On-board air tank location

DETOUR · Sep 5, 2024

Howdy All

•Where do you folks mount the air tank for your onboard air ?
•ours is mounted lengthwise D/S behind the TC
• I’m surprised I haven’t sheared off any fittings yet
•being an LJ model, we’ve got a bit more space over the TJ

Wildman · Sep 5, 2024

You'll find most members unless it's required for some other reason don't run a tank for their OBA system since that small of a tank doesn't really accomplish anything when filling tires.
I need one for my AiRock system so I mounted mine behind the drivers seat since I have a 4 link in the rear and had to move my tank. Before I'd gone 4 link I had mine mount in about the same spot as you do.

Rubiconned · Sep 5, 2024

I plan on putting mine where the factory airbox would be. And a tank is necessary if you want onboard air tools and/or for seating a tire bead, and for scaring the crap out of people with an airhorn.

Hog · Sep 5, 2024

Only pic I could find but mine was mounted on the driver side fender under hood

Rubiconned · Sep 5, 2024

Hog said:
Only pic I could find but mine was mounted on the driver side fender under hoodView attachment 556073

That's where I'll put my Viair compressor.

DETOUR · Sep 5, 2024

Rubiconned said:
I plan on putting mine where the factory airbox would be. And a tank is necessary if you want onboard air tools and/or for seating a tire bead, and for scaring the crap out of people with an airhorn.

We’re thinking alike Rubiconned

•My airhorn came off a semi and used to sit crossways across the engine, it’s fun to watch people looking around and there’s no semi in sight

there’s that boy in every man

DETOUR

tworley · Sep 5, 2024

I don't run a tank.

Takes up space
More connections to fail/watch out for
What little volume they hold, its not doing much

jjvw · Sep 5, 2024

Rubiconned said:
... And a tank is necessary if you want onboard air tools and/or for seating a tire bead, and ...

Neither of these is correct.

As soon as the pump starts when the tank is immediately depressurized, the tank is not doing anything of value.

And I have personally reseated a tire bead with a tiny cigarette lighter powered air pump. I did it to find out and prove the point that a tank is not needed to reseat a tire.

macleanflood · Sep 5, 2024

I have five tanks all around 35" x 12.5" minus some space in the center.

-Mac

NskLJ · Sep 5, 2024

jjvw said:
Neither of these is correct.

As soon as the pump starts when the tank is immediately depressurized, the tank is not doing anything of value.

And I have personally reseated a tire bead with a tiny cigarette lighter powered air pump. I did it to find out and prove the point that a tank is not needed to reseat a tire.

Starting fluid

jjvw · Sep 5, 2024

NskLJ said:
Starting fluid

I've used that, too. Not needed with any available air pump, including a bicycle pump.

NskLJ · Sep 5, 2024

I

jjvw said:
I've used that, too. Not needed with any available air pump, including a bicycle pump.

I’ve seen a lot of tires that needed a pressure tank to seat.

jjvw · Sep 5, 2024

NskLJ said:
I

I’ve seen a lot of tires that needed a pressure tank to seat.

The assholes putting stretched tires on their TJs and knocking the beads off in the rocks are on their own to figure that out.

NskLJ · Sep 5, 2024

jjvw said:
The assholes putting stretched tires on their TJs and knocking the beads off in the rocks are on their own to figure that out.

My 35x12.5x15 on the Jeep are easy to seat,

jjvw · Sep 5, 2024

NskLJ said:
My 35x12.5x15 on the Jeep are easy to seat,

As were mine when I did it with a tiny air compressor without a tank.

Zorba · Sep 5, 2024

Mine is mounted in the same location as the OP's, but without any hang down fittings. And I completely disagree that a tank isn't helpful. I've found that it helps quite a bit. Yes, once its empty, you'll only fill at the rate the compressor can put out, but the compressor is filling the tank the instant you turn it on - AND - when moving from tire to tire. I filled up 8 tires on 2 jeeps from 15 to 30, and the tank only ran dry once.

Of course, it matters what pressures you're pumping from/to, the size of tires, the particular compressor, the size of tank, and your particular airing up procedure. But for myself, I wouldn't have a compressor without a tank, in fact, I'm going to add another small one to the system, although finding a location for it is a bit of a challenge.

macleanflood · Sep 6, 2024

Zorba said:
AND - when moving from tire to tire.

I use a Morrflate system and fill all four tires at once.

Want the auto shutoff device they make but not at $250. Something tells me I can make my own.

-Mac

Apparition · Sep 6, 2024

Here's a link to the time I timed with and without a tank.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...-it-take-to-fill-your-tires.56743/post-997700

EDIT TO ADD: After this test I removed the tank and all my unnecessary fittings/piping that I was using. I now only use the Dual ARB for tire filling and I added a dedicated ARB locker pump for the lockers.

mrblaine · Sep 6, 2024

Rubiconned said:
I plan on putting mine where the factory airbox would be. And a tank is necessary if you want onboard air tools and/or for seating a tire bead, and for scaring the crap out of people with an airhorn.

The only one you got right was the short blast on an air horn. You can easily reseat a tire bead with a bicycle tire pump. Most air tools that one would find useful on the trail have CFM requirements that will outrun even a large tank in seconds putting it purely operating on compressor output.

mrblaine · Sep 6, 2024

NskLJ said:
I

I’ve seen a lot of tires that needed a pressure tank to seat.

On TJ's?

On-board air tank location

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