the stock hoses, and a reserve tank (if you want to run air tools with this system, you will need a reserve tank. More on that later). I picked up my compressor, mounting bracket and idler pully assembly from South Island Import, an auto recycler in Nanaimo which specialises in Japanese trucks and cars. The whole shebang cost me around $100, with a 90 day warranty on the compressor. |
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| This is the Toyota compressor, installed with the ports taped closed in anticipation of the Front Range conversion kit. If your truck did not come with air conditioning, you will need to buy several bolts to replace the ones which currently secure your timing case cover to the block. The bolts you need to find are a little longer than stock as they have to be long enough to run through the a/c compressor bracket as well as the timing cover. Toyota dealers in the US can still order these bolts, but, for reasons unknown to proles like me, Toyota Canada does not make these bolts available to their dealers. The best thing to do is take your existing bolts to a fastener specialist in your area and find some which are around half an inch longer. The thread is metric, extra fine, btw. Good luck! |
| My air system is centralised around a pair of steel, six gallon reserve tanks, linked together, and mounted in the space where the stock spare tire used to hang, under the cargo area floor. 12 gallons of air is quite a bit. I bought them used from LangFab in Nanaimo, for around $25 each. I had them sandblasted, and then I gave them several layers of rust paint.The line from the air compressor runs the full length of the truck to the tanks. There are several reasons for this remote location of compressed air: there's lots of room under there, I'm not storing compressed air near the moving parts of the engine, and the long air lines allow the hot air from the compressor to cool slightly as it travels to the tanks. I took a length of 2 1/2" PVC pipe I had laying around, and cut it down to use as a conduit for the hose as it runs under the body. This pipe protects the hoses from rock and road damage. One day, I'll make a skidplate to further protect the tanks, too. In addition to a skidplate, the next time my tailpipe needs to be replaced, I'll have a custom one bent to relocate even further away from the air tanks, for safety. One tank has a release valve on it though, set at 120psi, so the liklihood of explosion due to heat, puncture, or expansion is remote. From the tanks, one 1/4" line runs back into the cab, where a gauge is mounted for the true air compression reading. Another air line runs from the tanks to a quick-connect NPT coupling concealed behind the fuel-filler door. The location keeps the fitting clean, and looks way cool when I open the little door and attach an air line to the body of the truck. The photo to the left shows the cargo floor area prepped for the installation of the tanks. The chain linkage which used to hold the tire in place had to be grinded off, as it was so corroded. Luckily I never had a flat when the tire was stored underneath--the spare would still be rusted to the underside of the truck! Once the tanks are repainted and linked together, they will be attached to the existing tire mount shown here (with the hose temporarily wrapped around it). By the way, that's a 25' hose, and I though it would be much too long. As it happens, 25" is pretty much exactly right to run from the engine bay to the cargo area, with the hose secured safely all along the way. |
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| Looking forward from under the rear drivers'-side door, here is the PVC conduit which protects the air hose after it goes under the body from the firewall. The conduit runs between the two body mounts under the front doors. From the rear of the conduit, the air hoses can be zapstrapped to the top of the framerails, out of harm's way. I'll wrap the short exposed section you see here, in garden or rad hose. Once the system is complete and tested, I'll lightly epoxy the PVC to the rocksliders, so it doesn't rattle around. |