trailsnail
01-02-2011, 22:29
I bought a Viair system quite a while ago, and had it installed in my Jeep, but not the way I wanted it. When I purchased the system, I wanted something that I could use to fill my tires that would be permanently mounted to the Jeep and I didn't want to spend the money for a CO2 tank. Then spend more money constantly refilling the tank. While Tanks work for most, it wasn't the way I wanted to go. When I purchased my Viair system back in July, there was also a killer deal going on and I got it for around $150 cheaper than normal.
When I first installed the system I mounted the compressor where the ABS plate was.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem1.jpg
Out of the way, and right where I wanted it.
I then mounted the gauge in my center console where some TJ's have the Air Bag shut off. I also used one of the open switch places for the on/off switch. I used a hole saw and a dremel to make the hole fit.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem2.jpg
Had to cut out the hole a little bit to the right of the air line so that the guage would fit.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem3.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem4.jpg
This is how the guage looks installed. The switch for the system is the little cheap looking on/off switch. When I find some switches I like, I'm going to chance it out, but it works good for now.
This was also the point at which my initial install came to a screeching halt. I didn't realize that the compressor had to be directly connected to the tank with the components that came with the system. In the end, this was what I came up with.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem5.jpg
I've been wanting to change the setup for quite some time to get it out of the rear of my jeep. Jeeps have little enough room for stuff, and the little room I did have behind my rear seat I wanted back. It's bad enough that I have a sub there which takes up more room. Finally over the last couple of weeks, I had some spare coin, and my brother gave me a gift card for Lowes. As it turned out, they had everything I needed minus an air manifold which I got from Harbor Freight (thanks @JimhatTJ (http://www.militaryjeepers.com/community/member.php?u=314)).
While I had the system int he back, it was also a pain to get to because I had to open up my tailgate. I wanted it a little bit easier get to the system when I needed it.
I remounted the compressor in the space from the old ABS plate, placed the air manifold on the drivers fender, and the tank under the jeep on the drivers side right behind the t-case skid. I used a bud light 12 pack box to create my template to drill the holes.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0098.jpg
The gray box looking thing on the left side of the air manifold is the cut off switch for the system. It stops the system when pressure reaches 150psi. Then moving to the right are two plugs, an air disconnect, the pressure release (set to 175psi) and on the right end, the air line that comes from the tank. ON the back side of the manifold is another port and this is where the pressure guage that's mounted inside the jeep is connected. The biggest pain was making sure nothing leaked air. I have one very small air leak right now and thats from the air guage line where it comes into the manifold. It's just too minor for me to worry about right now.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0097.jpg
I still have to relocate the air filter for the compressor. It's the round gray disk on the end. In the first picture I had it rerouted inside the cab. I'm thinking of running it to the cold air intake on the jeep and using a "T" connector. I'm gonna contact Viair and see if it's ok to do that.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0099.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0101.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0102.jpg
So, the pretty pictures are up. When I got ready to mount the tank, I had a line for air in, air out, the drain cock, and the pressure release mounted on the tank. As it turned out, there wasn't enough room for the pressure release between the tank and tub of my jeep. The pressure release was relocated to the air manifold. It's pretty important for the pressure release to work properly just in case the air regulator malfunctions so it doesn't blow the tank or compressor. After I moved it to the air manifold I picked up, I checked it out and it works ok. One other thing that I had to do that wasn't in the pictures was to move the stuff for my lockers. The little compressors were already on a plate which I had to modify slightly to fit above the frame and push the forward some. It's actually now above the belly skid. The clamps that are around the air manifold on each end are clamp ring hangers for pipes. The work great to hold the manifold in place.
The tank itself has 6 ports on it. Two are used for air in/out and one for the drain cock. It needs to be on the tank so that if there is moisture build up, it can get blow out of the tank. I mounted it closest to the skid to keep it from getting beat up, but if it does, it's still easy to get to to chance out. The other three ports that are in the tank I plugged along with the two extra ports I didn't need in the air manifold. I'll go back to Lowes or Harbor Freight in the next month and get some more air line and just tap into one of tank ports so I will have an air coupling in the back of the jeep like the front. Just going to have to find a way to mount it solid, but I really like the ring clamp hangers I found at Lowes. I'm sure they will work nicely to hold a connector there.
