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View Full Version : TOTM: On-Board Air and Welders



rstrucks
04-02-2012, 09:32 PM
I'm probably not the only one here who has benefited from another wheeler being prepared on the trail. On-board welders and on-board air can really save your butt. For you guys that have either or both, how'd ya do it?

ATL ZJ
04-02-2012, 10:12 PM
Ryan your assumption is spot on. Over the years OBW and OBA on other peoples' rigs have benefited me most. :mrgreen:


I will defer to the experts but it's hard to beat the air from a York 210 modified to limit blowby. Y two of those bad boys together on a couple rigs and you've damn near got shop air

SB406
04-03-2012, 11:16 AM
I have both. :booya:

I have a York 210, which is one of the best things I've ever done on my buggy. Mine is not modified to limit blowby. I just drain the tank once in a while. Also, a little oil never hurt an air tool. I run the impact gun off it on the trail, and am constantly airing up tires for people. I've even used it to change trailer tires on the highway. Just fire it up and run the air hose down from above. I burn my own TBI chips, so I set up a high idle switch using the ECM teaser wire for AC. Flip the switch and she idles up to 1100 RPM. If you hold the throttle open at about 2000 RPM, the York will run an air cutting wheel, but the compressor wears out pretty fast. (I'm on used compressor #2).

Mounting the York was tricky since a York never came on a Small Block Chevy. I made a fixed bracket that mounted the compressor over the water pump. I then put a double groove (V-Belt) pulley on the alternator and spent some time figuring out belt lengths. When you tighten up the alternator, it also tightens up the OBA belt.
Here's the best picture I could find from back when I first laid it out.
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q159/sb406/th_10-11-07004.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q159/sb406/?action=view&current=10-11-07004.jpg)

I also have a Premier Power Welder on my truck. I love it. We've welded frames back together, put brackets back on axles, built driveshafts at camp, tacked in U-joints, welded heims back in links, and even Lincoln Locked an ARB one time :smt119. It always draws a crowd.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKre4ckBTuk&feature=relmfu

Mounting the Premier Power Welder was easy. It just took money. I actually scored a great deal on one from a buddy. They send you a new alternator to replace your factory one, and a control box & wiring. I made my own leads and carry a variety of rod.

I've made a lot of good friends on the trails over the years with the OBA, welder, cordless grinder, and water fire extinguisher I carry.
Just remember the mechanic's rule. Borrow a tool twice, then it's time to buy your own.

Ken L
04-03-2012, 11:47 AM
I've had a York OBA set up in my Jeep forever it seems. Here's the write up-- http://mallcrawlin.com/forum/showthread.php?4998-York-Onboard-air-install&highlight=

It's one of the best mods that I've done with my Jeep.

I use it for my air locker and also for anything that I would use the shop compressor for at home. I've run air tools with it regularly, I air my tires back up after the trail, I have even used it to get camp fires started. Beats the hell out of blowing on a fire.....

I built the brackets to sandwich under the stock compressor. I bought the combination pulley from Kilby Enterprises, and since I worked in pneumatics I had most everything else.

A couple of "gotchas" though. The air coming out of the compressor is hot. A good quality high heat hose is a must from the compressor to the oil separator, either that or copper. I used flexible tubing after the separator/pressure switch but ended up splicing in some copper to run from the engine bay back to where I went back up into the body by the fuel filler. The York is on the passenger's side, but I looped the line around to the drive's side because I wanted to follow the brake and fuel lines to the back of the Jeep and that just seemed easier.

zjeepin
04-03-2012, 12:00 PM
Ryan your assumption is spot on. Over the years OBW and OBA on other peoples' rigs have benefited me most. :mrgreen:


I will defer to the experts but it's hard to beat the air from a York 210 modified to limit blowby. Y two of those bad boys together on a couple rigs and you've damn near got shop air

I might know who's setup you're referring to...

I have both on my rig and after my recent 5.3 swap I didn't get them completed for the first trip out and man did we all suffer for it... i'll just leave it at that

I run a york right know but in the 4.0 days I used the oem sanden compressor and always had good luck with it, I'm constantly airing up tires for people and it has saved my trailer tires on more than one occasion sitting on the side of the interstate.. on my 5.3 i have a secondary v belt pulley i afro-engineered to run the york, I cut down a fan clutch and used the nut to mount a pulley thats removable should i need to change the water pump..

I've come up with several cheap and easy ways to build welders- the easiest way is to find an externally regulated alt and supply a full field to it, make yourself some leads and basic controls and there you go.

