arb locker Q"s wiring up a vlair.

[truckhigh]

I was planning on setting up some sort of way to set up an air systen for my rig. I wanted a vlair set up with tank. i was just wondering how i would activate a locker with an air tank system. I want to fill tires,run a locker and maybe some horns in the future(lol). i dont think i would be doing any of these at the same time.

i know i would probably need 2 pressure switchs for the locker and just to have more air in the tank. Is there a certain max and min psi for the arb locker??

When i lock the locker i need a consistant pressure is that correct?? So i would need a solenoid and purge system to release air/locker. Is there anything like this?? I was thinking maybe some nitrous stuff. but, is there any other solution?/

Is this a good idea or is a dedicated locker compressor better. i jsut like less wiring and multi-function would be better

[truckhigh]

any1

[jet cat]

I have the ARB rear locker and I have a dedicated air compresor that they sell for the locker. All I know it works with PFM (pure F*****G magic), it has a pressure swith of 145 psi I belive. If it will work with an airtank I don't know. What will happen if you empty your tank and then need it for the locker?

I think is better for you to run your locker with the compressor, my 2 cents!

[BellyDoc]

ARB's compressor has a tiny volume tank on it. It already has integrated pressure switches. You can hook it up for tire inflation. If you want to plumb it to a larger volume tank, there would be no reason you couldn't. Why would you want to re-engineer all that?

The Viair compressor is a fine tire inflator, but if you think you're going to save some money by incorporating it into plans for running an air locker, then you're probably going to come out having nickel and dimed your way through all your savings, plus you'll have wasted a ton of time.

I recommend using the ARB compressor and then if you want a different tire inflator system, use a CO2 tank.

[ropedrag]

I'm running my front locker off the new ARB hi output compressor and am loving it. That said you can run your locker off a tank if you want to go that route and you can even run one off a CO2 bottle. I'd suggest a few searches and reading up on the ih8mud forum. While we have a fair number of guys that have been around the block a few times here on this forum you are going to find a ton of good intel from more hardcore, been there, done that, seasoned veterans on the other site.

[Sean K.]

I wouldn't recommend the small or medium ARB permanent mount compressors for airing up tires. If you'll look at their website, they are not really rated for it and I know several people who've burned them up using them for things other than actuating the diff locks. Will they do it? Yes. Does it put a lot of stress on the compressor? Definitely. Older models were rated as "continuous duty" and they still burned up.

If you HAVE to air up a tire....take your time. Let the compressor cool down as you fill the tire. If it's a big tire, it may take a REALLY long time to fill it without cooking the compressor.

Viairs are designed to fill tires first and foremost, you can also run an ARB. Old design arbs had a max pressure of 105 psi. The newer ones IIRC, are about 95 psi. DO NOT exceed the recommended pressure for the unit or you WILL blow out the seals. Double check my numbers before committing to a pressure switch for you locker. I know Campbell Ent. runs them at the lowest pressure that they will actuate so it protects the seals....I wanna say that was at 65 psi.

I'd get rid of all the fancy solenoid switches ARB supplies with the locker and go straight to an air switch. Less parts to have problems with means less likelihood of a trail breakdown . You can buy cheapies made of plastic and steel or you can buy really nice (and expensive) ones made from brass with steel toggles. I think the nice ones are $40 a piece, the plastics are about $8-15. You can get the plastic ones from a big rig (18 wheeler) supplier. The brass ones are available through Sun Performance. Sun Performance also sells pressure switches and one way valves to plumb everything correctly.

Personally, I'd recommend buying the ARB compressor for the air locker and ALSO buying a Viair to fill tires....it never hurts to have a backup air source when you run air lockers....if something fails you are open diff'd and that may mean not getting off the trail.

Let's face it: if it was a hard enough trail that it required lockers to get in, you'll need them to get out.

The other option (and possibly a better one) for filling tires is a good 20 lb CO2 tank. It can do double duty as your welder's gas and 20 lbs will get you the most economical fill (since the price per pound is relatively low, it's the hook up that costs the coin...so 10, 15 or 20# makes very little difference in price overall). I got 76 fills from 10 psi up to 30 on 33x12.5R15 tires back in the day. You can go for quite a while with a fill of about $17-23. The tank set up with regulator and hose is about $200 if you piece it together from welding shops.

If you go with a Viair, you'll still need a 2.5 gallon tank to give you the volume you'd need to reseat a bead. That's another item you have to buy and it adds to the cost of the set up significantly.

HTH,
Sean