Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Rodger.. Are Eaton Compressors any good?

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Charles (in GA)

10-09-2004 15:07:16




Report to Moderator

Rodger, (I can spot a real expert when I read one) and anyone else with experience with Eaton air compressors.

Eaton makes several different 7.5 hp models that they claim has a oversized pump, that is underspeed at 600 RPM. The motors are apparently top of the line, what about the pumps? They are V4's. Good quality or not? worth it or not? How is the company to deal with? anyone offer any personal experience?

I presently have a Husky (mfg by Campbell-Hausfeld) 7.5 hp, 80 gal, about 24 CFM, vertical unit. It has a "made in USA" (or so says the bolt on endplate on the pump, could be just the endplate is made in USA, dunno) and a made in Mexico motor. It seems to work OK and is only a little too loud and they claim 15,000 hr life which is forever for a 49 year old home shop user (I intend on using it with a blast cabinet I haven't bought yet, along with the usual air tools and blowing off stuff, etc)

Probably should not be dreaming of bigger and better, but cannot help it. Possibly I'll sell the nearly new condition Husky and buy an Eaton.

Link

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
txblu

10-12-2004 06:33:56




Report to Moderator
 Re: Rodger.. Are Eaton Compressors any good? in reply to Charles (in GA), 10-09-2004 15:07:16  
Is it the same Eaton that makes running gear for OTR trucks? If so, they should be first rate as their truck parts are excellent and used by most all OEM truck companies.

Mark



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Charles (in GA)

10-12-2004 19:56:35




Report to Moderator
 Re: Rodger.. Are Eaton Compressors any good? in reply to txblu, 10-12-2004 06:33:56  
This appears to be a small family owned and run operation, devoted to a quality product. Doesn't appear to have any connection with the bit Eaton corportation.

Charles



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Roger P.

10-09-2004 20:51:09




Report to Moderator
 Re: Rodger.. Are Eaton Compressors any good? in reply to Charles (in GA), 10-09-2004 15:07:16  
Well, I've seen these pumps used under a variety of different brand names. Most notably, they were sold as Sanborn SC46 pumps. I do not know if Sanborn is still around after Coleman bought up the company a while back, but parts are readily available. A local company called Princess Auto also sells these pumps, as well as the 5 hp single block version. You can get the pump here for around $1000 CAN, which is about $750 ~ $800 US. They are a copy of a Saylor Beall 9000, I think, (my old boss says Webster, and Webster valves do fit them) but they are all metric, so I feel that they are probably Asian knockoffs, Taiwan most likely.

I don't know if I can recommend them. Yes, they are cast iron. They do have disc valves, tapered bearings on the crankshaft, and it is indeed a 10 hp pump slowed down to 7.5 hp speeds. Having said that, if you put it next to a DeVilbiss 445, it is somewhat on the small side for a 10hp, more closely sized to DeVilbiss 432 pump, which is a 5 ~ 7.5 hp pump.

When you are in the business of repairing anything, you only get to see things when they are broken, so perhaps I have an unfairly poor opinion of these pumps. Most common faults are worn out valves (they are a bit on the skimpy side, size wise). The most troubling problems I've seen with these pumps are their propensity for taking out the small end bushings and wristpins, and wearing out crankshafts. The wristpin bushings cannot be pressed out easily, as they have two brass ridges on the outside periphery, about half way across their length, which prevents them from sliding out. Again, I remind you that I have only seen these units after they have failed, and I don't know how long they had been running before that, but they have a much higher "scrapping" rate than other compressors like Quincys, DeVair/DeVilbiss, Champion, Gardner Denver, IR, etc. There seems to be a materials issue, in that they suffer a lot more internal wear of the hard parts than other brands.

Now that I have been so negative, let me say that as a 7.5 hp, they may last a lot longer than as a 10hp. Also, since you are using your machine at home rather than for running a business, you may also experience much better longevity than the same pump would running a body shop. The constant run feature on this machine would be handy while blasting, and it is worthwhile for this purpose. The elevated pad for the compressor mount is not a "feature", they had to put it in for the flywheel to clear the top of the tank (I have done it a few times). The motor mount is a nice feature, making belt adjustment a snap (not literally of course!). The motor looks like a Weg (Brazilian), which are an economical make, but seem to do ok. Bottom line: They do not have the longevity of a Quincy, DeVair, Champion or other top-of-the-line compressor, but then they probably are a lot cheaper as well. I feel it will handle a blaster better than you Husky unit. Home use, rather than industrial use also works in its favor, as the only time it will be worked hard is when you are blasting, not the 8hr a day pounding they normally get running air sanders and the like in a body shop. Be very certain that you have the electrical capacity to run this compressor. It is quite a heavy pump, with heavy internals, so the inrush starting current wil be pretty stout. I've always thought the Husky 7.5 horsepower rating is optimistic, but then, I don't have and direct experience with your machine.

Do yourself a favor before you do anything, first, make sure that you have the elctrical capacity to run a true 7.5 hp single phase compressor. Second, price out comparable DeVair, Champion, Quincy and IR units. If they are within a few hundred dollars of this one, I'd go for one of the others, even if they lacked a few features (I don't consider a 3/4" ball valve a "feature"). They have done a nice job packaging this machine though, and look like they know what they are doing. They would probably support their product well, and stock any necessary replacement parts, all pluses. To be honest, it is not easy to make a buck building your own compressors with so many other large companies doing it on a massive scale. Hats off to them. I don't know if this helps or not, I wish I could give you a more definite answer.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Charles (in GA)

10-10-2004 02:43:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: Rodger.. Are Eaton Compressors any good? in reply to Roger P., 10-09-2004 20:51:09  
Rodger, thanks for taking all the time for the comments. Its very likely a good unit but possibly is/possibly not quite what they make it out to be.

I too was dubious of some of their "features" that were nothing more than necessary parts of the compressor, but thats marketing. They don't have any spec sheets or comparison charts of all of their models, and reading their verbose discussion to get specs is frustrating. They don't even give the physical dimensions of the units! and they haven't answered an email I sent a week ago either.

My Husky has been performing well for some time now. It is powered from a 200 amp main shop panel (direct fed off the meter and outside disconnect) via about 60 ft of #6 copper in conduit, with a sub panel and a 50 amp breaker for a disconnect, and another three feet or so of #6 to the compressor, so starts are normal and running it is rated at 32 amps if I recall correctly.

I think I'll spend the money on the blast cabinet and see how things work for a while before I get concerned about making changes to the setup. It certainly will work, probably as well as I'll ever need, and sometimes my eyes get bigger than my wallet.

Thanks.

Charles

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy