I Need Some Kind Of Air Pump/compressor

For those who want to know, this is what I finally went with...

https://www.amazon.com/VIAIR-85P-Portable-Air-Compressor/dp/B0036E9VB6?

I debated getting this one with the cigarette plug or the one with the battery connectors. The other one had longer cables which I really preferred, but would only run with a direct connect to a 12V battery. In my Rav4 hybrid, the 12V battery is in the back under the cargo area next to the spare tire. If I were to ever use it on the road it would require a lot of unpacking of the car. Even at home I sometimes have stuff in the back. So I went with easier connection.

One other benefit to the one I bought is that I can also run it from any of my solar generators which all have 12V DC plugs. That may make it more convenient to use on the 560 so I don't have to worry about getting the car close (to make the cable reach) or potentially running down the 560 battery.

And finally, I chose the Viair which was definitely more expensive than comparable models, for a couple of reasons. One is that they do appear to have an excellent track record of making quality products in this family. The other is, I was able to call their tech support and ask questions before buying. That's a service level that sure is disappearing in retail. And while it probably doesn't really matter, it turns out their HQ is about 20 miles from where I live. Can't imagine ever going there but I guess it's nice to know their business hours are in my time zone.

Thanks to everybody who responded!

 

Thanks John. VIAIR was the name I recall from a couple VW forums I read, amongst owners seeking a carry along unit for most reliable, best value, small form factor.

Good tip on plugging into a sogen!
That makes it handy to go all around including back to check and fill teardrop tires too.

 

I’m thinking of intentionally using a sogen to test it and see how much I run down the sogen for just how much topping off I get.

 

John, let me know how that works. Though, I'm sure you will update here. I haven't actually used the model discussed, but I am confident, based on my experience it will be of high quality. The company has its head on straight.

On the Rav4 Hybrid if you look in the under-hood near (in?) the fusebox under the hood, there is a little metal tab that is covered by a plastic gate. This is a direct connection to the chassis battery in the trunk. This is my usual connection point since the back of mine, like yours, is usually filled with stuff.

 

Well, I'll be. I'm not sure I've lifted the hood since I bought the car. LoL! I have been in the rear compartment trying to understand the best ways to get at the battery. Thanks for the tip. I'll have to take a look, or worse yet, may have to finally RTFM.

 

Under hood is a every tank experience. Checking the oil level every fillup. These extremely low viscosity engines with lower tension piston rings are notorious for oil burn. But mine hasn't shown this as a problem. The first oil change used about 3/4 quart...but since then I've had no oil consumption.

The battery box removal back on the passenger side. It isn't bad to remove. You've got to remove the all-weather liner, then lift the carpet up.

Once there, then you just pull the "storage bin" out, if memory serves correctly, it will pop out by pulling on the top. The battery is right there, and it is quite small. Basically, the 12 volt battery has just enough juice to start up the computers. Unlike a traditional gas engine, it does not have to run a starter or anyheavy load. That stuff is all driven off the high voltage, or only get power after the "charger" kicks in.

the car care nut (Chicago mechanic) has done a number of interesting segments on the drive system...really intersting.

 

The Rav4 isn't bad --- I personally think it is slightly underpowered for the task - But I'm spoiled, I always drove a full size truck with V8's, or my wife's Subaru with a H6.

I keep my towing speeds at around 60 and it seems happy. I also change my oil and gearbox oil regularly. $180 to have the drive system drained and filled. Probably not necessary since there isn't any "gears" or "clutches" -- but I feel better, and anticipate this will give me a longer life from the car.

 

Mine's a 2017 and the battery is on the driver side. After you get under the panel below the liner there's a plastic "roof" over the 12V. It has little pry holes where you can pry up the cover over the battery to access the poles and connect any cables.

My understanding (subject to being wrong) is that at a point in time when the 12V is in need, an internal inverter kicks on and charges the 12V from the hybrid battery. And of course when the hybrid battery is determined to be at a certain minimum level of discharge, the ICE comes on to help boost it. FWIW, that's the actual discussion I confirmed with the Viair tech rep to make sure running their cigarette powered pump would work OK with the hybrid that has no alternator. She agreed with me as to how the hybrid battery worked and that it would work fine with their 85P.

