ARB twin air compressor location ideas

Onefin

Well-known member
I’m attempting to find a decent location for my ARB twin compressor on my 170” 4x4.

Considerations:
A. Van has underhood aux battery, so that eliminates that location without a very tight fit and involved fabrication.

B. Van lives in Colorado so roads are Crappy enough (snow, mag chloride) to make me not want it under the van in an effort to keep it cleanish and happy. If I lived somewhere else I’d put it underneath near the passenger footwell.

C. Was planning on wiring off aux battery versus house and the back of the van is a long ways away if interior in rear cargo area is chosen. This “seems” like best/easiest bet. I’d run an airline to the front of van so I could fill the front tires with a shortish inflation hose.

The ARB twins run pretty hot and are noisy....had one under the passenger seat of a Jeep JKU and it sucked enough there that I moved it underhood.

Any ideas or suggestions? I’ve put this thing on the shelf for a year because I didn’t see a decent solution. Probably some solution I’ve overlooked.

Maybe a battery box under the van, but that would eliminate airflow for cooling....I guess it could have operable vents?
 

OffroadHamster

Well-known member
THere are some good battery trays to mount under the van if you want to go that route. Hein makes a nice one (impact3d.com).

Do you already have the ARB? I swapped the Twin out on my truck fora VIAR mounted to the frame rail with a 2 gal tank. It was seamless, quiet and took all the dirt, salt, rain, snow and sand the underside of a 4WD truck experiences. It could bring four 34" tires up from 15 to 35psi in under 10 minutes.

I think you could easily run a VIAIR under the van without issue even in CO. If you dont like it put a splash guard on 3 to 4 sides. The Viair is quiet enough that you could probably place it under the passenger seat and not have it be too much of a nuisance.
 
D

Deleted member 50714

Guest
Box and vent it with water diverting cooling plenums. Mount under van in unused cavity closest to driver's seat.
 

Onefin

Well-known member
THere are some good battery trays to mount under the van if you want to go that route. Hein makes a nice one (impact3d.com).

Do you already have the ARB? I swapped the Twin out on my truck fora VIAR mounted to the frame rail with a 2 gal tank. It was seamless, quiet and took all the dirt, salt, rain, snow and sand the underside of a 4WD truck experiences. It could bring four 34" tires up from 15 to 35psi in under 10 minutes.

I think you could easily run a VIAIR under the van without issue even in CO. If you dont like it put a splash guard on 3 to 4 sides. The Viair is quiet enough that you could probably place it under the passenger seat and not have it be too much of a nuisance.
Yeah...the ARB has been sitting in a box for a year or so....I had one on a Jeep and bought one for the sprinter on a Black Friday deal.....
There is more space in the sprinter engine compartment for the twin than in a Jeep JKU, even with the aux. battery.....Jeep is easy as there are many mounts to choose from, and they are all pretty cheap and well reviewed.

Underside of my van is nasty all winter and spring...and fall....hard to keep stuff clean here and I suspect that the life of the compressor will be compromised if it is exposed.

Hoping to keep the ARB, but I will look into the viair.

Arb easily fits under sprinter passenger seat,..but I have Alpine Mechanism swivels and there is very little airflow in that box. Maybe I’ll look into ventilation options for the seat base?

I’m going to give under the passenger seat a better look.
 
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Farfrumwork

Active member
Hein sells a vented access door for the seat bases.

I'm thinking of mounting an air system as well. I have a VIAIR compressor which I pull out and plug in when needed (still need to setup some quick connects in the Sprinter), but I used it in our Syncro)
 

Onefin

Well-known member
Hein sells a vented access door for the seat bases.

I'm thinking of mounting an air system as well. I have a VIAIR compressor which I pull out and plug in when needed (still need to setup some quick connects in the Sprinter), but I used it in our Syncro)
My webasto/espar air heater will go under passenger seat..I’ll use the Hein vented cover when heater goes in. I’m not sure that the airflow provided by the Hein vented cover is enough for the ARB.....it runs HOT....like really hot.

Even with a heater, there is still enough room for the ARB under the seat, and really easy access to wiring, and the ability to easily drill and drop airlines through the floor.

I’m hoping someone chimes in that they put their ARB twin under the seat, or somewhere else overlooked......and then I can learn from their experience.
 

OffroadHamster

Well-known member
You could cut a couple of holes in the seat base and mount some high flow 12V case fans switched to the compressor so they kick on when the compressor runs.

I went the route Farfrum did and have a portable VIAR for the van that lives in my bumper box. Its not as convenient as having a hard mounted unit with a tank, but serves well enough to inflate tires, rafts, etc.

