01 · EF single / bag kit
VIAIR 400P EF (PN 40143)
Enhanced Flow portable. Duty 100% @ 40 PSI / 33% @ 100 PSI. Max 150 PSI. Max 30 A. IP54. 10.35 lb. Maker CFM 2.59 @ 0 PSI. Part 40143 — not live 40043.
Buying guide
VIAIR vs ARB: Best High-Volume Portable Truck Air Compressor
VIAIR 400P EF PN 40143 for the high-flow bag kit (30 A, IP54, 10.35 lb). ARB CKMTP12 for twin high-CFM (6.16 CFM @ 0 PSI, 68.6 A, 33 lb). Not live tire-inflator 40043.
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9 min read
Who this is for / skip
For you if: you already know the bag-kit 40043 story and want the EF refresh (40143), or you need twin-motor volume for 37″+ tires and air tools (CKMTP12). You will clamp to battery posts or hardwire SAE / fused leads — neither pick is a cigarette-plug toy. You care about duty cycle, amps, weight, and IP rating more than a pretty thumbnail.
Skip this page if: you are buying your first portable for stock LT or 35s and you want the simpler clamp-on kit — that is live VIAIR 400P PN 40043 on Best tire inflator for a truck. Skip if you want an under-hood or bed-mounted permanent compressor (onboard SKUs, different job). Skip if you only top off from a cigarette lighter. Skip if you cannot spare the battery or wiring for a 30 A (VIAIR) or ~69 A (ARB) draw.
02 · Twin high-CFM case
ARB CKMTP12
Twin brushed motors in an IP55 impact case. 6.16 CFM @ 0 PSI / 4.68 CFM @ 29 PSI. Max 150 PSI. 68.6 A. 100% duty (60 min/hr @ 72°F). 33 lb. Part CKMTP12.
The two that matter
Search lumps “truck air compressor” with every mini plug-in pump. This page splits two high-volume portables that actually move air for oversize tires.
Job A — EF single bag kit. VIAIR 40143: Enhanced Flow head, 30 A max, ~10 lb, duty 100% @ 40 PSI / 33% @ 100 PSI. Upgrade when you already understand 40043 and want the EF SKU — not a remake of the tire-inflator page.
Job B — twin motor in a hard case. ARB CKMTP12: 6.16 CFM @ 0 PSI / 4.68 CFM @ 29 PSI, 100% duty (60 min/hr @ 72°F), IP55, 33 lb, 68.6 A. You buy flow and run time — plus weight and a serious electrical plan.
Trail bag kit → 40143. Frequent 37s–40s plus tools → CKMTP12.
Amps, duty, weight (read these first)
Amps. VIAIR lists 30 A max draw and a 40 A inline fuse on the SAE lead. ARB lists 68.6 A total. Thin jumper leads and cigarette sockets will brown out or melt. Use clean battery clamps or fused battery leads sized for the draw. Dual-battery HD trucks are still 12V parallel — hook to a solid post, not a lighter.
Duty. VIAIR: 100% @ 40 PSI, 33% @ 100 PSI. Manual also frames ~1 hr @ 40 PSI / ~20 min @ 100 PSI at 72°F — VIAIR’s thermal window, not a TruckDaily stopwatch. ARB: 100% duty, 60 min/hr @ 72°F. Hot sand and long fills still need cooldown.
Weight. 10.35 lb (VIAIR) vs 33 lb (ARB). One rides in a bag. One is a case you plant on the ground. If you air up once a month on 35s, do not buy twin weight for bragging rights.
IP. VIAIR compressor IP54. ARB case IP55. Neither is a submarine. Keep intakes out of standing water and deep mud.
CFM without fantasy fill times
ARB prints 6.16 CFM @ 0 PSI and 4.68 CFM @ 29 PSI on the store page — that is why it wins volume. VIAIR’s 40143 info sheet prints 2.59 CFM @ 0 PSI (and a PSI/CFM table down to 150 PSI). Skip stopwatch claims that are not on the maker sheet. VIAIR publishes its own 35″/37″ fill-rate chart on the 40143 info sheet; ARB markets rapid inflation of large tires and tool volume. Compare maker CFM and duty, then shop the tire you actually run.
