I know there's a way to convert the a/c pump into an air compressor, but I'm not exaclty sure how to do it. Any ideas?

 

theres only a certain kind that work decently
your best bet is to get the compressor off of a wrecked Hiway tractor.
or any truck with airbrakes for that matter.
I had checked into the same thing for our service truck and they work
but not very well..no one had anything really good to say about the conversion.

 

I've seen pictures of this before and I think someone here has posted this in the tech articles area.

Basically the ac compressor is used without the standard hoses, one hose would have a small air filter on it and the other hose would be for the air line. You'll need a switch to engage the compressor clutch and you might clean the old oil out and add new oil.

I'm not sure how well they work, the volume is larger than the $20 12v compressors but I've never seen how well they actually work.

 

Karl, it is on my site in my tech articles section. I haven't gotten around to trying it yet. It seems that the writter just dropped off the face of the earth, but was quite an engineer. I wish I had all of his truck articles.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/jowilker/USFlag.gif
John

jowilker email me
[link:www.ford-trucks.com/users/jowilker|My Club FTE Page] Member since 01 01

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NCFTO] North Carolina Ford Truck Owners Group

In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

Ok guys, I am a pretty avid four wheeler and have this conversion on a couple of my rigs. It works great compared to what they want for those aftermarket ones. I have used the York style compressors multiple times, and a buddy of mine uses the chrysler style. Assuming you have already mounted the compressor,You need to take the wire from the clutch
and run it to either a relay or to a toggle switch that will handle 30 amps or so. The relay would really be the proper way to do it.The whole idea here is to get switched 12volts to the compressor clutch. The other thing about wiring it with a relay is you can use the same relay to feed an idle kicker solonoid. The next step is to plumb your lines. I put K&N valve cover breather filters on all of my intakes. on the outlet side I plumbed into a T and put a 120P.S.I. in one leg of the T. This is very important, Because these compressors will keep on building pressure
until something blows! On the other leg of the T continue with your plumbing to a coelescing filter/moisture trap. This will help keep oil oil out of your tires. and then from there you can either run an air outlet or plumb it to a small air tank. If you don't run the small air tank then you only have enough voluume to fill tires or blow things off.
If your running a tank then you can run air tools in short bursts depending on your tank size. Remember the faster the engine is running the faster you build air pressure. I kick mine up to about 1500 rpm when filling tires and it is quick. Any questions?



Bushman

 

That sounds really easy, just hookup a regulator and a switch, with an air tank, and I should be set, right? Ok, maybe a little more complicated than that, but thats the basics. Any tips? I plan on using the stock a/c compressor, and I guess I'll go to the industrial equipment, and find some adapters, and a regulator, water-catcher, and some hose. Thanks for all the help.

 

Oh yea, one more question. how would I hookup a relay to only activate when the system needed more air? Cause then I could just put a switch on that relay, to start it, then have it shut off by itself when the psi was high enough.

 

Fit a relief/shut off valve from an Shop style air compressor.

Dennis



Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"


78 F-150 429CJ,Silver
w/Explorer Pkge.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V
84 Volvo DL Wagon