GEN 2 On board air compressor and tank install

[Augster]

View attachment 136929

Oooo, shiny, clean and tidy... just the way I like to keep my work shop.

But out here on the dry, dusty trails and dunes of SoCal and the Southwest, my bed gets a fine layer of dust that finds its way under the BakFlip MX and everything contained therein. The same goes for under the hood, where I've been contemplating an ARB Twin install. Because of the OCD in me, I have to always unload and wash the bed and engine compartment after each trail run.

Regardless of the dust, I need the bed clear to do what I bought the truck to primarily do, which is haul things, so I can't do any permanant or semi-permanent compressor installs within the bed itself.

I, too, was dead-set on an engine compartment install, until I came across this video from Notarubicon who had an under-the-hood install in his Jeep right next to the engine but suffered through three failures over a three year time frame and eventually switched to a PowerTank. Although he never opined the possibility that the failures could have been due to the high-heat location of his install (which I believe is the root cause), his experience is enough incentive for me to look elsewhere, which the only other possible sites are inside the cab and under the vehicle.

The ARB Twin is too loud for me to install in the cab (and again, I don't want to lose prime storage real estate to the compressor), so the only other suitable site would be under the vehicle. I'm presently leaning towards the empty spaces within the bed side cavities, forward of the rear wheels, or under the bed, near the transfer case; probably towards the driver's side in front of the fuel tank.

In either place, it would be higher than the floor of the cab so if the air compressor gets submerged, that means I'm in deep dog poo because the cab floor would also be submerged.

 

[wheelman55]

Oooo, shiny, clean and tidy... just the way I like to keep my work shop.

But out here on the dry, dusty trails and dunes of SoCal and the Southwest, my bed gets a fine layer of dust that finds its way under the BakFlip MX and everything contained therein. The same goes for under the hood, where I've been contemplating an ARB Twin install. Because of the OCD in me, I have to always unload and wash the bed and engine compartment after each trail run.

Regardless of the dust, I need the bed clear to do what I bought the truck to primarily do, which is haul things, so I can't do any permanant or semi-permanent compressor installs within the bed itself.

I, too, was dead-set on an engine compartment install, until I came across this video from Notarubicon who had an under-the-hood install in his Jeep right next to the engine but suffered through three failures over a three year time frame and eventually switched to a PowerTank. Although he never opined the possibility that the failures could have been due to the high-heat location of his install (which I believe is the root cause), his experience is enough incentive for me to look elsewhere, which the only other possible sites are inside the cab and under the vehicle.

The ARB Twin is too loud for me to install in the cab (and again, I don't want to lose prime storage real estate to the compressor), so the only other suitable site would be under the vehicle. I'm presently leaning towards the empty spaces within the bed side cavities, forward of the rear wheels, or under the bed, near the transfer case; probably towards the driver's side in front of the fuel tank.

In either place, it would be higher than the floor of the cab so if the air compressor gets submerged, that means I'm in deep dog poo because the cab floor would also be submerged.

I ran into an experienced installer at a gas station when I was considering an ARB Twin. He said that he’s installed many and that the only place to put them is in the cab. He said that dust, heat and water destroys them. I decided to stick with my VIAR portable.

A local installs belt driven compressors in his old rigs. He runs power tools as well as airing up with these. I wish there was room in the Raptor engine bay for this solution.

 

[911 Crazy]

I believe OP did a good job with install.
But, I personally, would avoid mounting anything underneath the truck.
( esp here in NYS, between the weather, road salt, debris, pot holes, etc..)
I mounted mine on the Bed, with the Builtright panel.

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Can I get you to do my bed install work?

 

[Big Blue]

I had a similar set-up on my Gen 1. It took a few too many rocks to the face at Rausch Creek and was done. It also got compacted with snow/ice over the winter and became nonfunctional until it melted off. If you are planning any serious offroading and/or live in a snow zone, I think you will find that frame mount location a bad idea. A bed mount is the only way to go IMO.

 

[Augster]

I had a similar set-up on my Gen 1. It took a few too many rocks to the face at Rausch Creek and was done. It also got compacted with snow/ice over the winter and became nonfunctional until it melted off. If you are planning any serious offroading and/or live in a snow zone, I think you will find that frame mount location a bad idea. A bed mount is the only way to go IMO.

I do serious offroading in the hot Southwest so I don't have to worry about snow (except when I go to the mountains to ski, but then again, I'm not offroading).

I personally will NOT be doing a frame install: it would be mounted physically either right underneath the bed itself, back against it on a custom bracket, forward, where there's very little dirt and debris collected over the years (just a faint smattering of dust); or up high in the cavities of the bedside, attached to the tie down cleat bolts on a custom, partially enclosed bracket AND aftermarket wheel liners to protect it from crap thrown up by the wheels.

 

[Augster]

I ran into an experienced installer at a gas station when I was considering an ARB Twin. He said that he’s installed many and that the only place to put them is in the cab. He said that dust, heat and water destroys them. I decided to stick with my VIAR portable.

Someone in my offroad group works at a local offroad shop that sells online as well and they do a lot of Twin installs too; many have them installed in the engine bay (mostly Toy's and Jeep's), along with the under-the-truck now and then, but hasn't had any reports of issues over the years. He does recommend under-the-hood installs, however. He just received a customer return of a Twin that was frame mounted and it was caked in dirt and dried mud as it had been submerged. Still worked and he resold it (at a discount) to someone else.

The Viair dual 485c would probably be the BEST undercarriage compressor for submerged operations (with remote air intakes) while having equivalent CFM capacity as the Twin; it's still on my consideration list, but would need more space for install...

 

[smurfslayer]

didn’t we have a user install a compressor in the tailgate?

 

[DINOZR]

I believe OP did a good job with install.
But, I personally, would avoid mounting anything underneath the truck.
( esp here in NYS, between the weather, road salt, debris, pot holes, etc..)
I mounted mine on the Bed, with the Builtright panel.

View attachment 136929

Holy shit, man. Not to even get into all the awesomeness in these photos...can you tell me more about that LED lighting install?

 

[Jakenbake]

Thus far the bed side has worked pretty well. It is relatively out of the way.

 

[Mspeed]

Have the same compressor mounted in the bed and have had issue with the relays rusting out. Water in the air compressor. Don't recommend mounting under the truck