ARB/Ford Performance Dual Compressor Under Hood Kit

[Brian_B]

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-1830-BRC

So I burned my 20% Bronco code, and some Ford Pass points I had laying around.

This is not the new brushless system, but the older dual motor setup.

I just got it delivered today, I have some notes. Haven't powered it up quite yet, but will update once I get it running

The kit includes the twin compressor, underhood mounting bracket, the manifold kit, a high temp air hose kit, and standard wiring harnesses.

The mounting bracket is pretty stout. It replaces the existing AWD module mounting bracket behind the air filter. Installation isn't too bad but the instructions do gloss over a few steps, and the included photographs are pretty hard to decipher. Once you start digging into it though, the only thing I missed was a bracket on the firewall that helps hold the fender liner in - the kit came with a new one, but I missed where it said to replace the factory bracket with the included bracket. With the factory bracket the hole ends up a bit out of place, I had re-drilled a new hole in the factory bracket to line things back up, and once I was done was looking at this extra bracket trying to figure out wtf.

Also it doesn't exactly tell you to re-land the ground for the AWD module when you re-install it, which seems fairly important.

Some of the brackets are a bit awkward to get at the bolts, but everything fitted up relatively well once you get through the awful pictures.

I was missing 1 m6 bolt, but had extra flange nuts, so... I guess that all works out? Fortunately there are m6 bolts from the AWD bracket that I could just throw in there, so no harm no foul I guess.

The wiring. The kit comes with the "official Ford Performance" instructions, the standard dual compressor instructions, and the manifold kit instructions. It's clear as mud exactly how they want you to wire this thing, and it comes with 3 different harnesses and a switch that all look like octopi during mating season.

There is, fortunately, a decent overall diagram inside the Compressor instructions. Once I got that, what the Ford Performance instructions were asking me to do made more sense - basically, you throw out 2/3 of the harnesses. it comes with the wiring for front/rear locker solenoids and their associated activation switches, and one of the harnesses isn't pinned in the plug so you can more easily route it via the firewall.

Well, you throw all of that out anyway (unless you have air lockers...). You end up cutting one of the harnesses up, and one harness just doesn't get used at all, and you still have to provide a +12V ACC wire and add-a-tap of your own - which isn't exactly clear in the instructions. They do tell you which fuse you should tap into for +12 ACC, but the do not provide the wire or an Add-A-Tap fuse adapter.

The main power leads are a bit concerning. It has dual power 8AWG +12V lines, each with a 40A fuse. I presume one for each motor. But it only has a single 8AWG main ground line and a #18 ground for the switch, which is run with the main power lines, and Ford Performance instructs you to crimp on a fitting and install them on the battery terminals (both + and -). But they didn't provide any lugs. So ... that's why I don't have this thing running yet. I had #6 and #4 and #10 and #12, but no #8 lugs. So I have to get some #8 lugs, and then figure out where to land these amongst all my other wiring messes.

So... 8/10 for mechanical. The bracket went together fairly well, there were some bolts/nuts that were pretty awkward to get at, and 1 missing bolt - but about 3 hours and I had everything mounted.

But.. 2/10 for electrical. This kit is entirely half-assed on the electrical side, and missing many pieces you need to make it work out of the box. It would almost have been easier if they just had a terminal strip and told you to just provide your own wire and a diagram that showed you where to land it.

Thankfully, between the discount and Ford Pass points, it was just under $400, but I haven't exactly seen it run yet to tell if it was worth even that or not. Keeping my fingers crossed once I get the appropriate lugs to finish up the wiring.

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[wgw]

https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-1830-BRC

So I burned my 20% Bronco code, and some Ford Pass points I had laying around.

This is not the new brushless system, but the older dual motor setup.

I just got it delivered today, I have some notes. Haven't powered it up quite yet, but will update once I get it running

The kit includes the twin compressor, underhood mounting bracket, the manifold kit, a high temp air hose kit, and standard wiring harnesses.

