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Need info

crazymoose1990

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Beavertown
Okay so I have been doing research on changing my A/C pump into on board air. I am still unsure of doing this mod or not my A/C works great however in the PNW probably will not get used as much as California so leaning towards on board air. Just hope my sisy dogs can handel the heat.
I need to know where I can shop for all the parts I will need. things like an oil mister, convelesing oil seperator and pressure switch to name a few.

Thanks for info Jason :helpme:
 
I dont know what kind of places you guys have over there but any type of air compressor shop should have everything you need. Just use the auto oiler for an pneumatic nail gun.
 
We have Portland Comppressor was just looking for ideas on other places that will maybe have diffrent brands and prices.
 
Responded to your PM.

OBA is probably one of the best things I've done to my Jeep. However, if I had working AC beforehand I'd think twice about deleting it. Have you thought about building a CO2 setup? Cost would be pretty close to OBA.

Just another option to look at. If your set on OBA, there's plenty of us in the PDX area who can help.
 
Thank you kind sir. I figured I would ask the masses for a bigger reponse. I will need OBA at some point to run my ARB. I do not like the fact that I will lose my A/C however as time goes by my Jeep becomes less street worthy and more offroad worthy. I also would like to pull the other useless crap out that goes along with A/C like the big condensor that blocks the air flow threw my radiator. I may even pull my cruize control as it has stopped working recently I may have to fix that one though I like having that option.
 
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I got everything for my system from lowes and grainger. You could shop for the componants on ebay and maybe get them in a couple of days after ordering. Depending on the system you want to get a pressures switch that turns the compressor on about 20psi under the max psi for your system (if you run a tank.) And off at your max psi. I got mine from Grainger Industrial on swan island. You can use brass or galvanized. I used brass for its ability to disapate the heat better.
Anyways..... you can go to either a specialty supply shop, home depot, lowes, ace, or local hardware and plumbing store. The pressure swith will be more difficult. You can get them on ebay or online or get them here in town from Grainger. When your ready to do the install call me up and I'll give you a hand. Heck I'll even go with you to get the parts. You got my number. Give me a call
 
Is anyone using there OBA for an ARB locker. I talked to a guy at Portland Comppressor and the guy told me for a convelesing water seperator to work properly it needs to be installed 25' down line from the pump otherwise it will not do its job. UH yeah thats not going to happen. I am concerned about putting moister into my front diff especialy since it will house a 900.00 dollar locker.

Thank you everyone for your rapid response and thanks Mojo for the links
 
I got everything I needed at Home Depot except for the pressure switch that I ordered online and the air tank that I got from my local 4x4 shop. AC is more of a luxury than a necessity here in WA and wheeling rigs typically aren't known for luxury. I only used my AC for a couple months out of the year, but my windows roll down just fine and I use my OBA every time I go wheeling.
 
Dude, don't do it. Trust me, the a/c is worth it. Come summertime, all those muddy trails are DUSTY trails.

Up at TSF in August, this was me

IMG_0158.jpg

(TORX photo)


And this was everybody else.

banditos.jpg
 
I would just use my existing pump. I need to make sure that I can pull all the water out of this setup before I get crazy. I called Portland comppressor today and the guy told me I would need to install my convelesing water filter 25' from the pump. That is the only way it would work properly. I may have to do an ARB or VIA air.
 
Pm me if you have questions

Yes, PM him. He has lot's of time to answer questions. He is literally available 24/7 for the next few weeks. I bet you'll get a response within ~7.3 minutes.
 
Well I can't seem to find the write up that I have seen in the past. If your interested in building a bracket that you can keep your A/C and have OBA then this might help. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1057031&highlight=board+air+a/c
There is a really good write up on NAXJA some were about this same set up but has allot more to it. This is what I'm going to do in the near future because I wan to keep my a/c for when I do go out when it's hot and dusty. Good luck man I hope this helps.
 
I have heard that you need to mount the oil / water sepurator as low as possible to make it work the best. I don't know the one on my home air compressor works just fine if it's mounted right at the compressor. So I don't know about making it 25ft away, but i'm not an expert.
 
here's a write up i did a few years ago for my OBA setup.

and here's the link to the whole thread.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=938829



when i bought my last cherokee, i noticed that the air conditioning was unhooked and it didnt even have the stock a/c fan (existing fan was duct taped around to seal it...)

however the ac compressor was still there. so i clipped the wire and stripped a little. touched it to the positive on the battery and presto the clutch kicked in and it blew air (and oil) all over me.

if your a/c compressor doesnt work you can either stop here or go junkyarding.

next i unhooked the rubber hoses from the two fittings on the top of the compressor so i could figure out how to plumb it.

hardware store time!
i went to the hardware store with my fittings and spent 35 dollars on
20 ft pre made air hose,
2 ft of 250psi hosed*******had to have a compression fitting hose made later*******
1, 1/4 inch brass T
1, 1/4 inch brass nipple (male on both ends)
2, 1/4 inch brass barb nipples
1, 1 inch to 3/4 inch reducer (black steel)
2, 3/4 inch to 1/4 inch reducer (black steel)
1/4 brass female air chuck fitting
Free old fire extinguisher (one that will fit under your hood or whereever you want to mount it) *********later removed this but might add it again*********

one of the 3/4 to 1/4 fittings may depend on what size inlet your fire extinguisher has, you need to completely empty the fire extinguisher and unscrew the entire assembly off the top of it using a vice and a strap wrench.
take your fire extinguisher with you and find an appropriate reducer that will fit nicely inside (chances are you will not find the appropriate thread, it will need to be welded)

now buying these things will get you going. however your inlet air will not be filtered and you will not have an air pressure guage, or pressure switch (i am without switch so far also)

here is where the fabrication work comes in.

