Anyone running bags off of compressed nitrogen, or something like bottles that you use for welding? Is it hard to set up? I know its usually for fast bags but I'm just doing reasearch is all. How would you hook up a nitrogen tank to the bags? Just wondering is all.
That nitrogen is really for hopping. Another bad part about "fast" bags is that when you let them down, they are still fast and your ass slamms on the ground. That sucks. Anyway, hows things down in L.A.? Know of anything for sale down your way, I need another ride bro.
I had nitrogen hooked into a previous project of mine. You'll need to get a regulator, same kind you would use for a welding outfit. I had mine plumbed into the normal storage tank along with the compressor. You'll want one with multiple ports. Makes life a bit easier. Basicly, when the nitrogen comes out of the bottle it exspands in the tank befor it hits the bag. Like was said earlier, it's mainly for hopping as it moves faster once it has exspanded, but I ran mine through 3/8 ports and lines and it wasn't bad. Had a friend with a 65 Malibu with the straight 6 that was running 1/2" through out with double 1/2" ported bags. He could get the front to hop about 2 1/2 feet. I run 1/2" through out on my Cad with just a small 150psi compressor through a 5 gal tank and it gets up pretty quick. If I let the tank fill to 150 psi, I can get the rear end to hit the top of it's travel by just tap'n the switch. It does drop fast but with some practice you can get it to come down softly. Gota feather the switches a bit on the way down.
its very easy to set up I have used nitrogen bottles on two of my cars, I get the small 85's, get a regulater and plumb it straight to whatever valves you are using, Im a poor boy so I used ball valves on one of my cars, and I never used it to hop, set the psi at about 150 works good for me, as for slamming to the ground too fast you can use a slow down valve on you exiting air or just get the feel for the switches and bump it down.
I am not running Nitrogen but as far a slowing it down on its decent it easy. I have 1/2 line and 3/8 SMC vales and it would drop like a rock. All I did was buy some 3/8 plugs and drilled small holes in them and put them in the exhaust valves. Start with the smallest hole and keep dilling larger holes untill you happy with the speed.
How come noone ever brings up the safety issue of running compressed gas with an attached regulator in a car? A fairly minor wreck could break off the reg. and cause a world of destruction. Suprised this never comes up. I'd at least integrate some kind of heavy steel surrounding the reg. just in case. Running a regular air tank with only 175 psi is plenty for me, I don't need a 2500 psi bomb in the trunk, especially if my kids are in the car.
I run this scuba tank, it costs me $2 to fill it and last about 8 weeks. The tank is not for speed, its so I dont have to run the compressor all the time, compressors are too damn noisy. Make sure you run a check valve after the regulator so you can disconnect your bottle without emptying your storage tank. 1lowdelivery, run a ball valve on your exhaust side of the valve and you can control the fall rate. The scuba tank is prettier and safer.
I ran a SCUBA tank for a while too. That was a great setup. Much cheaper then nitrogen and still just as quick if regulated to the right psi. BTW nice ride Glen. As far as seftey goes. I guess this ones up for debate, but if the end were to snap off the bottle due to a crash. I think you have bigger problems then a strapped down air tank in your trunk. Just a thought.
I was curious is all. One of my friends tried to hook up a nitrogen tank on his truck with bags but when he hooked it up and turned it on it would lock everything up. He had his tank hooked up to the regular tank his compressors use. He only had his pressure set for about 120 psi of pressure and it would freeze everything and lock up the switches except for the dumps. I was just trying to get an idea of why it was doing that. Plus I had thought of putting a small tank on my car for a little while but I didn't want to hop mine just go up fast. Plus I can get a couple of tanks for free to use untill they are empty. I was just going to use them untill I got the money for a compressor. Oh yea I had thought about the safety issues and all that to so I had an Idea for a cage for it.