VMAC makes a compressor that mounts to the aux alternator location, and is a screw type belt driven unit. I recall it being expensive, but you could probably run a pneumatic grinder off of it. Also, Van Compass makes an air system mount kit for a viar for the under hood battery location. Just more info for you..
 

Onefin

Well-known member
You could cut a couple of holes in the seat base and mount some high flow 12V case fans switched to the compressor so they kick on when the compressor runs.

I went the route Farfrum did and have a portable VIAR for the van that lives in my bumper box. Its not as convenient as having a hard mounted unit with a tank, but serves well enough to inflate tires, rafts, etc.

VMAC makes a compressor that mounts to the aux alternator location, and is a screw type belt driven unit. I recall it being expensive, but you could probably run a pneumatic grinder off of it. Also, Van Compass makes an air system mount kit for a viar for the under hood battery location. Just more info for you..
Thanks for the ideas.
I’ve considered the case fan idea...seems simple enough....

If the ARB wasn’t just sitting on the shelf I’d buy a portable unit...I don’t need or use the compressor that often, and certainly less than I did on my Jeep.

The VMAC I saw likely overkill for my needs....but thanks for posting the link

I’ve got the factory aux battery underhood, if I didn’t thats the best place for it, IMHO
 

Onefin

Well-known member
Mines under the seat with cooling fan
Works great



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Awesome! Thanks for posting.
I’d plan on a tank in frame rails under van and then run a line fore and one act to have quick connects.
I used this ( http://absolute-wits-end.com/air-coupler-bracket-flat-kit/ ) on my Jeep and they worked and looked better than what I cobbled together at ace hardware.
I’ll check out case fans.

Thanks for everybody’s input so far.
 

wquek

Work in progress
Do you have any room in the engine compartment between the fresh air intake and passenger side fender? On the VS30 there is lots of room to mount the compressor. That’s where I intend to mount mine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

SpamVan

Member
I have a 'cabinet'/box over my passenger side rear wheel where 200AH of lithium batteries, a 10" JL sub, and an ARB compressor sit. The vented grill for the sub let's the ARB breath/cool, haven't had any issues yet, and it's nice to have the air compressor out the back when I'm working on bikes.
 

Olallabiker

New member
I’m attempting to find a decent location for my ARB twin compressor on my 170” 4x4.

Considerations:
A. Van has underhood aux battery, so that eliminates that location without a very tight fit and involved fabrication.

B. Van lives in Colorado so roads are Crappy enough (snow, mag chloride) to make me not want it under the van in an effort to keep it cleanish and happy. If I lived somewhere else I’d put it underneath near the passenger footwell.

C. Was planning on wiring off aux battery versus house and the back of the van is a long ways away if interior in rear cargo area is chosen. This “seems” like best/easiest bet. I’d run an airline to the front of van so I could fill the front tires with a shortish inflation hose.

The ARB twins run pretty hot and are noisy....had one under the passenger seat of a Jeep JKU and it sucked enough there that I moved it underhood.

Any ideas or suggestions? I’ve put this thing on the shelf for a year because I didn’t see a decent solution. Probably some solution I’ve overlooked.

Maybe a battery box under the van, but that would eliminate airflow for cooling....I guess it could have operable vents?
 

Olallabiker

New member
I installed my ARB twin compressor in the drivers side wheel well boxes I have. It does require an additional 25 ft air hose to reach the front passenger side tire. When in use I leave the lid for box open for cooling, I did over heat it once, and had to purchase the repair parts. Air connection is installed at back of box outside next to the water station. I have used it many times no problem other then remembering to open lid
.
 

drodio

"Avalanche" • 2022 170" Ext Cargo 4x4
Just installed the ARB using the VanCompass mounting plate in my VS30.

Wondering if anyone has any tips on wiring it up / switch placement?

My aux battery is under the pass seat, so I figure I'll have to run battery wires in under the driver's seat to the 150 box... but LMK if there's a good 12v connection point I can tap into in the engine compartment. If I do have to tap into the driver's seat box -- what's the best way to get there? Through engine firewall? Underneath?

Thanks in advance for any tips!
 

Wrinkledpants

2017 144WB 4x4
I plan on mounting ours inside the garage next to our electrical. I assume it would need to be rubber mounted to whatever fixture we come up with?
 

Vailcomp

Active member
While having some upgrades to my suspension Agile installed an ARB win. I was before they had their Underwood bracket and they installed it under the truck in the step we’ll at the passenger side been on there 3 years no problems.
 

3ONOURWAY

New member
While having some upgrades to my suspension Agile installed an ARB win. I was before they had their Underwood bracket and they installed it under the truck in the step we’ll at the passenger side been on there 3 years no problems.
Any chance to share a few pics of this ?

thanks
 

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