On Board Air systems (Need some advice)

[skipnay]

Mods if this can go in a better place please put it there.

I'm going to get some air for my ride. I would like to get some on board air. I might add some stuff to it like air bags for the rear to haul better. I would like to have air to pump up tires to ATV's and such. I will also probably add a tank and pump to get train horns later. So what do you have and how do you like it? What to look out for?

This was the kit I was looking at but if someone has something better please chime in....

Viair X'treme Duty Onboard Air System-RH2

[mxfever090]

I've got air on my truck. I would take a picture but everything is underneath and covered in slush! The kit I have is assembled from stuff I got at work. You can get away with just 1 compressor unless you want to run air tools. The compressors you show say they are 100% duty cycles so just airing up tires and such you should be fine with just one. Plus 100% compressors are pretty expensive so you may be able to cut $100 of the price of the kit.

I installed the 12v compressor on the passenger inner fender. Had to move the harness down and it was tight but it fit. From the exhuast of the compressor I installed a 4 way T.

In from compressor
Out to tank
PSI switch
Out to Gauge under the dash - this is something I should have done different. The gauge line should be plumbed into the tank. The problem is when the compressor is on the needle in the gauge fluctuates bad since it's so close to the compressor.

The PSI switch is also something I got from work but it cuts out at 120 and cuts in at 95. If you get a good sealed system you can just leave the compressor on and it will take care of itself. I did install an on/off switch in case I don't want it running.

I was able to fit a 5 gallon air tank between the frame and rocker under the passenger door. The only visible part is the drain valve under the tank but 99% of people don't even notice it.

From the tank a line feeds the air horn solenoid/air horn assembly which is also mounted on the passenger side frame rail in front of the rear tire. The air horns can't be seen at all.

One more line comes off the tank and routes to the rear bumper where I installed a quick connect to hook up an air line.

Now for the air horn. I had to pull the dash apart but I was able to locate the horn wire that goes out to the electric horn on the fender. I spliced in a new wire that feeds another on/off switch. When the switch is on and I push my steering wheel horn button it feeds power to the air horn solenoid. BAM (It's a lot of fun!) When its Off the electric horn operates as designed.

Hope what I learned will help!

[Cuzmail]

mxfever,

Do you have any pics of that switch install for the air horn? That is what I want to do with the regular horn also. I would also like to have a switch to pick between the airhorn and the alarm siren. It is a viper 5901.

Shawn

[mxfever090]

Originally Posted by Cuzmail

mxfever,

Do you have any pics of that switch install for the air horn? That is what I want to do with the regular horn also. I would also like to have a switch to pick between the airhorn and the alarm siren. It is a viper 5901.

Shawn

I don't have pictures of the install. I will try and get some pictures of it tonight and post them either this evening or tomorrow. For the siren you'll have to see what type of signal the siren gets. If it gets 12V then goes through a series of programmed sounds you will have trouble getting the air horns to work. It would just stay on constant. That may take some research. I know when I hit my panic button with the air horn on it gets your attention!

[Cuzmail]

Gotcha. Look forward to the pics.

My thoughts are to be able to toggle between the two on the alarm. Use the regular siren when parked at places like my house and use the air horn when parked at places like the theatre where no one pays attention to a car alarm.

I also want to toggle between the regular horn and the air horn for inspections (regular horn) and to be able to get the attention of any jackhole (air horn) causing problems on the road. Well maybe a few ricers too... hehe

Shawn

[fdchief]

*subscribed*.... i will be installing my hornblasters 540 kit next week and want to see how you did yours

[mxfever090]

Originally Posted by Cuzmail

I also want to toggle between the regular horn and the air horn for inspections (regular horn) and to be able to get the attention of any jackhole (air horn) causing problems on the road. Well maybe a few ricers too... hehe

Shawn

This reminds me of a funny story. On the way to the inlaws Christmas eve, the family was in the truck traveling down a rural country road just outside of town. A teenage boy and assumed girlfriend are walking towards us in the middle of the road thinking they are super cool. The guy is on his cell phone. I slow down to around 35 incase they pull something. Well they didn't move over which to avoid hitting them I had to drop my tires off the side of the road. The wife says "honk at these idiots". Just as they are about 20 feet in front of me I let out a full 120 psi blast. The girl freezes in her tracks and then starts shaking like she had been shot by a taser, eyes so big it looks like they could pop out of her head! The guys arms fly straight out from his body and drops his cell phone. They both turn around and tell me I'm number one with their middle finger. The wife and I were laughing so hard we were crying. The best part is with the horns underneath the bed it isn't loud at all in the cab and the kids didn't even wake up!

[mxfever090]

Here is the swiches and gauge under the dash. I made the bracket that all this sits in. The far left switch is for the lights on the bumper. Then the air horn on/off, and accessory switch for later accessories and then the compressor on/off. The guage shows system pressure.



This is the best place I could find to mount the compressor.



Another compressor photo



Air tank on the frame rail



The air horns are behind the air tank under the box



Air horns from in front of the rear tire. I installed them with the trumpets pointing back to avoid splash from the front tires.



Air line connection at the rear bumper. I put a rubber cap on it to keep from filling up with crap in this lovely weather.



It took me about 2 days to get everything hooked up. Keep in mind I had to make everything but I also have $0.0 invested.

[skipnay]

So why did you use some push lock air line and others you used like 3/8'' or 1/2'' regular air line hose with ends on them? Also how long does it take the horns to drain the air? Also would you do anything different? I have two 5 gallon tanks that have atleast 5 or 6 holes to use for air going into or coming out of. They are off old EUC or offroad dump trucks and I have been trying to decide to get the powder coated or just paint them. They are yellow in color now from like the 30's so it's kinda like a crap yellow or puke yellow.

[mxfever090]

I used push lock fittings on everthing because they are easy to take apart and you can re-use the line. Not so with compression fittings. The supply line is 3/8" nylon. The air line going to the gauge under the dash is 1/4".

Like I mentioned earlier, the only thing I would have done different is plumb the line for the gauge to the tank. It's currently located in the T right after the compressor and the needle bounces with the pulse of the compressor. I did locate a pressure snubber that I'm going to put inline to the gauge but haven't installed it yet. It's just to dang cold here right now.

The horns don't drain as much air as you think they would. Depending on the length of blast I can get 10 - 12 applications before the compressor kicks in at 95psi.

I can see the need for two compressors if you are going to use both 5 gallon tanks. That's a lot of volume. The tank I've got came from a retired test fire truck and has mutliple ports on top the tank. I just plugged them off with some pipe plugs. Luckily my was already black.