Power path and kit shape
40143. 12V permanent-magnet motor. 2-pin SAE with 40 A fuse. Product page: 6 ft power cord, 25 ft hose with inline 100 PSI gauge, tips kit, Presta adapter, sand tray, carry bag. Inrush 110 @ 0 PSI; 73 dB @ 0 PSI; ambient −40°F to 158°F.
CKMTP12. 12V twin brushed motors in an impact case (~18.8 × 14 × 7.3 in, 33 lb, max 150 PSI). Integrated pressure switch/relays, IP55 cooling fan, over-pressure safety valve. ARB positions it for tires, Air Locker use with optional accessories, and tool volume with a tank — confirm kit contents on the ARB store page before you assume a tank is in the box.
Enhanced Flow portable that is not 40043
For the Enhanced Flow portable that is not the live 40043 kit.
- Part 40143. Distinct SKU from live tire-inflator 40043. EF (Enhanced Flow) technology; VIAIR claims up to ~10% faster fill and ~20% more performance vs prior 400P
- Duty 100% @ 40 PSI / 33% @ 100 PSI. Max working 150 PSI. Max draw 30 A. IP54. Net weight 10.35 lb
- Info sheet CFM 2.59 @ 0 PSI. Product page: 25 ft hose, 6 ft power, SAE 2-pin with 40 A fuse, sand tray, carry bag, tips kit
- Ambient −40°F to 158°F on the product page. Inrush 110 @ 0 PSI. 73 dB @ 0 PSI
Drawback: single-motor CFM will not match a twin. Duty drops at 100 PSI — plan cooldown on long highway fills. Inline hose gauge is 100 PSI class; verify with a trusted gauge if you run higher set points.
Twin flow for 37s and tools
For twin flow when 37″+ and tools are the real job.
- Part CKMTP12. Twin brushed motors in a portable impact case. Maker: rapid inflation of large tires and high-volume air for most air tools
- 6.16 CFM @ 0 PSI / 4.68 CFM @ 29 PSI. Max 150 PSI. Total draw 68.6 A. Duty 100% (60 min/hr @ 72°F). Case IP55. Weight 33 lb
- Maker feature list: hard-anodized bores, carbon-fiber piston seals, heat-dissipating bracket, pressure switch/relays, IP55 cooling fan, over-pressure safety valve
- 3-year warranty (ARB USA store)
Drawback: nearly 70 A and 33 lb. Needs real battery leads and a place to set the case. Overkill if you only top off LT rubber twice a year.
Spec table
Cells say Not listed when the maker product page or 40143 info sheet does not publish that figure. A blank is not a zero. Prices move; this page does not freeze a dollar amount.
| Spec | VIAIR 400P EF (PN 40143) | ARB CKMTP12 |
|---|---|---|
| Who for | EF single bag kit; upgrade from clamp-on 40043 | Twin high-CFM case; 37″+ / tools volume |
| Duty cycle | 100% @ 40 PSI / 33% @ 100 PSI (maker) | 100% (60 min/hr @ 72°F) (maker store) |
| Max working PSI | 150 PSI | 150 PSI |
| CFM | 2.59 CFM @ 0 PSI (40143 info sheet); table also lists CFM by PSI | 6.16 CFM @ 0 PSI / 4.68 CFM @ 29 PSI |
| Max amp draw | 30 A (40 A inline fuse on SAE lead) | 68.6 A total |
| Weight | 10.35 lb | 33 lb |
| IP rating | IP54 | IP55 (case) |
| Motors | Single permanent-magnet; EF head | Twin brushed |
| Power | 12V; 2-pin SAE; 6 ft cord (maker) | 12V portable twin; hard case wiring (maker) |
| Hose | 25 ft with inline 100 PSI gauge (maker) | Confirm kit hose on ARB store page |
| Noise @ 0 PSI | 73 dB (maker product page) | Not listed on ARB store page |
| Warranty | Not listed as a clean year count on VIAIR product page | 3 year (maker store) |
| Not this pick | Live tire-inflator hero 40043; cigarette minis | Onboard permanent twins; buyers who refuse ~70 A / 33 lb |
Wiring and use notes
Match the compressor to the tire and the electrical path, not the Instagram thumbnail.
