A/c question

[Newellt3]

Quick question: how much would (guessestimate) it costs to add a/c to a 1976 bronco? The bronco currently has nothing with regard to a/c... Thanks

 

[thegreatjustino]

About $1,200 plus installation

http://www.bcbroncos.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=35_117&products_id=2260

 

[bronconut73]

It is sooooo worth it.
I am about to get in my eb to drive across town. It'll be in the mid 90's at about 85%+ humidity.
But with my BC a/c I'll be cool.
Don't hesitate.

 

[deltarat]

It is sooooo worth it.
I am about to get in my eb to drive across town. It'll be in the mid 90's at about 85%+ humidity.
But with my BC a/c I'll be cool.
Don't hesitate.

Did you have any trouble getting it to cool? I have a BC and I can't get it to cool enough and I have a 1/2 cab. I have pulled it down and re-charged it 3 or 4 times. It cools but not like it should.

 

[jw0747]

BC's is a Vintage Air unit.

http://www.vintageair.com/

 

[clarrance]

Save your self some hassle and money and put together a Vintage Air kit.

 

[clarrance]

Did you have any trouble getting it to cool? I have a BC and I can't get it to cool enough and I have a 1/2 cab. I have pulled it down and re-charged it 3 or 4 times. It cools but not like it should.

Contact Thomas from Krawlers Edge, he had to rework a B/C kit to make it cool. I can't remember what he said was wrong with it, but his customer never could get it to cool. His customer is very happy now that the A/C is working. I think Krawlers Edge is a vendor on here.

 

[chuck]

If anyone has problems with my A/C not cooling enough there is something wrong. Maybe Thomas from KE will chime in with what he had to do to "fix " my unit. With the 1/2 cab you have to turn the temp up a little or the evap. will freeze up so not enough air will pass and the only thing you can do is turn it off until it un freezes. When you seal up that little cab and breath you are going to make water in the air that will condense on the cold coils of the evaporator. If done right the air coming out the reg. will be around 34 degrees with outside temps around 95, the same as all right working A/Cs. The tubes get so cold you can not run straight water because the heater tubes will freeze and crack. Including the VA which is not the same as mine but is made by VA from my design for me. The big diff is mine fits better. In fact I have been to VA several times and Jack (VA owner) and crew has been to my shop in the last few mos helping them with their new design EB A/C (not out yet) and it is still does not fit as well as mine. The deal is I made mine to fit an EB only and VA used a sure fit, the only big change they really made is a better fitting condenser which I will be using in my kit also. They are trying to use their gen 4 in all their kits ,AMC to Zcar which means means that the hoses go in the pass. side vent still and you lose most of the glove box still. VA did use some of Jason's ideas that we will also be using. MY opinion

 

[deltarat]

Contact Thomas from Krawlers Edge, he had to rework a B/C kit to make it cool. I can't remember what he said was wrong with it, but his customer never could get it to cool. His customer is very happy now that the A/C is working. I think Krawlers Edge is a vendor on here.

Thanks, I will check with him. It cools but, doesn't get anywhere near as coold as my truck.

 

[bronconut73]

Thanks, I will check with him. It cools but, doesn't get anywhere near as coold as my truck.

Have you put a temp. gun on the vent?
Mine blows very cold but it has trouble getting the whole cab cold. My eb isn't yet insulated/carpeted though so I am sure that has alot to do with it.
I would still.be interested in what Krawlers Edge did.

 

[76Blue]

Ac tuns on and off randomly

Hi, got a VA installed in my 1976 EB. It blows cold when it works but it comes and goes all the time. Anyone experienced anything similar?

 

[blubuckaroo]

Hi, got a VA installed in my 1976 EB. It blows cold when it works but it comes and goes all the time. Anyone experienced anything similar?

Mine has an adjustable temperature control switch mounted down on the blower housing. It senses the temperature of the evaporator. It should be adjusted so the compressor cuts out just before the evaporator freezes up.

