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Under-hood Air Compressor Mounting?

FleshEater

FleshEater

Ordinary Average Guy
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This seems kind of pointless, but not entirely.

I have a small compressor in a bag that I carry for emergencies and in my Tracker off road. However, I’m setting up a 4Runner for air bags in the rear and would like to quickly/conveniently run air hose to fill them, and also re-inflate tires after light off roading.

The problem is that the 4Runner storage space is lacking for a family of four to drive across the country.

In the 4th gen 4Runner there is a lot of space in the passenger side engine bay. What I’m wondering is would it get way too hot to mount something like a Viair compressor under there? The heat should only be an issue when it’s running, right?

I could hardwire it, permanently mount it, and not have to dick with pulling out a bag, hooking it up to the battery, etc. This should be quick and easy.

Any thoughts?
 
I ran one under the hood of my jeep for a few years (Masterflow MV-50). I used it to air up after wheeling, 33's at the time. In the summer it would hit thermal shutdown around the fourth tire. It would typically need to be in the 90's before that happened. I doubt the Toyota engine builds as much heat as the inline 6 either. Should be fine for the small amount of air in bags.
 
Why not an engine driven compressor?
 
Xiled1 said:
I ran one under the hood of my jeep for a few years (Masterflow MV-50). I used it to air up after wheeling, 33's at the time. In the summer it would hit thermal shutdown around the fourth tire. It would typically need to be in the 90's before that happened. I doubt the Toyota engine builds as much heat as the inline 6 either. Should be fine for the small amount of air in bags.
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Even with the hood open while airing up?
Grendel said:
Why not an engine driven compressor?
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How would that work while maintaining A/C?
 
FleshEater said:
Even with the hood open while airing up?

How would that work while maintaining A/C?
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A second set up. Not hard to do.

Looks like this, a LB7 Duramax we did. Sanden AC compressor for AC and a York 210 converted to air pump.

Been done for years.
 

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Grendel said:
A second set up. Not hard to do.

Looks like this, a LB7 Duramax we did. Sanden AC compressor for AC and a York 210 converted to air pump.

Been done for years.
Click to expand...

Might be tight on the 4.0l in the Toyota. There’s so much stuff on top that I don’t know there would be clearance for the hood to shut. There might be room on the passenger side of the engine.

I’ll have to look and see if I want to go that route.
 
I'm not familiar with 4th gen runners, but any chance you can stick it in the rear quarter panels? in between the outer fender and inner plastic? You might be able to cut away or modify the plastic to make it fit. I know the old 4runners had quite a bit of room in the sides.

I too would suggest keeping it out of the engine bay if you want it to last.
 
Ghetto Fab. said:
I'm not familiar with 4th gen runners, but any chance you can stick it in the rear quarter panels? in between the outer fender and inner plastic? You might be able to cut away or modify the plastic to make it fit. I know the old 4runners had quite a bit of room in the sides.

I too would suggest keeping it out of the engine bay if you want it to last.
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I’m going to look at this, too. Plan was to build a storage system in the back, but I might be able to figure out something over top of the fender wells.

It’s a pretty nice 4Runner, so I’m hesitant to hack up anything I might regret later.
 
Still not hard to do. The compressors have a 4 bolt mounting system on the side or the bottom.

Easy to build for.
 
Grendel said:
Still not hard to do. The compressors have a 4 bolt mounting system on the side or the bottom.

Easy to build for.
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If you get lucky and have fucktons of space where the OEM one mounts you can just get threaded rod and stack two on top of each other with a bracket to hold an idler sandwhiched between.
 
arse_sidewards said:
If you get lucky and have fucktons of space where the OEM one mounts you can just get threaded rod and stack two on top of each other with a bracket to hold an idler sandwhiched between.
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Yeah, this engine bay is packed tight. Engine driven compressor is more than I want to dick with. Sometimes it just isn’t worth it.

And I never said I was looking for bolt-on. Was asking about heat. :flipoff2:
 
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We install the ARB twin compressor on the new Wranglers and Gladiators under the master cylinder next to the exhaust manifold with the kit from Grimm Offroad and they don't have any issues with the heat. There is a small aluminum heat shield to protect the compressor and the intake filters are moved up to the hood line.

Screen Shot 2022-02-01 at 10.08.58 AM.png



For a closer look, here's a vid we made:

 
Is there room under the rear seats? Or behind/in-front of the rear wheel wells (underneath the trim)? Often this is empty space under the trim, usually reserved for a factory optional subwoofer/amp or "CD changer".

If your compressor can take it, you could put it under the vehicle-- mounted off the frame rail. Just make some armor for it to keep it from taking a direct hit. It will get wet and muddy if you don't shield and vent it though... but it probably would in the engine bay anyway.
 
Pablo said:
Is there room under the rear seats? Or behind/in-front of the rear wheel wells (underneath the trim)? Often this is empty space under the trim, usually reserved for a factory optional subwoofer/amp or "CD changer".

If your compressor can take it, you could put it under the vehicle-- mounted off the frame rail. Just make some armor for it to keep it from taking a direct hit. It will get wet and muddy if you don't shield and vent it though... but it probably would in the engine bay anyway.
Click to expand...

I found a Viair compressor that’s small enough to fit in the rear cargo space on the passenger side. I’m going to run wires the whole way up front and hard wire it. I can store the hose in there as well. Just pop it off and pull the air hose around to all four corners to air up tires and right at the back for the air bags.

Need to find a place for an inverter as well.

This Toyota is going to get beat up and hacked by the time I’m done, I know it.
 
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