using existing air tank for other tasks?

[DeuceNewb]

I was wondering if i could use my existing air tank and system or plumb another one in to attatch an air hose to to use to air up the tires after a day off road or even run air tools if the need rises. Would this be a bad idea?

 

[Michael]

Yes, we do it all the time. You can buy an air hose at most big truck stops that hooks into the emergency glad hand on the back or you can make your own.

 

[ida34]

Yes. The military had an air hose with attached air chuck attached to a glad hand that goes on the emergency connection at the rear of the truck on the passenger's side. There is also a valve and connection on the inside firewall on the passenger's side. The valve in the cab has a pretty small line running to it so most people use the emergency glad hand connection.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Not only can you do this, you can tee in a portable air tank for extra capacity while running an impact or the like. Using the extra storage tank with a 1/2" hose, I can run my 1" impact off the truck. Also handy to keep a blowgun in the truck.

 

[bottleworks]

an air hose to to use to air up the tires after a day off road or even run air tools if the need rises.

Sure, how about an air reel?

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?t=11237

 

[DeuceNewb]

wow that sounds awesome, like it may be easy.
Now since i am new to this, i am not quite sure what the "glad hand" is. Is that one of the air connections at the back for a trailer or something? do they always have air supplied to them?
correct me if i misunderstood, but there is a device that attaches to one of those that gives me an air chuck?

 

[Michael]

Glad hand is what you call the trailer connectors. What they sell at truck stops has an air chuck on the other end. Most of us make one with a quick connect that matches what we use in our shops so we can swap out air chucks or different air tools.

see bottom of this page:

http://jameskingco.com/gladhands.php

 

[Recovry4x4]

The right rear glad hand has air all the time. There is a ball valve right there to shut and open it. I always burp a little air out just in case some bugs took up residence in the line. Any gladhand will work, just bush it down to w quick connector of your choice and store and air hose on the truck.

 

[houdel]

While both the firewall air port and the glad hand connector work, both have capacity issues (as Kenny alluded to when he mentioned the portable air tank and 1/2" connections). The firewall port is of small diameter and the glad hand connector has lots of restriction due to the length of pipe and number of fittings between the air source and the glad hand. I've also had air flow problems if the connector is not exactly centered on the glad hand. I've never been impressed with the glad hand setup. It is simple and OK for airing up tires, but I don't get enough air flow to adequately run a 1/2" impact wrench.

The slickest setup I've seen on this site was by a member who put a tee on both air tank drain fittings and then ran an air line from the tees to a quick coupler mounted in the tool box. With a short, straight shot from the air tanks to the coupler he had plenty of air.

The member who posted this set-up plumbed his air lines in series - a line from the primary air tank to the secondary air tank, then another line from the secondary tank to the coupler. When I do mine, I plan to connect the tanks in parallel. I'll plumb a tee behind the coupler, then run a line from each air tank to the tee at the coupler. That will flow much more air than the series arrangement.

Two things to remember if you use this idea - you need to install a check valve between the primary and secondary tanks to maintain the air system safety reserve, and crack the air drains to drain out any crud each time you use your new air source.

 

[cranetruck]

Wow Lee, even problems with the 1/2 " impact? I can use my 3/4 impact from either connection and the only "problem" is the reservoir size, the air runs down pretty quick, but plenty to loosen lug nuts, pretty useless for spray guns or grinders, though.

The glad hands are the same as used on commercial trucks, if they leak, replace the rubber insert.

A word about the air tank plumbing, the first one is classified as a "wet" tank (the inboard one) and collects most of the moisture, I rarely have moisture from the second tank, something to consider when plumbing them in parallel.
The xm757 has three tanks all with a check valve separating them for safety, should one puncture...

 

[clinto]

You can also add additional tanks for more capacity:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?t=14283

 

[houdel]

Wow Lee, even problems with the 1/2 " impact?

Yes, problems with a 1/2" impact using the glad hand connector, but that was using the GI air hose which I believe is only 1/4" diameter. Just too much total air pressure loss with that set-up. A 3/8" air hose would have worked a great deal better. I've stepped up to a 3/4" impact so I'll need 3/8" hose and a more direct connection to work it properly.

 

[Firefighter1303]

I plan on hooking a quick connect to my air tanks its pretty simple. I even have air on my Jeep, I used an old Ford A/C compressor, it works great 150psi or better.