 

I saw that video when it first came out. (As an aside, I think Alex makes the best vehicle reviews on youtube. If you are looking for a new vehicle, Alex is a must see channel.)

My Rav4 has a 1750 limit. I know my 560 is probably pushing 1500 which is still pretty close to the limit. But I analyzed all this before I ordered mine. Most of my trips will not be undertaken during the hottest weather nor will they be hauling up long steep climbs on any regular basis.

When I leave and return home on any trip, I climb either the Cajon Pass or the Grapevine. Always one or the other. That's pretty much the extent of the "serious" climbs I encounter. After that, most of my climbs are generally pretty gradual. Probably my most serious climb was Teton Pass last year leaving GTNP. I definitely wouldn't want to drive that every day with a tow. But it wasn't very long and I didn't exceed 40 mph. I'll probably be doing it again this early June.

If I were going to be pushing my car harder on a regular basis, I'd definitely go bigger. But based on my usage, I have no concerns with being where I am weight wise.

Oh, and one more thing...I have trailer brakes and I absolutely would have them no matter how light the load. They are some of the cheapest insurance you can buy when it comes to finding yourself in bad situation. Nobody plans to get caught in a bad situation, but when you do you will kick yourself for not having them. Just my $.02.

 

No, Teton pass is between Wilson and Victor, Idaho. It was my daily commute for many years. It's not bad except for the tourist.

 

I’ll admit than when I planned my route I was not aware it was a pass. As I started up, it certainly got my attention. Didn’t know just how long the climb lasted but decided that slow and steady was the best approach. I didn’t care how many trucks passed me. LoL!

I continued on to the Hayspur Fish Hatchery near Picabo, ID and maybe 30 miles south of Sun Valley. It’s a free BLM type property run by the state of Idaho. The drive was stunningly beautiful.

 

Most cars on the road qualify for sever duty --- stop and go traffic and short trips is murder. A dealer near me has oil changes prices that are REALLY good, so I get mine changed every 5 even though the oil is supposed to last a lot longer. Oil is cheap, engines are expensive...really expensive. As long as I can afford it I do extra maintenance every time.

I didn't know the motors were water cooled -- I assumed the fluid in the hybriddrive was the primary coolant...good to know. Toyota still seems to be the best bang for the buck --- their focus on quality and innovation is still so far ahead of the pack. They've made mistakes to be sure, but those are few.

I haven't seen off oil samples --- I have in the past. To be honest, I'm a worrier --- if I heard anything was "slightly high" --- I'd start to fret over it. I rely on blind faith that the oils used are of high quality.

I've also used an engine tuner in the past -- the biggest advantage it had for me was that I could set a governor on the engine -- fastest my RV would go was 65 --- hard limit. My fuel economy was better because I couldn't mash the throttle as hard. It was safer since the behemoth probably should have had airbrakes --- the hydraulic brakes were maxed...The pedal was also so heavy it was laborious to drive.

I think the only thing noticible after the 'tune' was that the shift points of the transmission were modified. Before the tune I would be going up a hill, and the tranny would slap itself into 2'nd gear and take the engine to redline. Post tune it was a lot less drama. I would still slow down and downshift but not to extreme so fast. I saw no performance increase or increase in fuel economy beyond the governor at 65.

I don't see how any tuner would do much for a hybrid -- they are already tweaked out pretty far...and "sportmode" is plenty performance for me

 

garsshopper, you sound like the perfect guy to step in for Cosmo. Get yourself a selfie stick and a gopro to add to your phone and you're in business. Somebody needs to follow in his footsteps.

 

On a toyota hybrid, I pretty sure the rear electric motor is NOT water cooled. I don't see any water lines back there on mine.
However, the front motor is, as it is part of the transaxle drive system.

 

I doubt it really does that much -- I'd be curious to see a power graph of the engines. My guess is that it is dragged along 99.99% of the time....

Just guessing....

I'm with you 'hooper --- gear fatigue. I need to get out camping, filter through the junk I have and actually review it thoughtfully --- keeping what works.

On the car question -- rav isn't bad -- older subaru's are great! But the current breed of wimpy CFR/WEF approved vehicles are totally lacking in longevity potential, survivability, and robustness. All sold out at high prices, "cheap" leases all intended to separate us from our money.....