The mounting bracket is pretty stout. It replaces the existing AWD module mounting bracket behind the air filter. Installation isn't too bad but the instructions do gloss over a few steps, and the included photographs are pretty hard to decipher. Once you start digging into it though, the only thing I missed was a bracket on the firewall that helps hold the fender liner in - the kit came with a new one, but I missed where it said to replace the factory bracket with the included bracket. With the factory bracket the hole ends up a bit out of place, I had re-drilled a new hole in the factory bracket to line things back up, and once I was done was looking at this extra bracket trying to figure out wtf.

Also it doesn't exactly tell you to re-land the ground for the AWD module when you re-install it, which seems fairly important.

Some of the brackets are a bit awkward to get at the bolts, but everything fitted up relatively well once you get through the awful pictures.

I was missing 1 m6 bolt, but had extra flange nuts, so... I guess that all works out? Fortunately there are m6 bolts from the AWD bracket that I could just throw in there, so no harm no foul I guess.

The wiring. The kit comes with the "official Ford Performance" instructions, the standard dual compressor instructions, and the manifold kit instructions. It's clear as mud exactly how they want you to wire this thing, and it comes with 3 different harnesses and a switch that all look like octopi during mating season.

There is, fortunately, a decent overall diagram inside the Compressor instructions. Once I got that, what the Ford Performance instructions were asking me to do made more sense - basically, you throw out 2/3 of the harnesses. it comes with the wiring for front/rear locker solenoids and their associated activation switches, and one of the harnesses isn't pinned in the plug so you can more easily route it via the firewall.

Well, you throw all of that out anyway (unless you have air lockers...). You end up cutting one of the harnesses up, and one harness just doesn't get used at all, and you still have to provide a +12V ACC wire and add-a-tap of your own - which isn't exactly clear in the instructions. They do tell you which fuse you should tap into for +12 ACC, but the do not provide the wire or an Add-A-Tap fuse adapter.

The main power leads are a bit concerning. It has dual power 8AWG +12V lines, each with a 40A fuse. I presume one for each motor. But it only has a single 8AWG main ground line and a #18 ground for the switch, which is run with the main power lines, and Ford Performance instructs you to crimp on a fitting and install them on the battery terminals (both + and -). But they didn't provide any lugs. So ... that's why I don't have this thing running yet. I had #6 and #4 and #10 and #12, but no #8 lugs. So I have to get some #8 lugs, and then figure out where to land these amongst all my other wiring messes.

So... 8/10 for mechanical. The bracket went together fairly well, there were some bolts/nuts that were pretty awkward to get at, and 1 missing bolt - but about 3 hours and I had everything mounted.

But.. 2/10 for electrical. This kit is entirely half-assed on the electrical side, and missing many pieces you need to make it work out of the box. It would almost have been easier if they just had a terminal strip and told you to just provide your own wire and a diagram that showed you where to land it.

Thankfully, between the discount and Ford Pass points, it was just under $400, but I haven't exactly seen it run yet to tell if it was worth even that or not. Keeping my fingers crossed once I get the appropriate lugs to finish up the wiring.

So does the tiny receiver have a wet drain

 

[Brian_B]

So does the tiny receiver have a wet drain

It does have two additional plugs intended for locker solenoids that you could use as a drain. They are #3 Allen keyed. The entire thing also comes apart like a claimshell really quickly - the hemispherical ends have a gasket and there’s a bolt that goes through to pull them together tight to the center body.

All that said, the compressor runs fairly warm and the receiver is pretty small, not sure condensation will be a major problem there like it would be in a larger receiver tank that remains pressurized all the time

 

[B22-2023]

but they do not provide the wire or an Add-A-Tap fuse adapter

Call Ford Performance and say, "I received an incomplete kit, can you send me the wire and AAT parts?" - they may just ship you out a whole new kit, they apparently did for other people here who bought similar "integrated" Ford/aftermarket packages. Then sold the extra one on marketplace.

 

[Brian_B]

I did finish up the wiring today - the compressor runs. There are no shortage of reviews on the ARB so I won’t put any of that here and leave this geared at the specifics of this particular kit.

