Many have seen the infamous #wifeyair system. After seeing it in person and online I wanted to do something similar, but more of what works for my needs. I personally love the concept behind the #wifeyairsystem. However I didn’t want to have to open the hood every time I aired up or down.
I personally love airing down with my Boulder Tools Tire Deflator and having control of each tire. And for airing up, I prefer airing each individual tire. My first compressor the VIAIR 400P was an amazing compressor. The downside to it however, was it was another item I needed to pack, unpack for use, and open the hood and connect to the battery.
I knew I was going to eventually upgrade to the ARB Dual Compressor and have it mounted somewhere with either an additional air line or in the bed with the Expedition Essentials bed mount. I heard a few pros and cons with the bed mount, and my conclusion was that it was to susceptible to the elements without a top cover and being in the truck fender. So I came up with this solution #inspiredbywifey. The #wifeyair system by Rago Fabrication is a great system, but it comes at a pretty hefty price. I figured I could fabricate and DIY my own setup.
Parts used:
– ARB Dual Compressor & Inflator Kit
– GTFO Expedition Compress mount
– Blue air manifold
– 1/4″ NPT Elbow
– Compressor Air Drain
– VIAIR Braided leader hose
– Elbow Push connect fitting
– SAE J844 1/4″ airline
– NPT Plugs
– 1/8″ Rivets
First step is to fabricate the manifold bracket. Here I used a standard piece of 1/8″ thick by 1.5″ aluminum strip from Home Depot. Use the manifold as a template to mark the lines for the break. Also mark and drill a hole to fit the fittings on each end. The air line and moisture release will hold the manifold in place from moving around. So a tight fit will be required when you are bending the aluminum piece. I did not have a vice handy so I created a make shift vice and used a sledge hammer to bend everything in place. Once done I riveted an addition piece to be mounted to the compressor mount. Drilled and placed bolts to hold in place. You will need to make adjustments to your own mount or setup.
As you can see I needed to add an additional washer at the braided line side to create a snug fit. After adding this everything would not move. Remember to use Teflon Tape on all the threads to prevent the system from leaking. I added teflon even to the pieces that came pre sealed. As a best practice I would add teflon to all the pieces.
Test fit everything before placing in the truck.
It is a tight fit. So be prepared to have your hands get scratched up. As you can see in the photo above the elbow push fitting is used to align the air line to be cable managed with the wiring on the firewall.
Secure the airline to your frame with zip ties making sure to avoid any of the exhaust pipes to protect it from heat. Moving to the back cubby I used a second elbow push fitting, a 1/4″ npt female to female connector and then the ARB coupler that comes with the ARB inflation kit. For added protection to the system I found these 3D printed covers for the holes on the box. You can find this on Tacoma World and on youtube.
After reinstalling everything I went ahead and purchased a few cabinet locks to keep everything tucked away. Mobtown Off-Road also makes a steel replacement door that I may consider in the future, but I won’t be storing anything valuable in the cubby so this will work for now. Shout out to Bustabeatgeorge for the install video and idea.
When installing the locks you will need to trim off the original lip that supports the hand lock. After trimming the piece you will need to bore out the hole a bit to accept the new locking shaft and cams. Trim the arm and bend to secure the door without any wobbling.
After everything is said and done, its time to test the system and enjoy your new #inspiredbtwifey system.
For my taste I love the flexibility of having a line in the back of the truck. I can power the compressor from the SP9100 and then jump to the back to air up my tires. However if someone else needs to air up, I have another 1/4″ NPT quick connect in the engine bay to add another line for someone else to use or if I can’t reach from the back. Enjoy! feel free to check out my Instagram if you have any questions.
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