When I first installed the system I mounted the compressor where the ABS plate was.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem1.jpg
Out of the way, and right where I wanted it.
I then mounted the gauge in my center console where some TJ's have the Air Bag shut off. I also used one of the open switch places for the on/off switch. I used a hole saw and a dremel to make the hole fit.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem2.jpg
Had to cut out the hole a little bit to the right of the air line so that the guage would fit.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem3.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem4.jpg
This is how the guage looks installed. The switch for the system is the little cheap looking on/off switch. When I find some switches I like, I'm going to chance it out, but it works good for now.
This was also the point at which my initial install came to a screeching halt. I didn't realize that the compressor had to be directly connected to the tank with the components that came with the system. In the end, this was what I came up with.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/ViairSystem5.jpg
I've been wanting to change the setup for quite some time to get it out of the rear of my jeep. Jeeps have little enough room for stuff, and the little room I did have behind my rear seat I wanted back. It's bad enough that I have a sub there which takes up more room. Finally over the last couple of weeks, I had some spare coin, and my brother gave me a gift card for Lowes. As it turned out, they had everything I needed minus an air manifold which I got from Harbor Freight (thanks @JimhatTJ (http://www.militaryjeepers.com/community/member.php?u=314)).
While I had the system int he back, it was also a pain to get to because I had to open up my tailgate. I wanted it a little bit easier get to the system when I needed it.
I remounted the compressor in the space from the old ABS plate, placed the air manifold on the drivers fender, and the tank under the jeep on the drivers side right behind the t-case skid. I used a bud light 12 pack box to create my template to drill the holes.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0098.jpg
The gray box looking thing on the left side of the air manifold is the cut off switch for the system. It stops the system when pressure reaches 150psi. Then moving to the right are two plugs, an air disconnect, the pressure release (set to 175psi) and on the right end, the air line that comes from the tank. ON the back side of the manifold is another port and this is where the pressure guage that's mounted inside the jeep is connected. The biggest pain was making sure nothing leaked air. I have one very small air leak right now and thats from the air guage line where it comes into the manifold. It's just too minor for me to worry about right now.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0097.jpg
I still have to relocate the air filter for the compressor. It's the round gray disk on the end. In the first picture I had it rerouted inside the cab. I'm thinking of running it to the cold air intake on the jeep and using a "T" connector. I'm gonna contact Viair and see if it's ok to do that.
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0099.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0101.jpg
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w106/trailsnail/Jeep/Viair%20System/dscn0102.jpg
So, the pretty pictures are up. When I got ready to mount the tank, I had a line for air in, air out, the drain cock, and the pressure release mounted on the tank. As it turned out, there wasn't enough room for the pressure release between the tank and tub of my jeep. The pressure release was relocated to the air manifold. It's pretty important for the pressure release to work properly just in case the air regulator malfunctions so it doesn't blow the tank or compressor. After I moved it to the air manifold I picked up, I checked it out and it works ok. One other thing that I had to do that wasn't in the pictures was to move the stuff for my lockers. The little compressors were already on a plate which I had to modify slightly to fit above the frame and push the forward some. It's actually now above the belly skid. The clamps that are around the air manifold on each end are clamp ring hangers for pipes. The work great to hold the manifold in place.
The tank itself has 6 ports on it. Two are used for air in/out and one for the drain cock. It needs to be on the tank so that if there is moisture build up, it can get blow out of the tank. I mounted it closest to the skid to keep it from getting beat up, but if it does, it's still easy to get to to chance out. The other three ports that are in the tank I plugged along with the two extra ports I didn't need in the air manifold. I'll go back to Lowes or Harbor Freight in the next month and get some more air line and just tap into one of tank ports so I will have an air coupling in the back of the jeep like the front. Just going to have to find a way to mount it solid, but I really like the ring clamp hangers I found at Lowes. I'm sure they will work nicely to hold a connector there.