Three cheers for ARB. They listened to my problems, answered my enquiries promptly and have sent me one of their new hoses. Can't ask for any more than that. :lol: :P
The new hose looks a much better jobby. Has a few features the old blue model didn't have. To quote the advertising blurb:
" . . . high flow tyre filler attachment, and a six metre abrasion and heat resistant air hose with specially designed one handed (push lock) quick connect couplings . . . feature professional integral stop valves . . . prevent operation of the compressor until it is connected to a tyre."
The new couplings work great and the stop valve means the compressor is not continually running between tyres.
Hopefully this will solve all my problems with the new compressor.
My 2 cents, I have had a Bushranger Max air for about five years, it is not hard mounted so i can move it between cars as i have had three different cars since i brought it, it just gets thrown in the back i have never done any maintenence on it and it pumps the tyres from 20-36 in a couple of minutes, the other day after a trip i did two cars whilst everyone else was still doing their own, one of the best buys i have ever purchased, the only issue is the zip on the carry bag is stuffed. Highly recommended!!!!
[b]Rob[/b]
[b]2016 Toyota Hilux SR5 D4D Auto Company Cruiser... [/b].
[url=http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?23866-Hutch-s-2012-150-GXL-V6-petrol-Auto]Hutch's 2012 Build up[/url]
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Three cheers for ARB. They listened to my problems, answered my enquiries promptly and have sent me one of their new hoses. Can't ask for any more than that. :lol: :P
The new hose looks a much better jobby. Has a few features the old blue model didn't have. To quote the advertising blurb:
" . . . high flow tyre filler attachment, and a six metre abrasion and heat resistant air hose with specially designed one handed (push lock) quick connect couplings . . . feature professional integral stop valves . . . prevent operation of the compressor until it is connected to a tyre."
The new couplings work great and the stop valve means the compressor is not continually running between tyres.
Hopefully this will solve all my problems with the new compressor.
Cheers - Byrnsie
That is really great news Byrnsie. It's reassuring to find manufacturers who stand behind the products they sell.
So have we worked out which air compressor we should purchase?
Steve
Lightforce 240Blitz driving lights, Rear hitch recovery point, GME tx3400 uhf, 64watt Uni-Solar cell, ARB CKMA12 Air compressor. all awaiting new vehicle to be delivered so they can be remounted.
I bought a Bluetongue when they first came out 12+ years ago. It has been hard mounted in 3 different 4wds. Never done anything to it other than the odd blow clean. Have used it to pump up tractor tyres, airbrushing etc etc. Absolutely trouble free. On several occasions it inflated tyres on four or five 4wds after beach drives, never stopped just kept pumping. I bought it bare and made up my own hose with high flow quick connects. Just upgraded to the mark IV with the new Prado and it seems to be about twice the capacity. I have friends with the ARB and TJM variants and other Thomas compressors and each of those stopped for smoko while pumping up one vehicle's tyres. For my money it is Bluetongue all the way.
My 150 build - http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?27423-A-Random-approach-to-a-Bluestorm-150-GXL-D4D-automatic
Thanks for the reply, will have a butchers at the blue tongue.
What, and how have you run your hose?
cheers
Steve
Lightforce 240Blitz driving lights, Rear hitch recovery point, GME tx3400 uhf, 64watt Uni-Solar cell, ARB CKMA12 Air compressor. all awaiting new vehicle to be delivered so they can be remounted.
On both the 90 and 120 the compressor is rubber mounted under the bonnet on the driver's side up against the firewall. I have a quick connect on the outlet. The hose is a coiled 10m nylon hose I bought from an industrial supplier. Google 'part number 00987314'. Not cheap but the hose is the about 12 years old and still going strong. The hose is long enough to go around all the 5 tyres and reach cars parked nearby. I keep the hose and a tyre gun in a small 'toy' box in the back which also has rubber gloves (keeps hands clean when fuelling up), small dustpan and brush, bandaids, stingoz, shower cap (covers the snorkel in car washes), shifter, dry soap stuff and baby wipes (who says teenagers don't need baby wipes!) etc.
My 150 build - http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?27423-A-Random-approach-to-a-Bluestorm-150-GXL-D4D-automatic
Nothing wrong with baby wipes i am also guilty of using them, saves getting the steer wheel dirty when i forget the gloves. I also keep a pair of leather gloves in the door pocket for refueling, what is it with diesel bowsers.