take your fitting for the extinguisher and put it inside the opening of it. make sure you have something to plug the 1/4 inch hole with. a steel pipe plug would be the best but anything will do as long as its not flamable.



with fitting in opening, tack weld 4 sides of the fitting so it will not distort, once tacked, lay a nice uniform bead around fitting. this may or may not leak air. i got lucky and had no leakes from this part however i have small leakes elsewhere. leakes are not critical, as they will be very minimal and only an issue if you wanted to hold air pressure for a length of time. (it would probably take my system 5 or 6 hours to bleed off from 180 psi.)

after the fitting is welded in you can teflon tape the 1/4 inch nipple on both ends and assemble the brass T and the extinguisher simultaneously. one of the other openings will be used for the 1/4 brass barb nipple. attach the T so you can recieve air from the pump and run air to your air hose whichever way would be best for you. you will see which way i ran mine from the pictures i post later.

next put the 1 inch to 3/4 reducer over the threaded end of the larger of the two a/c fittings. leave enough room to screw the 3/4 to 1/4 fitting in it. you may leave it in while welding just to make sure. but dont teflon tape it yet.



before welding make sure the O-ring is out of the stock fitting. this will be replaced after fitting is cooled.

weld reducer onto stock fitting, there really isnt a way to check leaks here untill the unit is completely assembled. if you suspect a leak or just want to weld up any possible culprit or orfices feel free to do so as the only openings you will use are the welded one and the stock attatchment to the compressor.

after this is completed you can teflon tape the 3/4 to 1/4 reducer and 1 of the brass barb nipples and put in the 1/4 inch hole of the reducer. replace the o-ring and tighten back onto the passenger side hole of the compressor, this is your outlet. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN!!!



under my cherokeehood there isnt a lot of room so i just have the air tank laying right next to the fender ontop of some wires and such between the battery and the water resevoir.

run the short peace of hose between the barb nipples on the compressor and the T from the air tank and hose clamp them. use the last opening of the T on the tank for your air hose. then on the other end, tighten your air chuck fitting on.

at this point you are now able to test your air.

put some sort of air tool or an air blow gun in the hose as to not over load the system

start the jeep

touch the wire to the battery and presto. you should be pumping air, you can play with the air by letting it pump up a while and then using the blow gun to see how fast it pumps up.

Freebies:
old heater hose
old water pump nipple (small block chevy)
old T i stole from my dad
old 1/4 nipple male on both ends.
old air guage i stole from my dad
old toggle switch i stole from...dad...

misc...something that will fasten nipple to airbox, couple washers for airbox if needed (big 7/8 washers) hose clamps


in my application the air guage needs to be small to clear when the hood is shut.

make sure all air is out of system. then unsrew air hose from brass T. use nipple to attatch T's together put hose in one outlet and guage in the other.

you can run the switch anywhere you want. im not gonna hold your hand through this one! hah!

the heater hose i clamped onto the inlet for the compressor and ran back to, and along the firewall and then back up to the air box. i drilled a hole in the air box (on the filtered air side) and attach the water pump nipple to it, then hose clamp the heater hose to the nipple. now your air is filtered. and the a/c compressor is much much quieter.********i have since removed air box and just put a chrome oil breather in the end of the hose*********

the only other thing i advise is some sort of oiling i havent quite figured that out yet but as soon as i do i will post here. ********see picture********



i also stick a small screw driver in the throttle linkage to bump the idle up while running the compressor. ********not too much or you'll drastically reduce the lifespan of your compressor*******

eventually i want to get a pressure switch but checking on a 175 psi switch would have run me 399.99...i said no thanks. i can get a 125 psi switch at the hardware store for another 35 bucks. *******have one....got it for free....scored*******

i deflated one of my tires completely and pumped it up to 35 psi in 15-20 seconds. small tires 30's but none the less quick. with the compressor running and filling up the tire the system ran at an impressive 120psi.
running an air grinder takes it down to about 25 however.

anyhow have fun with your budget onboard air. unfortunately a big part of this is being able to weld or knowing someone that can. if you do then you are set.
 
Dude, don't do it. Trust me, the a/c is worth it. Come summertime, all those muddy trails are DUSTY trails.

Up at TSF in August, this was me

IMG_0158.jpg

(TORX photo)


And this was everybody else.

banditos.jpg
Yep! I was there that day and it sucked bad. By the time we left I looked like a brown turd. If it were me I would keep the A/C and find a different way. I am installing a Yorks oba on mine but I never had A/C to start with for that fact my junk didn't even come with a roof.

Dave
 
I have OBA on my landcruser and use it with my arb with no tank and no dryer and havent had any issues in over 10 years. you need to keep PSI I think lower than 80 PSI for the ARB. I also have a york style compressor.
 
Curtis you would have to wheel your Landcruiser once in 10 years to have an issue. Im just joking have you put the Landcruiser back together. I really like the older Landcruisers if I was going to wheel something other than my XJ i would have a 4 door wagon cruiser my step dad had one that was the only thig I liked about that guy then he sold it and I had nothing left for him. :)
 
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