Self Built Central Tyre Inflation System

[Cab-over Pete]

Aye-up,

Has anyone one here ever made their own system?

The job doesn’t look too complicated but then that’s a mistake I often make!

What sort of compressor volume is required? What size of air tank would be needed for two 710/60/30 tyres? Valves, control system etc?

I’m only thinking of fitting it to the rear axle. The fronts don’t carry nearly as much weight and they hardly make a mark anywhere.

Do you really need an electronic control system? I’m only thinking I need two pressures, one for the road and one for the field, so could that be done by flicking some kind of manual valve ?

The pipework would have to be external so some sort of failsafe valve would be a good idea for the day when the pipe gets snagged on a gate hook!!

Cheers, Pete

 

[Hard Graft]

i will be watching with intrest as i am planning on on in the future hopefully

 

[Hayboy]

I’ve been reading your other thread regarding flotation and have been having the same thoughts. I reckon if you could keep the control system simple the rest is just pipe work.

If you could get you hands on the parts from a scrap timber forwarder etc then I reckoned you could be on to a winner.

I’ll be watching this with interest.

 

[Andrew]

No experience with them but I’m looking at systems at the moment.
Be worth talking to Grant at HM trailers, he does a non digital version.

Compressor size will depend on what pressure you’re going to and from, how often you want to do it. If you only inflate when going job to job a small compressor and a couple of large tanks would be cheapest.

 

[Chapelton]

HM trailers have come up with a simple system I think so might be worth a look.

'The job doesn't look too complicated' - often our downfall too! How hard can it be though - A few tanks, two lines (pressure regulator on each - one with road pressure, one with field pressure), a solenoid (or even manual) valve diverter for whichever pressure was selected and some non-return valves at the axle end would just about work, wouldn't it? Pretty sure you could put some sort of check valves in as a safeguard.

At the end of the day, pneumatics are pretty logical so long as you stay away from electronic control.

 

[Daniel]

When the rotary couple wears out on one of the wheels, won't it just lose all the pressure and leave you stranded?

I suppose on the flipside if you get a slow puncture it will keep you going!

 

[cosmagedon]

I started looking at making my own system last year, one of the biggest questions is how quick and often you want the tyres to go from field to road pressure. You can pipe up a pretty simple system, I would also have a digital wireless display in the cab to monitor the pressures.
Most of the bought systems also have a valve on the rim that you need to send a pilot line to open as a safety feature incase you rip a pipe off.

 

[Tom H]

Pete,

When our Xerion is back you are more than welcome to come and have a look at it and take some pictures.

 

[Tarty]

Totally off topic but... have you considered having a set of duals for the back axle? If I kind of follow the other threads you tow a low loader with loadall on anyway so you could just keep them on the trailer and use them when conditions require it and/or the customer is willing to pay more, help you put on the duals and make logistics suitable ie no roading.

 

[Chae1]

The supermarket airlines you just type in desired pressure and it deflates or inflates to pressure you type in. I'd think the same technology could be used for your tyre inflation system.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Good thought. I’ll get one of those units. Stick it on my bonnet where I can see it!!

It’s a good point though, simple system.

Thanks all, looks like a lot of interest in it. You all, like me, are probably unimpressed by the £5000+ price tag for a basic system.

The Multistrife already has a compressor but it’s working hard enough what with the air suspension always calling on it, so I’m thinking it might be possible to swap that for a bigger one to do both jobs. It’s as noisy as buggery anyway so might be nice to fit something quieter.

Keep the thoughts coming!

 

[Daniel]

Good thought. I’ll get one of those units. Stick it on my bonnet where I can see it!!

It’s a good point though, simple system.

Thanks all, looks like a lot of interest in it. You all, like me, are probably unimpressed by the £5000+ price tag for a basic system.

The Multistrife already has a compressor but it’s working hard enough what with the air suspension always calling on it, so I’m thinking it might be possible to swap that for a bigger one to do both jobs. It’s as noisy as buggery anyway so might be nice to fit something quieter.

Keep the thoughts coming!

Would a compressor like this be man enough? Could mount it anywhere and run power leads back to the battery:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/221188642969

 

[Av Gorritt]

Like this ? Looks very vulnerable to me though . This was taken in S America - Argentina or Brazil perhaps , where it almost looked as if it was a legal requirement it was so common . Not sure about commercials but common on buses .

 

[Mursal]

Extremely complicated to build reliability into a one off design.
First thought would be to mount a dedicated compressor in each wheel rim, to reduce hardware required. But that will leave the compressor vulnerable to damage, but will be no bigger than the center connection above.
Even the fail safe valve. Air will have to flow in both direction through it (pressure up and down) but it will need to lock closed if a line gets damaged?

 

[Mursal]

.

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

I’m thinking the pneumatic rotary unions might be the trickiest and probably most expensive component to get “right”. Here are some links I found that might be worth investigating / for inspiration...

http://rotaflow.com/

https://www.dsti.com/rotary-unions/

https://www.dsti.com/pdfs/catalogs/DSTI-LT-Series-Catalog.pdf

Pinching some old TractAir images...

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

To give you some ballpark on couplings....US supplier/made. No doubt you could find a friendly supplier on Alibaba too....

 

[Phil P]

When I was in Germany a couple of months back I saw loads of setups like this, I’m pretty sure they where using the tractor air brake compressor with a regulator valve to set the pressure.

 

[chickens and wheat]

My mates WW2 Duck has central tyre inflation. Impressive engineering for the 1940s.
It uses the same idea, rotary couplings

 

[Mursal]

And stuff stuck to the tyre sidewall gets scraped off with the lifeline?
Not sure about that ............