If you're like me you've got an jeep that's becoming more and more of a trail rig and less and less of a road pounder. One of the key things to do when off-road is to air down your tires for better traction. Reducing the pressure creates a greater contact patch in the tire that is able to deform and grab hold of the rocks. The biggest problem with airing down is coming up with a viable way to air back up so that you can drive your rig on the road. Driving on the road with 10-15psi in your tires is not only discouraged it's dangerous. To add to the trouble usually the closest place to the trail head that has air is several miles down the road, leaving you in a quandary as to how to fill your tires back up or get to where you can. And then what about all your air tools you'd love to be able to run on the trail for repairs?

One way is the tiny little tire compressors that you can buy at most discount stores. They will pump up your tires but you may be considerably older by the time they actually finish. They are great if you have a tire on your car at home that is a couple psi low but for the big meats on the trail they just don't cut it. There is no way they'd even come close to running air tools. Another option is an electric powered compressor (quickair or others) built for putting out larger amounts of air. These compressors are similar to the discount store compressors in that they run off the 12v power in your jeep. They are built though for serious air and pump out a good bit. With a tank these higher volume compressors should be able to run most air tools. These are a good option but a little pricey. Another option is the Powertank. A CO2 tank built specifically for off-roaders to use for filling tires or running tools. For me this wasn't any option. The initial tank is pricey and I didn't want to have to run out and fill up the tank when it was empty.

That leaves one solution. Using the A/C compressor for onboard air. With a tank the A/C compressor can blow up the biggest tires in a matter of seconds and should be able to run most air tools. Many off-roaders have heard about the great air that York compressors provide. The long stroke compressors found in some vehicles can rival shop compressors for amount of output. The problem with the York compressors is that they're pretty big and in the already cramped XJ engine bay there isn't much room. Also you would have to custom fabrication mounting brackets to be able to mount the compressor so that it could be run by a belt off the engine. York's do have a good thing going for them in that they have an internal oil reservoir to lubricate the pump. The Sanden style that come in XJ's from the factory use oil in the refrigerant to lube the internals so we'll have to provide an oiler to provide the lube on the intake side of the compressor.

NOTE: making this conversion will render your A/C useless. You will be disconnecting all of the A/C plumbing from the compressor plus you will have to have the refrigerant removed from your system by a certified shop.

Time to dig in.....

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