Anyway thanks for your reply i will have a look around for the compressor.
With out actually having any experience with these portable compressors im guessing the air line in my shed would also be suitable. How hot do these compressors actually get?
Cheers
Steve
Lightforce 240Blitz driving lights, Rear hitch recovery point, GME tx3400 uhf, 64watt Uni-Solar cell, ARB CKMA12 Air compressor. all awaiting new vehicle to be delivered so they can be remounted.
Not sure of actual temperatures, certainly the head gets hot enough to burn skin but that just means it is over 57 C which isn't particularly hot. I just keep out of the way. From the other responses it seems that the problem is mostly fittings letting go rather than hoses failing? The Big Red (Thomas) pump didn't have a fan and it seemed to get much hotter than the BT but again nothing definitive other than it liked a break between tyres! One thing that annoyed me when I was looking for a compressor was I asked a couple of 4x4 dealers around Brisbane if they had a BTIV, TJM or ARB etc to test against my BT and all declined for various reasons wich seemed odd. I bought the BTIV based on the experience with the first BT. I can do a comparitive test between the BT and BTIV but that is probably of no practical use to anyone but if I get a chance this weekend I will do a 265/65 17 from 15 to 35 psi. Had the D4D for two weeks now and only put 500ks on it, too much to do on weekends too little time to play!
My 150 build - http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?27423-A-Random-approach-to-a-Bluestorm-150-GXL-D4D-automatic
Real world test. It is 38 C here today and I have just pumped up a 265/65 17 AT 20 from 100 kPa to 240 kPa (near enough 15 psi to 35 psi) with both compressors.
BT 5 minutes and 23 seconds
BTIV 3 mintues and 10 seconds
These are average figures of a couple of runs each though in all honesty is more likely my error with the timing on my watch than variation with the compressors. I seem to remember the BT when I first bought it used to pump my 11.5 R15 BFG ATs in about 5 minutes flat for the same pressure difference so the 12 years is showing a little. Having said that it still pumped 6 tyres non stop last Christmas at the beach so it may be slower but still capable.
Both compressors heads got too hot to touch though the BTIV stayed hotter longer but in any case within 5 minutes would not burn skin.
Hope this is of some use to someone but like I said earlier the trouble free run I had with my original BT and its performance now 12 years on sold me on a new one without hesitation.
My 150 build - http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?27423-A-Random-approach-to-a-Bluestorm-150-GXL-D4D-automatic
Hooray. I picked up the CKMA12 today. Currently sitting on the kitchen table as I read through the instructions and review the installation threads here on PradoPoint.
If you don't mind sending me a PM with a contact number. I plan on having a go at it tomorrow morning.
I am wondering about how to access the electricals from the cigarette lighter. I noticed Plucker appears to have run his wires through the firewall on the driver's side. I was considering running them through the passenger-side firewall and routing them (somehow) to the center-console cigarette-lighter.
Thanks to the many tips from PradoPointers, especially Crammy and Plucker, my ARB is installed. I will put up the install pics in due course.
Naturally, I wanted to give it a good test, so I reduced the pressure of my 5 tyres (Dunlop GrandTrek AT20) and recorded the re-inflation time. The temperature today was 28C.
All measurements are in PSI.
My method was to inflate the first tyre from 14.5psi to 37.5psi. Then however long that took would be my benchmark. I then inflated the remaining tyres for that benchmark time and measured the pressure. If the pressure was still below 37.5psi, I measured the additional time it took to bring the tyre up to 37.5. Hope that makes sense.
Tyre 1: 14.5 -> 37.5 : 1 min 55s (benchmark time)[/*:m:36gfnutl]
Tyre 2: 14.5 -> 37.5 : 1 min 55s[/*:m:36gfnutl]
Tyre 3: 14.5 -> 36.5 : 1 min 55s + 4 seconds for 36.5 -> 37.5[/*:m:36gfnutl]
Tyre 4: 14.5 -> 36.5 : 1 min 55s + 4 seconds for 36.5 -> 37.5[/*:m:36gfnutl]
Spare : 14.5 -> 37.5 : 1 min 55s[/*:m:36gfnutl]
The noise-level was no problem at all. I expected it to be much louder, so I was pleased with that.
Installation instructions that come with the kit are as good as I've ever seen. This gets a top 5-star rating from me.
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