I've always had good luck with the onboard welder setups and have quite a bit of time in developing a simple reliable system that economical to build as well. I don't think i'll ever have a rig without welding capabilities...

Sudz
04-03-2012, 12:02 PM
Viair Model 48040 ~ 1.76 cfm @ 0 psi @ 10 amps ~ 100% Duty Cycle / 2.5 gal tank with 85-105 psi regulator and separate gauge

http://www.viaircorp.com/OnRoad/480C.html

quick disconnect plumbed at the rear bumper - gets the job done for me


http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae93/ZJSudz/Junk%20Drawer/100_3801-1.jpg

Mtn WJ
04-03-2012, 04:07 PM
Nice Topic

OBA
I have a 10lb CO2 tank from Formatt Fab which is basically a beverage style tank and an adjustable regulator. It works great and 10lb is about the smallest tank size I recommend. I generally need to fill it 1-2 times a season. Co2 is nice because it is fast to fill larger tires and will run air tools if you need. I suggest with a CO2 set up that you have some kind of back up compressor in case you run out of CO2 midstream of filling your tires after a run. I run out on the trail at least once a year. I used to use m ARB compressor for a back up but it was slow and I didnt want to wear it out just for tire fills. Now I have a HF heavy duty portable for the back up plan. Still slow and gets hot but does the job when needed.

Portable Welder
I have a Ready Welder 2 which runs on 2-4 automotive batteries. It works great with 2 high output batteries. I have welded 1/4 in with a single pass on just 2 batteries. It basically works as a spool gun and can run flux core or mig wire. I run flux core but can actually use my CO2 tank for Shield gas if I really wanted to use mig wire. What I like about the RW2 is also what I dont like. It is very portable and you can get it to almost any rig in need of welding with our getting your Jeep there. If you want to carry the batteries too. Very cool and portable as a result. However my current set up is use one batter from under the hood and the second from my rear compartment or use another from a fellow Jeeper. This means I need to disconnect my battery and possibly pull it to tag along with the welder. Kind of a PITA. The built in welders have this beat with convinience but not portability. I am now going to run two spare batteries in the back of my Jeep (Walmart Marine Types0 and have a trickle charger for charging them in the driveway when not wheeling. Still need to pull the batteries for portable but smple for local welding and I do not need to disco the battery under the hood.

dyn0mitemat
04-03-2012, 05:52 PM
I did an ac>oba conversion, link in sig I think.

I wouldn't mind building a obw

MUDDTRACKS
04-08-2012, 02:06 AM
For my oba I use the stock comp. added a air tool oiler on the inlet then a oil/water seperator out the outlet. I used a shut off from a old 2 gollon comp for pressure switch and blow off. I then ran the line down thru the unibody frame rail to the rear bumber made into a tank.

SeriousOffroad
04-08-2012, 08:19 AM
I use 2-3 batteries connected in series, heavy gauge jumper cables, and some 6011 welding rod.

SB406
04-09-2012, 09:02 AM
I use 2-3 batteries connected in series, heavy gauge jumper cables, and some 6011 welding rod.
I like this concept, but I also watched a guy melt the jumper cable clamp into my buddy's Optima terminal. :smt116 I could see making up some short heavy cables
to connect the batteries together using actual battery cable clamps on the ends.

SirFuego
04-09-2012, 09:22 AM
I use 2-3 batteries connected in series, heavy gauge jumper cables, and some 6011 welding rod.I know what you mean by this -- but for the sake of tech, could you elaborate on this? Does the welding rod go to the positive or negative terminal? Have you found 2 or 3 batteries works better? Do you need to worry about discharging the battery too much? etc. etc. etc.As SB406 just mentioned, if not done with the right equipment, stuff can go wrong, so any little tidbit of information will help.

indy242003
04-09-2012, 03:35 PM
I know what you mean by this -- but for the sake of tech, could you elaborate on this? Does the welding rod go to the positive or negative terminal? Have you found 2 or 3 batteries works better? Do you need to worry about discharging the battery too much? etc. etc. etc.As SB406 just mentioned, if not done with the right equipment, stuff can go wrong, so any little tidbit of information will help.

X2! I have done this before, but it's been a long time ago, and quite frankly, have been to scared to do it again. Batteries nowdays cost well over a hundred dollars. I would hate to fry 3 of them and still have a busted rig. Bring on the tech.....

SeriousOffroad
04-09-2012, 04:22 PM
It's safe enough if you use a little common sense and heavy gauge cables. Also keep in mind that Ready-Welders (Spool Guns) are connected the same way as welding with rod.

A link you might like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tHJ0NSjZnM