 

[Pa PITT]

Man I want AC SO BAD in my 1/2 cab Bronco with the 4BT Cummings in it. I've been adding pieces along to help the cost when I do pull the trigger. I finally got the big top pulley on. I've been trying to design a Compressor Mount for the 4BT. I want to use the Sandon 408. I Think that's the no. But there just doesn't seem to be enough room. I'm planning on a unit from BC systems .
.. Mine cab, I say is very well insulated ... I have bed liner down 1st then rubberized spray under coating and bubble pack foam and then Carpet. My diesel is still loud but I don't get much dust.. My electric Radiator fan will pull my temp down to about 120 under what it really needs to be . So I can't see AC NOT being a great addition for me.

 

[deltarat]

I sent a email to Krawlers Edge. Maybe I will get a reply next week.
I had a friend tell me that the suction line needs to sweat all the way back to the compressor and the freon is just right. I haven't checked mine yet.

 

[chuck]

The VA system requires 1.8 lbs. not 1 lbs 8 oz. OR 28.8 oz. No more and no less. The 1/2 cab is so small the A/C is too big for it and will freeze up. So if you turn temp down the compressor stays no and the coil freezes all the water in the air and it collects on hte coils so air can't pass and warm the coils back up. The fix is to run the fan on high and the temp much higher. Running the temp higher does not mean your inside temp will be higher. The freon comes into the coil at the same temp no matter what your setting is. The higher temp setting means that the t-stat will turn the compressor off sooner but when the temp rises it turns the compressor back on. The less air leaks and the better the insulation the longer the compressor will stay off. The less the compressor is on the less freeze up.

 

[chuck]

I sent a email to Krawlers Edge. Maybe I will get a reply next week.
I had a friend tell me that the suction line needs to sweat all the way back to the compressor and the freon is just right. I haven't checked mine yet.

I think that would depend a lot on how much moisture is in the air.

 

[NicksTrix]

Did you have any trouble getting it to cool? I have a BC and I can't get it to cool enough and I have a 1/2 cab. I have pulled it down and re-charged it 3 or 4 times. It cools but not like it should.

sure your heater lines are connected correctly? i've done that before & it gave that same senario.. check to see how your selector is plumbed and varify the right line is on the manifold.

 

[patkelley]

With respect to A/C systems, I have installed the Vintage Air system and the Tom's Bronco under-dash system. I like the compressor mount and hose layout of Tom's system better than VA's setup, and I have been able to get much lower outlet air temps from Tom's system than VA. With the VA kit in my '75, if I set the thermostat to a point where the outlet air temp is below 60 deg., the expansion valve freezes and it no longer cools (i.e. the vent temps rise to 80-90 deg. and stay there until the system cycles off long enough to unfreeze. I have replaced the drier (thinking moisture in the system was freezing the expansion valve) and vacuumed it out several times (even using a heat gun on the lines/drier while under vacuum to get moisture out), but I cannot get air temp below 60 when the truck is moving without freezing it up. I can easily get the outlet temp on the Tom's unit down to 39-40 deg., even with the fan on lowest speed. The VA unit seems to have a stronger fan, and it gives you better defrost than the OE Bronco (which you keep in operation with the Tom's under dash kit).

IMO if you do not live in an area where defog/defrosting your windshield is problematic, the Tom's unit WILL cool your truck better than the VA unit. It is also cheaper, but the under dash install is not pretty and will not work with some floor shift M/T's. The VA unit will do more in hot/moist/cold climates than an under dash system, but I seriously doubt that it would keep ANY truck cool in the southwest - it's basically a poor design that over cools the evap/expansion valve until it freezes, causing failure. I have not experimented with under or over charging it, but it may work slightly better if its overcharged (you're on your own if you go down this road) - if the low side was at 30-40 psi and you could keep the high side below 230-240 psi, maybe the added low side pressure would let you get a couple of degrees lower air temp before freezing.....

 

[chuck]

I have not had those problems with my system. Only the one with theevap freezing. The coldest air at the outlet is when the fan is on low because the air has longer contect with the coil. BY the way the new VA A/C is out now. And we are now selling both units.

 

[deltarat]

sure your heater lines are connected correctly? i've done that before & it gave that same senario.. check to see how your selector is plumbed and varify the right line is on the manifold.

Thanks Nick. I even put a valve in the heater line and cut the hot water off to the inside to check if maybe the valve was leaking and letting the hot water circulate through the heater core.
All suggestions will be appreciated. I have been 3 years trying to get this thing to cool so I can drive it in these hot Ms. summers.