35s and trail air-down. 40143 is the usual EF bag answer when you already outgrew plug-in minis. Use battery clamps or a fused SAE pigtail. Keep the sand tray clear of intake dirt.
37″+ and frequent full fills. CKMTP12’s CFM advantage shows up when four tall tires need real volume. Size cables for 68.6 A. Watch voltage sag with the engine off — many owners idle or run the engine during long fills; follow ARB’s operation guide for your install.
Air tools. CKMTP12 is marketed for high-volume tools; many jobs want a tank. Confirm accessories on the ARB store. VIAIR 40143 is tire-first — not a shop twin.
Onboard vs portable. Permanent mounts are a different SKU family. This page stays portable: bag kit vs twin case.
Do not mix PN 40043 and 40143. Live tire-inflator hero is 40043. This page’s EF portable is 40143. Read the PN on the maker page if a listing title is fuzzy.
Shop by need
Skip these
VIAIR 400P PN 40043 as this page’s hero. Already the pick on Best tire inflator for a truck. First-time LT/35s buyers go there — not here.
Cigarette-plug mini compressors. Amp-limited toys. Neither hero on this page uses a lighter socket as the design path.
Onboard permanent twins / constant-duty mounts. Different install, different page.
Buying CKMTP12 “because twin sounds cooler” for stock 33s. You pay for 33 lb and ~70 A you may never need — 40143 (or live 40043) fits better.
FAQ
Is VIAIR 400P EF (40143) the same as the 400P on the tire-inflator page?
No. Live Best tire inflator for a truck uses VIAIR 400P PN 40043. This page uses the Enhanced Flow portable PN 40143. Related family, different part number, EF head and SAE kit details per VIAIR. Do not swap them in a cart by thumbnail.
Which is better for 37-inch tires — 40143 or CKMTP12?
ARB’s printed CFM (6.16 / 4.68) is the twin volume play. VIAIR’s 40143 info sheet shows 2.59 CFM @ 0 PSI and publishes 37″ fill-rate rows. Frequent 37s + tools → CKMTP12. EF single weight / 30 A → 40143. Read the maker charts for fill rates.
Can I run either off a cigarette lighter?
No as a design path. VIAIR 40143 is SAE / battery-class at 30 A max. ARB CKMTP12 is 68.6 A. Use battery posts or properly fused leads. Lighter sockets are for phone chargers, not these compressors.
What do the duty ratings mean in the dirt?
VIAIR’s 100% @ 40 PSI / 33% @ 100 PSI means continuous at low pressure and intermittent at high pressure — heat builds at highway PSI. ARB’s 100% with 60 min/hr @ 72°F is a full-hour window at that ambient. Hot days, long consecutive fills, and blocked cooling all cut real runtime. Follow each maker’s thermal guidance.
Does CKMTP12 include a tank?
Read the CKMTP12 kit contents on the ARB USA product page. Tank language elsewhere is accessory territory — do not assume a tank is in the case.
IP54 vs IP55 — can I use these in the rain?
IP54 (VIAIR) and IP55 (ARB case) resist dust and water jets to their rated levels — they are not dive gear. Keep the units upright, intakes clear, and out of standing water. Dry connectors before you pack up.
Should a first-time buyer start here or on the tire-inflator guide?
Start on Best tire inflator for a truck if you need a first clamp-on for LT / 35s (40043 axis). Come here when you specifically want the EF refresh (40143) or twin high-CFM (CKMTP12).
Last updated September 16, 2026. Author: TruckDaily.