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smittybilt power tank or viair onboard air?

29K views 54 replies 24 participants last post by  DBoat 
#1 ·
so im sick of waiting for my little compressor tacking all day to fill my tires after a long day on the trail. or driving to the gas station and spending 5 bucks to fill my 35's. so I'm not that sure what way i should go? power tank or onboard air? anyone have any suggestions?
 
#46 ·
I have the Viair and love it... I mounted mine behind my spare and above the gas cans.
 

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#47 ·
I have a viair, I have a Warn Powerplant winch, I still choose my Powertank every time to fill my tires at the end of a run or if I have to use my air tools out on the trail. Powertank regulators are pretty special and are made to flow large amounts of CO2 along with the hose that is specific for the cold temps that CO2 produces... a frozen regulator or a cracked hose is pretty useless when you need to air up.

Powertank is portable, powerful and made in the USA by a fellow wheeler.

Kilby, Sanden, and Yorks are pretty amazing but do cost a pretty large sum of cash and are not portable. The Powertank can be moved from vehicle to vehicle; I use the same Powertank that I use wheeling when I take my dirtbikes out for the weekend, or when I travel in the family car, it is great for roadside emergencies.

X2 with Jerry B on the smitty crap, made in China, sub-par junk that is imitating. Never, I mean never spend your money on rip-off knock off stuff that is stealing from true off-roaders, the few dollars you save you will spend in the end and you could have supported a business that supports us.

I will now get off my soap box:)
 
#48 ·
One thing to keep in mind about a C02, which I have run for almost two years now, is you don't need an expensive regulator for it to flow high volumes and not have problems freezing up. I bought a regulator online for somewhere close to $40 and it fills my tires as quickly as my previous MAD-FAST York OBA system did that I had on my previous TJ that was stolen last year. <5 minutes to refill four 35" tires from 7-8 to 35 psi with both the York and my present C02 system. Neither has it ever frozen up. In total, I have under $150 into my home-made C02 system with an aluminum 10lb. tank, regulator, and hose. I spent $80 on the web for the aluminum tank brand-new.
 
#49 ·
I have both the Viair Compressor and the Smittybilt Tank. Last year I was coming back into Virginia City and it started to snow, lightly. It must have taken 15 to 20 minutes to fill the tires with the Viair air. I think I'll carry the Viair on the trail, but when I get back to the truck and have to fill up four tires I'll wipe out the tank.
 
#52 ·
If you have the $$ get the York. They are uber fast and no need to refill CO2 which sucks. When I can I'm getting York so i can get rid of my little Viair that takes 10,000 years to fill a tire. i will say it is a reliable little unit though, It has filled 6 Jeeps tires at once no problems (just really slow) because I was the only one with air.
 
#53 ·
I read through this thread and didnt realize that a tank could hold that much air.. so we need a build thread on the home grown inexpensive version, we need a parts list, etc.. also, where do you refill them? do you just through yours in when you go or do you mount it up somewhere in the Jeep?
Dana
 
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