air con compressor for air suspension?

[khimanimohiki]

Anyone ever seen or heard of anyone using an air con compressor to power air suspension? Its something I'm considering for my W115, there are a few things drawing me towards it;

1. I already have the compressor so wont have to spend any money.

2. I don't have to fill my boot with compressor

3. I can drive it straight off the engine, engage and disengage via pressure switch to compressor electromagnetic clutch.

The concerns I have are firstly whether or not the compressor will be up to the job and secondly how to keep it lubricated.

Any thoughts appreciated.

[Ads 19]

isn't the lubricant in an aircon gas.
i've used little air compressors from 5Ol compressors. need about .5hp-1. and easy to adapt to a belt off the engine. this was on a perkins 4203. truck tank to use as resevoir and a excess pressure valve. sure you wont notice much performance drop. my use was brakes on trailer and air horns

[joey736]

have a look on some of the landrover forums, a lot of those guys convert aircon compressors to inflate tyres/run air tools/air operated difflocks/train horns etc.

they seem to work well enough and provide plenty of air on demand. i have been thinking of fitting an onboard air setup to my discovery at some point.


forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=13723&pid=240084&st=0&#entry240084

forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=2115

forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=2527

Joey

[composimmonite]

You need to use an aircon compressor that has built in lubrication reservoir instead of the common type which used the air con fluid as a lubricant. The type normally used is called a York unit. They can be found on US vehicles and some older Volvo's.


Paul H

[chairchild]

Also, they supply PRESSURE, not VOLUME per-se

If you want your car to be hopping up and down (or even have movement measured by a watch, not a calendar), and old air-con compressor is NOT the way forward. By far, the easiest option, would be to use an old pub-sized CO2 cylinder, and fill it up using a compressor at home

[mat91]

I'm thinking of this for other reasons but i fount this may help you out
www.grungle.com/endlessair.html

[cobblers]

Aug 21, 2011 18:37:35 GMT chairchild said:

Also, they supply PRESSURE, not VOLUME per-se

If you want your car to be hopping up and down (or even have movement measured by a watch, not a calendar), and old air-con compressor is NOT the way forward. By far, the easiest option, would be to use an old pub-sized CO2 cylinder, and fill it up using a compressor at home

They are nowhere near big enough, you'll only lift a car two or three times with a pub gas sized bottle full to 150psi.

[chairchild]

twice, is better than not at all

[ruishy1]

get the electric setup from the uzz31 v8 soarer, its in the fornt drivers side wheel arch.
its quite small, about the size of a large mug.

[brc76]

It's pretty common in the USA to use the old AC system to run the airride, but as mentioned before they need to be the compressors with the self oiling system rather than the ones that use the gas to lubricate.

[bortaf]

You can use any pump you want as long as it's fit for the job, i ran my LDV ambulance for months on a cheapo 12V tyre inflator form halfords but the speed and the amount of time you raise and lower will depend on the size of tank you use to hold the air, most normal air susspension pumps are really quite small cos they deliver pressure not so much volume, the volume is dictated but the tank, forget pub cylinders! if you use it all then you drive home on the bump stops unless your using it as a reseve filled by a pump in which case you may as well get the propper tank with all the blowoff safty valves ect from a lorry/ambulance ect

[khimanimohiki]

What about putting an in-line oiler on the suction side of the pump and an oil trap on the pressure side, maybe even hook it up so the oil trap drains into the oiler on the suction side?

I just want to be able to raise and lower 4"-6" or so in a couple of seconds so I can get over speed bumps etc.

[Tim]

Whats bags are you looking at using, and how are you going to control the pressure?

[khimanimohiki]

I was thinking something like these at the rear



and these at the front