Modifications to equipment

[Freetime]

What are some of the Modifications you have made to improve the performance of your equipment? Adding / removing anything to make the machine more efficient, quicker, lighter, within a safe range.
This may be a crazy idea but, here we sit with a 20 horse engine on a ZTR, would it be possible to mount a small compressor on top of the engine behind the seat with an electric clutch as the blades have.

The reason I ask is that we are some times not close to the shop or quicky-mart to get air and 100lbs of air in a tank does not last long. This would come in handy to blow off equipment in the field and keep from buying an extra piece of equipment (gas compressor) with only one purpose.

Let me know what you think?


Mo,mo,mo,yo self quickly to de bank!

[jason2]

Find yourself an old York air conditioning compressor. Easy to find in a wrecking yard, don't forget the brackets. Mount it up on your engine in your truck. Add a inline filter before the compressor, on the output side of the compressor run a pressure switch and a moisture trap. Plumb in a 5 gallon air tank in the box. You now have on demand compressed air anywhere your truck is. If you want to get creative skip the 5 gallon air tank, and get some tube bumpers, weld caps on the ends of the bumpers and plumb in your air lines. Now your bumpers are your air tanks which free up bed space.

[yardsmith]

hey Jason,
I always liked the air tank in a bumper idea, until a cop told me about the danger of shrapnel if you got in an accident with those- the bumpers would burst & send pieces flying.
After he told me that the idea kinda fizzled for me........

[awm]

Thats the kinda idea id like to see somebody try.
Sounds like a bit of trouble for what your getting out of it but the idea might catch on.

[jason2]

Smitty,

Never thought of that. It could be dangerous.

[SMB]

(Here I go again) The old Massey Ferguson garden tractors had a compressor w/tank available, would be handy for paint spraying. I'd like to see one someday, but I bet they're rare.

[fdew]

He was probably a good Cop but not a good engineer. The air is at 120 lb or so pressure any tubing you would want to use as a bumper will hold that with a huge safety margin. if hit and ruptured the air will leave and there will be no safety problem. I have built air storage tanks out of 4 in PVC pipe. no problem.

PS of course you will have a popet valve for safety.

BTW if you don't want to hook a compressor to the engine, there are a lot of 12 volt compressors out there. The volume is low, but they would have a tank filled by the time you finished mowing.

Frank


I always liked the air tank in a bumper idea, until a cop told me about the danger of shrapnel if you got in an accident with those- the bumpers would burst & send pieces flying.
After he told me that the idea kinda fizzled for me........

[jeffyr]

The bumper air tank is a four wheeler trick to carry air and have a tank to run tools in the woods/ air up after a trail. you still need a compressor, but it will work. A five gallon tank (like you can get in a home center for around $30) @ 100 lbs wil fill a whole lotta mower tires @20 -30lbs.

[awm]

I once took out the front decking of a walkbehind.
Made an excellent brush machine.ONLY 5 HP.
A bigger mill and it would probably do in the spindles.
By the way it was a 36 kees.One of the best I
ever owned.

[greenflag]

For a compressor check some Jeep magazines there are small 12 volt compressors that will fit under your hood. There are also under hood welders.

Garry

[bob]

How about a using a gas blower to blow off your equipment. Most likely you'll have one with you.

[lawnman_scott]

I just use a hand bicycle pump, works fine if you dont drive on the flat tire and break the bead.

[mowingmachine]

There is a company that makes a 12V compressor just like you are talking about. The name is Volt-Air. I don't have a phone # or website but I bet it could be found on a search engine. Hope this helps.
mowingmachine

[jason2]

For a 12v compressor, Quick Air and Quick Air2 are real big with the off-road crowd. Supposed to work very well. Also ARB makes one that is generally used in conjunction with their air locking differentials. You can find any of these in ads in 4x4 magazines.