[ QUOTE ] As far as seftey goes. I guess this ones up for debate, but if the end were to snap off the bottle due to a crash. I think you have bigger problems then a strapped down air tank in your trunk. Just a thought. [/ QUOTE ] there is no debate about it. there are pics of some cars, at the place i get my welding tank filled, that had a welding cylinder (same deal as nitrogen, VERY high pressure) explode IN the car because a minor fender bender. you can be SURE no one walked away from the wrecks in those pics. thats why i have never and will never hook up mitrogen to anyones air ride system. the SCUBA tanks have intriged me but i have yet to use one.
That same poster is why I refill my tank only when the wife and kids are away, and I only take back roads. I don't think people realize what kind of pressure 2000 psi is. I'll put up with a noisy compressor or use a belt driven york.
[ QUOTE ] That same poster is why I refill my tank only when the wife and kids are away, and I only take back roads. I don't think people realize what kind of pressure 2000 psi is. I'll put up with a noisy compressor or use a belt driven york. [/ QUOTE ] I never thought much about it, can a York compressor be used to compress just air? Does it not need a closed system with a lubricant in it like a Frigidaire?
Never seen the poster or heard of anyone geting blown up because of one. I see were you're coming from. It is a lot of pressure held up in tight quarters. I remember some time ago seeing pics of a N20 bottle exploding because some dip shit left his bottle heater on while the car was parked in a hot garage. The damage was pretty sever. I just figure a nitrogen tank would be a bit more resilyent cause they are made of heavy gauge steel. But hey, things happen. If you chose to do it it's a risk you're willing to accept. Hell, anyone of us could step off the curb tomarrow and be mowed down by a city bus. That's life. You get what you can out of it. But back to more useful discussion. Anyone have experience seting up the Yorks? I'm pretty interested in trying one myself. Do they run constant or are they setup like a standard A/C unit that is clutched and can be turned on and off? Buddy of mine who used to drive semi's was telling me about the setups on the trucks. Said they would run constant and had a blow off valve that regulated pressure.Are these the same deal?
Here's a link about Yorks, they sell all the stuff, but junkyard parts are good, too. You run a pressure switch off your tank to the clutch so when you drop below a preset pressure it kicks on. Yorks have a built in oil resevoir, so no oiler is needed. Just stick a air filter on the suction side and a water trap on the other. And as for welding tanks being strong, it's the regulator that's the weak point. That small tube wouldn't take much of a wreck to break off. We've had discussions on here before about what happens when a regulator breaks off....bottles going through concrete wall, shooting through roofs, etc.
I am running a York and it is the BOMB (pun intended). I love it. I am a little switch happy when I am cruising and I never have to wait for it. I have a 150 lb switch on it currently and it will refill my 5 gallon tank after lifting the car in about 8-10 seconds at idle. With the revs up it only takes around 2-3 seconds.
Oasis off road makes a compressor that can be run 12 or 24 volts that is as fast as a york. Pretty expensive though. THe speed of using nitrogen comes from the pressure you run it at from the regulator. THe old York's and some A/C compressors from ford and mercedes work as well. The key is it has to not used the refrigerant as a lubricant. If it doesn't you can used it to compress regular air. Always had a concern about cylinders in a car but have lots of friends that run it in the bed of their trucks and have been in wrecks and not had a problem, but I didn't put it inside my suburban for that reason. A full tank without a regulator wouldn't stay in the car long as it would probably exit out the side of the vehicle ( through the sheet metal) and make you legally responsible for the damage it does since at least in TX it is against the law to transport them with out a cover on the end.
I have one of those sanden compressors at the house does anyone use those instead of the york? Mine was for an aftermarket ac system off of a 73 chevy pickup. I had thought of using it but I wasn't sure how to use it with junk yard parts. I wonder if anyone has made their own systems using a junk yard compressor and stuff I could buy around here.
Sandens have been used with some success but they will require an oiler on the intake side. You will need to regularly add oil to the oiler and empty oil from a trap on the pressure side. Not very tangable for a daily driver.
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