I needed 3 #8x1/4” crimp lugs and I ran a #14 wire from ACC to the switch and tapped into an existing add-a-tap. A #14 female spade connector for that wire to connect to the switch. And some heat shrink for the lugs.

Not a fan of the dual +12V leads - they should have consolidated it to a single #6 or something - and I nearly did that myself to keep from stacking too many lugs on the battery bolts. Fortunately I had some fuse blocks exterior to the battery they could reach and didn’t have to stack lugs more than 2 deep.

The switch was a bit finicky to install; the upper coolant reservoir hose is directly underneath it. I was able to slide the hose forward a bit and get the switch to set nice in there, but unsure if the contact will result in rubbing issues with the switch, wire, or hose over the long term.

 

[Poppavein]

I used one of my Aux switches. I’m doing 2 tires at a time and using the TPMS to monitor the pressure.

 

[Brian_B]

I used one of my Aux switches. I’m doing 2 tires at a time and using the TPMS to monitor the pressure.

That is a good idea. I may decide to get fancy with it later, right now still using my Jaco inflator with analog gauge and one tire at a time, and just letting the compressor kick off at the standard 150psi in the receiver

I do like the idea of just hitting a button and letting them go to a prescribed pressure like the battery portable inflators do - ala ARB Pressure Control or Morrflate Controller, but not in a hurry for that this season

 

[C6ZZGT]

That is a good idea. I may decide to get fancy with it later, right now still using my Jaco inflator with analog gauge and one tire at a time, and just letting the compressor kick off at the standard 150psi in the receiver

I do like the idea of just hitting a button and letting them go to a prescribed pressure like the battery portable inflators do - ala ARB Pressure Control or Morrflate Controller, but not in a hurry for that this season

Pictures ??????

 

[Brian_B]

Pictures ??????

Doesn’t look a lot different from the top than any other kit really

My cables have turned into a rats nest that I need to clean out. Mods on top of mods on top of mods at this point.

 

[CalvinT]

I've mounted the ARB compressor using the Ford kit, but wasn't abel to finish before it got too hot to work outside.

I've given the install a lot of thought while waiting for cooler weather
and will be making some changes.
1. Rotate the compressor 180 degrees so the wiring run is shorter. That will make it easier to run the wires along the firewall. The label will be upside down when your standing at the side of your Bronco.
Also the install will look cleaner. (ARB used to have a photo of a compressor installed this way on their website)
2. Cut the arms off the DLCM bracket so I can reinstall it. I want to use the scrivet that holds the fender liner.
3. Notch the compressor base plate to allow room for the modified DLCM bracket.
4. Abandon the ARB switch wiring harness. I'm not using the switches. I'll control the compressor from SW 6 inside.
4. Make a connector to plug into the two wire connector coming from the compressor. Install one wire and insert inside the ARB harness. I'll bring it out to connect to the SW 6 wire.
5. Run the armored air line down to the front crash bar. That's where I'll plug in my air hose.

When I do all this, I'll take photos and post them.

 

[Brian_B]

Cut the arms off the DLCM bracket so I can reinstall it. I want to use the scrivet that holds the fender liner.

That is something I forgot in the original post - you do lose that scrivet at the very top center of the liner with this kit. I threw a big fender clip in the hole in the liner but it probably won’t last long - there isn’t anything to connect it it any longer with this kit

 

[YosemiteSam]

I installed the same kit this weekend and share the same frustration with the lack of terminal lugs for the + and - wire leads from the battery. I ended up separating the control wires (purple and black) and removing the rest of the harness and then ran those with the main power wires along the fire wall to wire the control switch to the Aux 6 switch (yellow/orange). It works exceptionally well!! Took a lot of time to make sure it looked like a factory/OEM install and zip tied it along that firewall.

I also was on the fence as to the manifold, but glad I installed it. It buffers the air compressor a little bit and allows the system to breath a little (in my opinion….).

Very happy with the product and totally recommend it to anyone considering!
I followed a great YouTube video for the install over the actual instructions, which as others have said were not the best.

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