Air compressor questions

[Ted]

We finally got airbags installed on our truck last weekend and really notice the difference in ride and handling. We are considering the Superflow MV-50 compressor that many of you with airbags seem to really like. Some of the online reviews complain that the air hose is so short they have a problem reaching the rear tires while using this compressor. Since the valves for the airbags are on the rear bumper, this is causing us some concern.

I see several options:
- Use jumper cables as an "extension cord" when connecting the compressor to the battery.
- Replace the stock air hose on the compressor with a longer air hose.
- Connect the compressor to the camper battery instead of the truck battery. The reason for hesitation on this is two-fold - digging the battery out from under the couch and draining the battery by drawing 30 amps for several minutes.

Have any of you dealt with this problem and, if so, what have you done to deal with it? Any other ideas, comments, thoughts, suggestions, compressor opinions, etc. would be welcome.

Thanks, Ted

 

[BenG]

Think if your just going to use it to inflate the air bags most of the time, I would just make up a longer air hose, might loose a little performce from the compressor, but it should work just fine for inflating the bags.

 

[Tomas Tierra]

It takes just an instant to fill the airbags so using the House Battery is not that big a deal.Except like you said, digging it out..

My big issue with the superflow is the screw on valve. The airbags are such small volume that when you start to unscrew the valve, that little bit of air that escapes is like 1/3 of an airbag full. so syncing them up to ecxactly the pressure you want is hard.especially when every time you check them you lose 5 psi.

Looking for a new length of hose with a push down valve.

TT

 

[kcowyo]

The length of the hose shouldn't be an issue for you Ted.

I believe our trucks have a very similar overall length and the Superflow works fine for me. I can air up my rear tires and airbags, which are plumbed through my rear license plate bracket, while connected to my truck's battery.

It's a stretch, don't get me wrong. But I can place the compressor body about halfway down the body of the truck because the power cords are fairly long. The air hose stretches the remainder of the way to the rear just fine. I've been using it this way for two years and no issues so far.

I can snap a pic if a visual would help you decide before purchasing...

Tomas' point about the screw on valve and the small bags is spot on. I've just gotten used to adding 5 more PSI than I want to, to compensate for the loss of air during the disconnect process. I check the pressure with a seperate air gauge after disconnecting and it's generally right where I want it.

 

[Ted]

Excellent advice.

Thank you for the responses. I was thinking I would air down the tires a little bit any time we go off-road to smooth out the ride and air them down a fair amount and air up the bags only if we were to do some serious off-road. Therefore the compressor would be used more for the tires than the bags.

I hadn't thought about the air loss from the bags while diconnecting the valve. Thank you TT for bringing that up. I like your suggestion of replacing the hose and the inflator valve. I even have some air hose and an inflator valve in the garage.

The consensus seems to be 45 psi in the right bag and 55 psi in the left for paved roads. What is suggested for use off-road?

Ted

 

[kcowyo]

I generally air down the tires to 18psi if I'm going to be on any type of washboard tracks, like to the Racetrack in Death Valley. I air up the airbags to 85 psi on similar trails because the more the merrier from my experiences.

On the hose length issue, my truck battery is on the driver's side. I air up the driver's side tires and the airbags from that side. I can air up the passenger side tires too without an issue but trying to reach from the driver's side battery, down the passenger side and around to the rear to air up the bags isn't really possible. The hose and cables won't stretch that far.

Took some pics for you Ted, regarding the hose length -