bigorange

hey guys not sure if this is the right place to post this but here it is I've seen jeep guys turn there a/c pumps into an air compressor and I was woundering if any one has done it to a 2005 ram, do to that I pulled all the a/c stuff out of my truck but still the the a/c pump on it and would like to have onboard air . any on have any tip on this would be great . shane

HotRodTodd

Years ago we used to make the old piston style compressors like the York twin cylinders into air compressors, by adding a tank, pressure switch, lines, and drilling the crankcase on the compressor so that oil could be added and checked.
I don't think the newer rotary styles would be a good candidate to convert as there isn't a sump for oil, so its life would be very short.

bigorange

ok just woundering but how do they stay lubed when they are a a/c pump or is it lubed from the a/c oil

HotRodTodd

The oil is in suspension with the freon when the a/c is in its normal configuration.

gwhammy

www.onboardair.com has all the pieces to mount a york air compressor on the 24 valve trucks. I've had one for years, really handy. The big compressor will move alot of air,fast idle will keep up with a half inch impact most of the time.

Busboy

It says that the compressor mounts above the alternator, does it relocate the alternator? If so does it need a special belt? It also mentions that a Vee belt comes with it so they must add another bottom pulley to drive the compressor. Does the tank mount under the hood? Did you buy the whole kit or make your own?

bigorange

I know about that air set up just want to do it on the cheap and was looking to see if I could use my a\c pump since I won't be running a a/c system but thanks for the good info .

gwhammy

New bracket mounts above the alternator, the pulley on the alternator changes and has a v belt in front of the flat belt. I built my own setup,bought the bracket and pulley, bought a compressor rebuilt off of ebay for 135 with the right pulleys. I have had tanks in the bed under the bed and the last one is a 4X8 tubing rear bumper made into a air tank. I usually put a toggle switch inside so I can shut it off when not needed. They do work good just check the oil in them when I do weekend service on my truck.

1-2-3

I got a nifty little air pump from Sams about a month ago. Works on 12 volts. There's tons of then out there. With all them available, I would thing it would be too much of a hassle to do anything else, unless you wanna do train horns. Back in shop class, all the guys with trucks mad big air bumpers they could fill up and have enuff to fill a tire or two and get home.

~Angry Tractor~

Yeh that York is pretty pricey. There are alot of alternatives. I'd do a search on airhorns on this site. Thats where your gonna find cheap ways to get onboard air. Mid sized commercial 6bt's usually have air compressors and I have seen them for sale on FLEABAY for a few hundred. Don't know if they would fit on a Dodge though. I have one on a spare 12 valve I bought and looking at it, it looks like it would be a tight fit. I just got an air horn and have been collecting the fixins to hook it up. I'm probably going to go with 12 volt compressor.

cLAYH

You can use your stock AC pump, lots of the Jeep guys do. You just have to keep the compressor oiled with either an in line oiler or manually.

ridofpwrstroke

On my 1997 ford ranger with a 302V8 I put a sanden compressor which is a cylinder style pump. It mounts where the stock pump would. The difference between this pump and your stock pump is that it has a oil resevoir on it to fill. Similiar to the york. I bought this pump from Kilby 10 years ago and still working good. I tried to make the stock one work at first but couldnt keep the oiling system working. This was fairly cheap if I recall. 200 bucks or less. That was 10 years ago though. Too easy to mount. It goes in the exact spot as your stock one. Flows alot of air as well.