What tool do you use to add air to your tires ?

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: casperfun
its a pain in the butt just pumping bike tires with a bike pump. Everyone must have big arms.

I don't know how you use a bike pump but my butt never hurts, just my "big" arms...

I got a half decent bike pump and leave it in the trunk, I even use it at my autocross races taking tires from 35ish psi up to 45 or 50 psi. The cheap and semi cheap 12V air compressors seem to burn out quite quickly as the pressures rise and my bike pump is faster anyways above 40psi.
I guess I could try to find a "good" one but I need the exercise anyways and I have other things to spend $60-100 on.

 

[meep]

have had a bunch of the 12v portables for $20. they always wear out. Bought the $60 SUV/TRUCK 12V portable at AA. While I'm sure it too will have a limited life, i expect it will last much longer. It runs cooler, it's quiet, solid metal, seems to turn a lower rpm, and fills a tire much faster, less "on" time.

M

 

[FZ1]

3 free sources. Discount Tire,Kwik Trip,Dealer w/my oil changes. I do have a tire guage,lol.

 

[PandaBear]

a $20 sears tire pump

 

[Zaedock]

I use the On Board Air system in my Jeep to fill up tires.

I can fill a 38 x 15.5" MT Claw from 3PSI trail pressure to 16psi street pressure in a few minutes.

 

[KrisZ]

After seeing how much moisture comes out of these gas station compressors I'd rater use a bicycle pump than use them.

But I have a $20 portable compressor and it works great.

 

[cp3]

Have used the 12 volts, still have one actually but I got a 2-gallon last year and it's great. Along with the new inflater I picked up it works great! Was nice putting the snows on too as it can also release air.

 

[Bruce T]

I get free air from a gas station on the way home from work. I wouldn't pay, since it might take me 2-3 cycles to fill four tires up to 40 lbs. Then in the morning before sunrise, I drop the cold tires down to the desired pressure.

Also, I bought a tiny green MasterFlow "Santa Ana" air compressor from Pep Boys for $20-30. It runs off the cigarette lighter plug, uses a threaded chuck (not those worthless clip-on chucks), pressure gauge is built in, runs quietly for its small size, and includes a black nylon case. Yes, small compressors do take longer to air up each tire, but unlike a clip-on chuck, the threaded chuck doesn't start to hemorrhage any air until you unscrew it.

 

[rslifkin]

Most of the time, just use a bike pump. I actually keep one in the Jeep while I'm away at college. I eventually plan to install an onboard compressor, but until then, for small pressure adjustments, the bike pump works fine.

 

[Bruce T]

If I had enough space for an air compressor beside the car in the garage, that would be the ideal solution. It seems like too much hassle to run an extension cord out to the driveway. Yeah, I'm lazy.

 

[crosseyedwx]

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I don't have air compressor or portable air pump, I used to go to gas station and pay 50 cents each use.

Per CA law, gas stations must provide free air-- at least that's what the signs say around here.

Although you can pay the 75 cents, if you go inside the gas station, the attendant has the ability to turn on the compressor for you for free.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: The Critic

Per CA law, gas stations must provide free air-- at least that's what the signs say around here.

Although you can pay the 75 cents, if you go inside the gas station, the attendant has the ability to turn on the compressor for you for free.

Gas stations must provide free air for customers, if you don't buy anything then you must pay.

 

[calvin1]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I don't have air compressor or portable air pump, I used to go to gas station and pay 50 cents each use.

Per CA law, gas stations must provide free air-- at least that's what the signs say around here.

Although you can pay the 75 cents, if you go inside the gas station, the attendant has the ability to turn on the compressor for you for free.
I used to get free air from Speedway all the time by asking the attendant to turn on the machine. However, about 2 years ago they out-sourced the air/vac machines and the contract nixed free air - greedy [censored]!

 

[ahoier]

Originally Posted By: Bruce T
I get free air from a gas station on the way home from work. I wouldn't pay, since it might take me 2-3 cycles to fill four tires up to 40 lbs. Then in the morning before sunrise, I drop the cold tires down to the desired pressure.
That's exactly what I do too.....I'd rather over-fill by a little bit on the drive home, down the city streets (~50mph or so....) than underfilling in the morning by "adding" air to warm tires after driving on them a long distance.

Sure, I have to drive the car to the gas station across, the street, but only through a 5 mph parking lot

BTW, I'm liking the "bike pump" suggestion. Last time I was at WM, I actually noticied a "heavy duty" manual pump in their auto department.....loooked very well made, durable handle, and the hose was a lot "stronger" per se.....wasn't just cheap plastic/rubber like most of the pumps in the "bike" department

And for only $7.88 - the price is RIGHT.....I believe it was rated at 70 psi even... if I recall lol.....

 

[Minou]

I'm on my 3rd floor bike pump in about 20 years or so. Works well for a few PSI and I don't have to hunt around for a gas station with air.

I have a portable 12V pump that I hardly used a few times.

 

[97tbird]

anyone use one of those little compressors that plug into the cig. lighter socket?
I've been meaning to get one, but can't decide which is a good, durable one...

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
anyone use one of those little compressors that plug into the cig. lighter socket?

Yup.

 

[Carbon]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
anyone use one of those little compressors that plug into the cig. lighter socket?
I've been meaning to get one, but can't decide which is a good, durable one...

I had one of those "250 PSI" compressors. Terrible. It took a very long time to increase the tire pressure even a few pounds. I later bought an MV50 (MF-1050) High Volume 12 Volt Portable Air Compressor that was powered via alligator clips that connect to the battery. I selected it after reading comments in an off-roader's forum. Off-roaders will often reduce the tire pressure for some terrain. Then they must pump the tires back up. That pump is much better.

 

[sifan]

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-ASI30...6369&sr=8-1

I use above 120v/12v tire compressor made by B&D which has two nice features:

1) It can draw the electric power from either 120v house hold current or 12v car cigarette. I used to use a 12v tire compressor, but the need to keep car running while pumping tires and breathing tailpipe emission was really unpleasant. Now with the 120v tire compressor I just run a extension from the house. Some of the 12v tire compressors on the market draw as much as 15A that might damage your car electrical wiring.
2) It has a built-in pressure gauge with a dial for pre-set pressure. I can set the air pressure, turn it on, and walk away. The pump will stop automatically when the pre-set pressure is reached. This way I do not have to stay with the pump closely and listen to the noise, which is not any louder than my old 12v pump. Even though the pressure gauge is not accurate, I just measure the tire pressure with an accurate tire gauge, and then play with the pre-set dial on the pump. Once I figure out the dial setting, I just leave it the way it is and pump the other three tires with excellent results.