Pnut's How To #1: run you ARB's using compressed CO2
This is first tech write-up on the projects I am doing on my Jeep. I am not an expert, nor do I proclaim to be. Most of this has been done before. I asked lots of questions, put all the information I got together, and came up with this. I am writing this for people who wanted to do these projects but never found the complete information on how to accomplish them. Do ALL of this work at your own risk.
Have you ever wanted to have ARB's (or you have ARB's now), but you don't want the complication of solenoids, wire harnesses, and a pump? Have you also considered (or already have) compressed CO2 to fill tires and run air powered tools? I will explain here how to do both in one setup . Here we go!
You will need the following items (or equivalent) as shown in the pictures (I have also noted where I bought these and for how much):
CO2 tank (I used 10lb): Ebay $80 (brand new aluminum with handle) - Beveragefactory.com
Regulator (I used fixed 90PSI, but you can used a variable): Williams Balloons $40
Air line quick connects: hardware store $8
¼" air line: Industrial supply $8 for 100ft
Pneumatic switches: Campbell enterprises $70
Various presto-lok type fittings and brass fittings: Grainger $20
10lb fire extinguisher bracket: Grainger $35
Coiled air hose 20ft: clearance at powertank.com (I actually got 2 for $15), great quality hose!
Air chuck: hardware store $3
Here is a description of the pictures before I get into detail:
Pic 1 shows from left to right: Coiled air hose with air chuck and quick disconnects on either end. Below that are the pneumatic switches (clear hose to CO2, blue hoses to axles). Then is the regulator with quick disconnect, then the CO2 tank, and finally the tank bracket.
Pic 2 is close-up of the connections from tank to switches / air hose
Pic 3 is close-up of the 2 pneumatic switches setup
Pic 4 is closer-up of the switch
Pic 5 and 6 are of a single switch mounted in a dash (from SEMA show)
Pic 7 shows the Prestolok type airline fittings
Pic 8 shows where I mounted the tank in my Jeep
Detail:
I used ¼" air line from the tank to the switches, and then the 3/16" line (blue ARB line) to the axles.
The CO2 fills tires OR runs the ARB's, but never both at the same time. There is a quick connect air fitting after the regulator so that you can disconnect the pressure to the ARB's and instead hook up a coiled air hose to the tank and fill tires. This is where an adjustable regulator would be useful. I went with a fixed 90PSI regulator, but if you had a variable, you could increase the pressure to fill tires quicker (I like the simplicity and small size of fixed regulator). One note: if you run a pressure any higher than 99PSI static (not flowing) to the axles, the ARB seals could burst (says ARB). Keep this in mind when using a variable regulator.
You connect all of the fittings as shown in the pictures. The valve on the CO2 tank should be closed unless you are wheeling, this way there will be no leakdown of the CO2 tank while the jeep is just sitting. When you flip the pneumatic switch from Campbell , air pressure (at 90PSI in this case) goes to the ARB, locking you up. It's that simple. And when you turn the switch off, the switch vents the line from the ARB, releasing pressure to atmosphere and unlocking the differential.
At SEMA, Don Campbell at the Currie booth told me that a 5lb tank will operate a pair of ARB's for a whole summer, wheeling every other weekend. But of course filling up your tires will use up the tank much quicker. A 10lb tank will (approximately) inflate 26 - 33"x12.50"x15" tires from 10 to 25 psi A 10lb CO2 refill will cost you about $12 at most welding supply store.
The air line connections I used were Presto lok type fittings. These are GREAT! You simply push them into the hole and them make an air tight seal (the harder you pull, the tighter it stays in). To remove simply pull back the collar, and pull on the line. These fittings replace the multiple part brass compression fittings. I used the Presto lok at the axle and discarded the compression fittings, which came from ARB. The straight couplers can even be kept on board as a trail repair in the instance of a cut air line!
So that's it, very simple, and serves multiple purposes. As a bonus the little black knobbed switches look pretty cool on the dash. Thanks to Don Campbell and all the other rockcrawler guys I met in Las Vegas at the SEMA show. A few of them had done this, and that's where I got the detailed information to do this. In my case, this project was combined with my axle swap on my CJ7, but this could easily apply to anyone who has or is considering one or a pair of ARB lockers! To some of you this may be old news, but this setup to me is the best thing since sliced bread!
