# Truck air compressor



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Already have big bulky gas powered air compressor. It really gets in the way in the truck bed and honestly, I use it about 2-3 times per year. On the other side of the extremes, I have a small $20 plastic compressor, like something you'd find in a dollar store. It can top off an implement tire, but too small to fill a baler tire and much too small for tractor tires. 
Has anyone found a portable electric compressor that plugs into cig lighter that's big enough to top off a tractor tire or fill an implement tire, but small enough to store in a truck box, so I can get the giant gas compressor out of my truck bed? 
Thanks


----------



## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

http://t.harborfreight.com/12v-100-psi-high-volume-air-compressor-61788.html

Cheap and China made I'm sure. We've got one in each truck, I've aired up every tire on the farm with it including baler and tractor flats. Oldest one is 3 years old and still use it on a near daily basis. Actually just bought another work truck today and I will be buying one for it on my next trip to harbor freight. Buy the separate adapter so you can hook it directly to a battery as well.


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Lewis Ranch said:


> http://t.harborfreight.com/12v-100-psi-high-volume-air-compressor-61788.html
> 
> Cheap and China made I'm sure. We've got one in each truck, I've aired up every tire on the farm with it including baler and tractor flats. Oldest one is 3 years old and still use it on a near daily basis. Actually just bought another work truck today and I will be buying one for it on my next trip to harbor freight. Buy the separate adapter so you can hook it directly to a battery as well.


Lewis is spot on, they work, they are what I consider throw away, but sure are handy. I have a small 5-6 gallon portable air tank, that I have rigged up adapters to allow this type of compressor to have more volume if needed. These pumps usually are less than 1 cu ft of air per minute, so with my auxiliary tank being filled why I am doing something else (driving to the equipment, patching tube, plugging tire) I find handy. I suppose if you wanted to you could install one or more air reservoirs under your bed, using air tanks from semi trailers might be any option (asphalt haulers in my area have 6-10 of them on the side of the trailers in my area for their air brakes I believe).

Larry


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I like those. I think I'm going to get one for each truck. Thanks for the link.


----------



## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660640_200660640?isSearch=51481

This product is an actual 12 Volt DC air compressor - not an inflator.

Gary


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

NewBerlinBaler said:


> http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660640_200660640?isSearch=51481
> 
> This product is an actual 12 Volt DC air compressor - not an inflator.
> 
> Gary


Neat compressor, bet you don't leave that hooked to your battery very long with the engine off.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Piqued my interest so I did some looking and came across this and the Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor. Good review and several hundred high ratings....downside is that it is about twice the price of the one Lewis posted.

Regards, Mike

http://airtoolguy.com/best-12-volt-air-compressor-reviews/


----------



## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

I have a 4 gallon, 2 HP, 125 PSI twin tank, air compressor, sure it runs off of 110 volts, and with a very heave duty Power Invertor, you can run an impact gun, with it, and your not limited, to just using it, in your truck, you can use it,in your basement, if need be, to air up your pressure tank, for your water pump.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I have one of the "slime" double piston pumps, it works well, fast......unfortunately, it needs a thermal overload circuit breaker.....I burnt mine up the other day filling a 16.9 tractor tire. It's done it before but it was smoking hot that day. It was also 100 skins.....


----------



## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Inverter and small 110 volt compressor plus pig tail hose tucked into 4" PVC pipe.


----------



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I grabbed one of the "Chicago" branded air compressors from Horrible Freight suggested by Lewis Ranch. I was surprised how compact it was. Seems solidly built. At $39 a piece, It looks like you could keep one in each tractor or truck 
I really like having the gas powered compressor out of the truck bed. I'm sure I'll need high capacity air again sometime down the road, but the trade off hasn't been worth it.

Luckily, my JCB also has on board air, since it has air over hydraulic brakes. I installed an outlet on the air tank reservoir and I keep a hose JD air chuck in the cab.

Got me thinking how convenient it would be if our service trucks were manufactured with on board air and AC power that runs off the engine.


----------



## Bruce Hopf (Jun 29, 2016)

Wish there was some way, to install a Bendix air compressor, off a semi truck, and a few air tanks, in the Fram, of the truck, that way, everything, would be out, of the box, of the pickup.


----------



## j_luken (May 27, 2016)

Lewis Ranch said:


> http://t.harborfreight.com/12v-100-psi-high-volume-air-compressor-61788.html
> 
> Cheap and China made I'm sure. We've got one in each truck, I've aired up every tire on the farm with it including baler and tractor flats. Oldest one is 3 years old and still use it on a near daily basis. Actually just bought another work truck today and I will be buying one for it on my next trip to harbor freight. Buy the separate adapter so you can hook it directly to a battery as well.


This would be good to have in any vehicle, even just for traveling, just incase, and the price isn't bad. Thanks for posting.


----------



## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I've got a big old York AC compressor converted to air compressor I've always meant to mount on something. Turns out those little 12v ones are far more convenient.

In the UK little pto powered air compressers used to be sold, not sure if they are so common now, slipped on like a sprayer pump. No tank they just bypass when full pressure.


----------



## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Knew several guys around here that had big pipe bumpers on the backs of their pickups that did double-duty as an air tank... complete with hose couplers. Fill at the shop from the main compressor or carry a little compressor with you, or belt-driven under the hood plumbed to the back, your choice.

Later! OL J R


----------



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

http://www.heweybodies.com/links.html if you were looking for a compact compressor dc ,that will do some serious work


----------

