Pressurizing the Bed to Cut Down on Dust

[NVjeff]

In an attempt to cut down on the dust drawn into the covered bed on my Gladiator I installed a seal on the tailgate.

Then I began thinking, once the bed is sealed up as well as it can be, a small compressor to pressurize the bed would help keep dust out as well.

I know desert racers have air pumped into their helmets to eliminate the dust they have to breathe.
Maybe one of those air pumps would be enough.

Any thoughts on this? I know nothing of the air pumps the offroad racers use, as far as cost or power draw.

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[Figmo]

For this to work, you'd need to seal all the air leaks in the bed. So my question is: after doing this, will you even need the compressor?

 

[Zapper]

Kinda a cool idea.

I was actually thinking of posting a thread asking what people did to reduce dust. Just finished an 80 mile overland drive on a dirt road here and the dust is driving me nuts.

 

[fourfa]

For this to work, you'd need to seal all the air leaks in the bed. So my question is: after doing this, will you even need the compressor?

my thinking too. I have an Alu-Cab Canopy Camper, very well sealed with side and rear door seals, sikaflex sealant along all the joints and various gaps and drains in the bed, and I don’t have a dust problem

 

[kb5zcr]

You would probably just need a high volume fan sucking filtered air from outside the bed and pushing it into the bed to slightly pressurize the bed so the air is pushing out of all the cracks and leaks in the bed. The fan would need to be in some kind of box with a fan blowing air into the bedspace.
Look at this pic of how a pressurized stairwell works.

Plugging all the leaks in the bed instead might be easier.

https://5.imimg.com/data5/SELLER/De...95/staircase-pressurization-fan-1000x1000.jpg

 

[Mr._Bill]

The RSI Smartcap has a positive pressure vent on the roof. It sucks air in which blows out through the leaks and cracks.

 

[Gvsukids]

Kinda a cool idea.

I was actually thinking of posting a thread asking what people did to reduce dust. Just finished an 80 mile overland drive on a dirt road here and the dust is driving me nuts.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/dust-in-bed-even-with-tonneau.31811/

 

[GeneralMaximus]

There are positive pressure vents for campers. I know Patriot Campers have them.

https://forum.gofastcampers.com/t/positive-pressure-venting-for-dust-mitigation/22397

 

[Sandman 4x4]

Ok I had a similar problem years ago with a 78 Scout II TERRA 4x4 truck. I had installed a unique Air-Way bed cap, that was an open front cap that had a water tight seal to the cab roof. I lined the bed with a removable carpet lined camper insert, with bean bags for comfort. But it kept getting covered with dust, even with tailgate seals. So I removed the glass window in the cab, that then allowed to talk with friends in the bed. Then kept the sliding windows in the sides closed on dusty roads and the hatch closed, but cranked up the ThermoKing AC I had installed to cool the cab that got so cold you could hang meat. That did it, enough pressure in the bed to keep dust and heat out in summer and cold out in winter. That was a great truck.

 

[NVjeff]

I didn't know some campers came with positive pressure vents.
Until this thread I didn't know what they were called.

I wondered what the overlanders did, with their bunks and camping gear in the back.

It wouldn't take much pressure to keep the dust out, a fraction of a pound of air pressure differential would make all the difference.
I think even with everything sealed up dust will eventually find a way, particularly as the seals age.

I have a Diamondback bed cover, I assume the dust I've found was coming in around the tailgate.
I have a seal on the tailgate now but I'm not convinced it will keep all the dust out.
And I still need to cover the factory holes in the bed.

 

[nanook12]

The RSI Smartcap has a positive pressure vent on the roof. It sucks air in which blows out through the leaks and cracks.

You still need some tailgate seals with the Smartcap…the dust will creep in from the rear about 6” or so. Still a pretty good system though.

 

[Mojave24]

I'm interested to know what seal did you use for the tailgate.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I plugged all holes on the sides (like the holes next to the anchor points), used a tailgate seal, and sealed around the rear anchor points and so on - no dust issues.

I have an assortment of grommets that don't have the middles opened up - works great for closing round holes in the sides of the bed. I was getting a lot of dust in through these holes in part because they are at the rear behind the rear tires.
The anchor point is another way for air and dust to get in - so I closed that with foam.

 

[NVjeff]

I'm interested to know what seal did you use for the tailgate.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/EXG-1140

 

[JTGuy]

I have an ARE CX classic with opening side, front windows. Tailgate is sealed and I have a Bed rug. No dust gets in. If it did I would just put a seal between the Cab rear and shell front window and use the cab blower to pressure the camper.

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