Hello everyone, I am very interested in making a hybrid package to bolt on my Toyota pickup for fun and savings. I am taking the bed off soon to restore it and add tiedown points, a hitch and a steel plate for a crane. Perfect time to do some additional mods!
It seems to me that compressed air is the way to go because the parts are cheap and available. Also charge/discharge rate is not as much of an issue as an electric so power can be developed and spent quickly when needed.
I would like to mount a twin cylinder cast iron compressor I have laying around in the front of the bed next to a clutch/gear reducer which would then have a slot for a belt to go to the driveshaft. I would then put two airtanks under the the body on either side. Then an air motor mounted on the other end of my clutch assy. Simple eh? Prob. not.
On to the many questions I have
Why isn't every one doing this? It seems like it will only cost a few hundred at most. It will be a little noisy but so are trucks and soundproofing is possible. How fast does a drive shaft spin at say 70mph? Definitely need to gear down a bit. Just how much to be safe is the question.
Is an air conditioner clutch good or is there something better? Does it have sufficient holding tourque? I know they safely spin almost as fast as a crankshaft.
What about a suitable motor? does anyone have an idea where to obtain a suitable air driven motor on the cheap? What specs and design would be best for the motor if I must pay market price?
Last but not least, what are your safety concerns? I can obviously forsee the necessity for rock shielding for the air tanks, pop off valves for over pressure and proper belt guards. Maybe a noise and shrapnel shroud for the compressor itself. All in all though it seems safer than all those batteries and high voltage, not to mention the environmental and actual cost. Please convince me I'm crazy or I'll do it I swear.