Replaced a dead H-B unit. this thing fills the 2.5G tank quickly with less vibration. I have to open the toolbox to verify when its running. Read more

I purchased the Viair 485c to add an on-board air compressor to my truck for airing up tires for a variety of reasons. I was expecting a little more umph out of this unit, and sadly, don't really feel like it's quite there. The substantial price tag makes this unit quite the unicorn on the market, in that the price is almost twice of similar competitors, with lower CFM ratings. Would I buy it again? I'm not sure if I would, and here's why: The unit is of high quality -- it sounds good, it's solid, and I do think it's a great compressor -- so the critique stems from the price-to-value and price-to-quality ratios. Is it worth its price? I am not so sure... In testing this unit, it looks like I can fill a 32x10" tire from 15 PSI to 35 PSI in about 3 minutes. Not bad! But also not great, considering the price. Competing units pump faster, and I was hoping for a faster fill. The next time that makes me wonder is the way this unit heats up. I did multiple tests, including one in the garage, and then one in-field after driving for a few hours. From 70 degrees, the unit heats up quickly -- after filling 4 tires from 15 PSI to 32 PSI, I found the temps hit around 215 F at the head. That's pretty hot, but not as hot as the max 245 F temp achieved in-field in the exact same fill. 245 F is getting way up there for a compressor unit that doesn't accept any oil. Another issue with this unit and its siblings is that the leader hose can't be removed without voiding the warranty -- because the leader-hose is apparently part its heat management. Well, bad news, Viair, not all of our applications are compatible with the big 18 inch long whip that comes on this unit, so we're having to kiss that warranty g'bye or just go with a really janky installation. Overall, I've had great experiences with Viair products, but I'm not sure this one meets the mark at its price-point. I will stand corrected if it happens to last a very long time, but right now, I'm focused on performance and how it seems to function. This unit would be a market leader if (and only if) they (1) dropped the price by at least 25%, (2) if the unit included a sealed computer-style fan that helped to cool the head whenever it's on, and (3) if they found a better way to heat-sink the outlet tube than the giant leader-hose whip. Until then, I'm satisfied with the purchase, but not thrilled about it -- I look at and think, "well, that works, but the cost was too high and the performance is a little too low." C+, but I at the price I was looking for at least an A-. The place where this unit really shines is when combined with multiple other Viair accessories, such as the bracket, manifold, and the switch/relay options -- that ecology is really what I was buying into with this unit and that was achieved. Hope that helps other buyers looking for a high value, high performance air compressor option for airing up tires and a permanent installation. Read more

Very good Read more

Great product saved me in a pinch. My accuair ct tank took a dump and compressor wouldn’t start. This product was basically plug and play into my airlift 3P system and my endo ct3 tank. And it’s Pretty quite in my opinion Read more

I used this to power my train horns and heavy load air bags on my truck. Read more