Here are some useful links to help you complete YOUR project:
www.powertank.com
www.grainger.com
http://www.campbellent.com/
www.ebay.com (do a search for CO2 tank 10)
http://www.williamsballoons.com/co2_regulators.htm
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/tanks/co2.shtml
http://www.parker.com/brassprod/prestftb.htm
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This is first tech write-up on the projects I am doing on my Jeep. I am not an expert, nor do I proclaim to be. Most of this has been done before. I asked lots of questions, put all the information I got together, and came up with this. I am writing this for people who wanted to do these projects but never found the complete information on how to accomplish them. Do ALL of this work at your own risk.
Have you ever wanted to have ARB's (or you have ARB's now), but you don't want the complication of solenoids, wire harnesses, and a pump? Have you also considered (or already have) compressed CO2 to fill tires and run air powered tools? I will explain here how to do both in one setup . Here we go!
You will need the following items (or equivalent) as shown in the pictures (I have also noted where I bought these and for how much):
CO2 tank (I used 10lb): Ebay $80 (brand new aluminum with handle) - Beveragefactory.com
Regulator (I used fixed 90PSI, but you can used a variable): Williams Balloons $40
Air line quick connects: hardware store $8
¼" air line: Industrial supply $8 for 100ft
Pneumatic switches: Campbell enterprises $70
Various presto-lok type fittings and brass fittings: Grainger $20
10lb fire extinguisher bracket: Grainger $35
Coiled air hose 20ft: clearance at powertank.com (I actually got 2 for $15), great quality hose!
Air chuck: hardware store $3
Here is a description of the pictures before I get into detail:
Pic 1 shows from left to right: Coiled air hose with air chuck and quick disconnects on either end. Below that are the pneumatic switches (clear hose to CO2, blue hoses to axles). Then is the regulator with quick disconnect, then the CO2 tank, and finally the tank bracket.
Pic 2 is close-up of the connections from tank to switches / air hose
Pic 3 is close-up of the 2 pneumatic switches setup
Pic 4 is closer-up of the switch
Pic 5 and 6 are of a single switch mounted in a dash (from SEMA show)
Pic 7 shows the Prestolok type airline fittings
Pic 8 shows where I mounted the tank in my Jeep
Detail:
I used ¼" air line from the tank to the switches, and then the 3/16" line (blue ARB line) to the axles.
The CO2 fills tires OR runs the ARB's, but never both at the same time. There is a quick connect air fitting after the regulator so that you can disconnect the pressure to the ARB's and instead hook up a coiled air hose to the tank and fill tires. This is where an adjustable regulator would be useful. I went with a fixed 90PSI regulator, but if you had a variable, you could increase the pressure to fill tires quicker (I like the simplicity and small size of fixed regulator). One note: if you run a pressure any higher than 99PSI static (not flowing) to the axles, the ARB seals could burst (says ARB). Keep this in mind when using a variable regulator.
You connect all of the fittings as shown in the pictures. The valve on the CO2 tank should be closed unless you are wheeling, this way there will be no leakdown of the CO2 tank while the jeep is just sitting. When you flip the pneumatic switch from Campbell , air pressure (at 90PSI in this case) goes to the ARB, locking you up. It's that simple. And when you turn the switch off, the switch vents the line from the ARB, releasing pressure to atmosphere and unlocking the differential.
At SEMA, Don Campbell at the Currie booth told me that a 5lb tank will operate a pair of ARB's for a whole summer, wheeling every other weekend. But of course filling up your tires will use up the tank much quicker. A 10lb tank will (approximately) inflate 26 - 33"x12.50"x15" tires from 10 to 25 psi A 10lb CO2 refill will cost you about $12 at most welding supply store.
The air line connections I used were Presto lok type fittings. These are GREAT! You simply push them into the hole and them make an air tight seal (the harder you pull, the tighter it stays in). To remove simply pull back the collar, and pull on the line. These fittings replace the multiple part brass compression fittings. I used the Presto lok at the axle and discarded the compression fittings, which came from ARB. The straight couplers can even be kept on board as a trail repair in the instance of a cut air line!
So that's it, very simple, and serves multiple purposes. As a bonus the little black knobbed switches look pretty cool on the dash. Thanks to Don Campbell and all the other rockcrawler guys I met in Las Vegas at the SEMA show. A few of them had done this, and that's where I got the detailed information to do this. In my case, this project was combined with my axle swap on my CJ7, but this could easily apply to anyone who has or is considering one or a pair of ARB lockers! To some of you this may be old news, but this setup to me is the best thing since sliced bread!
Here are some useful links to help you complete YOUR project:
www.powertank.com
www.grainger.com
http://www.campbellent.com/
www.ebay.com (do a search for CO2 tank 10)
http://www.williamsballoons.com/co2_regulators.htm
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/tanks/co2.shtml
http://www.parker.com/brassprod/prestftb.htm
