Looking at an on-board air system, VIAIR compressor full duty cycle with tank. Curious to know where you'd install the compressor in your 3rd Gen 4Runner

 

It would depend on the use of the vehicle.

Does this tote the family around or is it a pretty much a single person vehicle stripped down of all unneeded weight??

It pretty much comes down to just where you want it to go . Inside the vehicle or under the vehicle .

I would guess it could be stuffed in the engine compartment but if you have the 3.4 it would be interesting to find a good location

 

My Runner has several duties. DD, wheeling, camping & fishing. It's a work in progress, minor mods so far with more to come in the near future. The rear seats will be removed to accommodate rear storage and a sleeping pad for the above duties. The engine bay is not an option IMHO. Then again, if there's someone out there who's managed to jam a compressor in there ... I'm all ears!

 

Thoughts and questions I'm mulling as I hope to add OBA in the next couple of years (wallet = moths, lint and a couple of pennies...or were those pancakes? Mmmmmm, pancakes.....)

anywho-
I've seen people jam them back behind the airbox, on the right inner fender. Dunno if or what they had to relocate to do it though. Would it need protecting from heat and stuff that gets into an engine bay when you're out having fun? Personally I don't think I'd want in up there, crowded enough as it is.

I've also seen them jammed in the left cargo area, behind the trim panel...makes me wonder about heat and lack of air flow. Wonder also about a desktop computer fan being useful to combat heat- powered up when the compressor is switched on? This interests me greatly.

I've also wondered about where the spare normally goes...or to the side- or would that leave it too exposed to dirt n dust n stuff? What sort of box or cover would solve that issue? This so far interests me most of all, my spare doesn't fit so it's a big empty expanse...

 

As your in the Part of the world it gets cold you need to worry about it freezing as well warm air cold temperatures condensation a frozen air line does not help.

Are you also going to run a tank of a few cubic feet??

 

^ that is an excellent point and one I will consider as well, thanks wyoming9!

Another thing I've seen but am not going to do (no room in my particular case, for one) is use of a york compressor above the alternator. That one takes a bit of doing.

 

hab & wyo I've been kicking around a lot of ideas over the past year or so, there's no end to the possibilities if you have the $ or the skills or both! lol Since you bring up a York set-up, here's a site you might find interesting.
http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/yorkair.html
I'm kinda leaning towards the left cargo area as it keeps everything inside and away from the elements. Running a hard airline to the outside is an option but I don't see much advantage to that. A coiled line that'll reach the front tires from the hatch is adequate in my view. A shorter line for draining the system of both air and condensation build up from the hatch is a simple cure for cold weather operation. I've a two gallon air tank with mine.

I've considered the spare tire area as well but I think that'll add far more maintenance as everything is exposed to road/trail crud or has to be boxed in somehow for protection. Access would also be limited if boxed in. My intent is to use that space for two aux. batteries once my rear bumper with swing away wheel carrier arrives and is installed.

Nothing's really set in stone yet so, still open to ideas/suggestions.

 

Thanks for the link WJC. I can't run a york personally (dual batteries already taking up the space) but always find that sort of thing interesting.

So far and without having a compressor to mull over I'm leaning to compressor inside cargo area, tank near spare area. You've got time to come up with something and write it up for us eventual followers.

 

Here's where I'm thinking:


It does fit. Make a bracket to have it higher up than in the pic and I'm wondering just how structural the part towards the taillight that it butts up to is. I'd like to make a hole in it for a little bit more room, maybe reinforce it differently. I'd also like to put a desktop computer fan or two in there that switch on when it's on.
I could just cut out a place in the panel for air flow but it'd look nicer all tucked out of sight.
More later, in build thread. I've go to do some head scratchin'.