Posted by Jacob the J in TJ Shack
We have been lugging around the VIAIR 450P portable air compressor. It has a nice storage bag with all the necessary accessories, and it is a 100% duty cycle compressor. We were interested in having onboard air but we were not willing to buy a new solution. So, the decision was made to permanently mount our existing portable air compressor. A small air 1.5 Gallon tank and a PVC tube to store and connect the air hose were also added. With it all mounted to the vehicle, we have one less bag to carry. We can access air on the fly.
To see a short video of the build check out the Shorts below.
The carrying handle was removed and the on/off and pressure switch was relocated. The air compressor became compact enough to fit in place of the jack that is normally located under the hood. (The jack had long been replaced and was just taking up space.) The base plate the compressor sits on was modified to fit the existing jack mount. New air connection fittings were reattached to the compressor. These fittings mount a small manifold for the air line and pressure switch.
The compressor is wired to a Switch-Pros 9100 button on the Bronco’s dashboard. This setup allows easy on/off functionality. The engine-off disconnect feature is enabled on the switch. The 1.5 gallon air tank mounted perfectly under the passenger side behind the running board. The Air tank was mounted with leftover aluminum angle riveted and attached to the existing running board brackets. Some black paint to make it look official.
The tube that holds the air hose was mounted below the bull bar on the front bumper. The hose is connected to the manifold fastened in the tube. When pulled from the tube, it reaches the rear of the rig. Long enough to reach all 4 tires. When done inflating we simply disconnect the air gun with gauge and retract the hose into the tube. Used some leftover plumbing pipe and end-caps for the storage tube.
The hose storage tube is tucked away below the bumper behind the bull bar, yet easily accessible
We added one more air connection inside the Propane storage area. This connection comes in handy when traveling dusty roads. A short hose connected here allows us to blow off the dust and give a clean entry into the rig.
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