Good morning all,
Does anyone own and/or use one of the above?
The examples I've borrowed over the years have been useless. However I now have a need for one of my own for my 4x4 excursions. Any experience or thoughts please.
|
First one I had was used probably 5 times - 2/3 times for various punctures to get enough air in the tyre to drive slowly to a garage for a puncture repair.
I had a period of 3 months around 2004 when I collected 3/4 punctures & on 1 occasion had difficulty getting the wheel off so it was a definite bonus. 10 mins with the pump was better than waiting an hour for the breakdown man
Just bought another, Aldi £10 but was on clearance for £7....a Bargain? well I have yet to try it.
Due to health issues I could not now lift a wheel far less change a wheel even in my flat driveway far less at the side of any road - not that long ago it was a 10/15 minute job!
|
|
I use a Michelin 12 volt plug in pump .It has a digital display and a screw on valve attachment rather than a click over.Cost about £30.
|
|
I've got one from halfords (their own brand), must have had it ten years. Been used countless times, it doesn't take long to inflate the tyre. They do larger faster operating ones now. I can't remember how much it was, i know it wasn't much though after a trade card discount. Have a look on auto express website, they often review things like that.
|
This is the one I bought several years ago. Bit of a faff winding the lead up to put it away, but useful to have in the garage, or in the boot.
tinyurl.com/ja87jj9
|
My current car came with one ( along with a can of puncture gloop ) instead of a spare/spacesaver tyre.
I have used it, ( the pump ) but as someone mentioned above, it's a bit of a faff to set up and pack away, takes longer than I have the patience for to pump the tyres up, and in truth when checking tyre pressures I just tend to use my old faithful twin barrelled foot pump and a pencil style pressure gauge.
Gets the the old blood pumping a bit anyway !
|
|
I had a cheapie which was fine for topping up but burnt out trying to inflate a tyre from near-flat. Admittedly there was a warning with it not o run it for more than a short time...so my fault really but if you're expecting to want to do that, make sure yours is man enough,
|
Same here. The Golf came with an electic pump but for a few pounds in the the tyres I still use my old Lada hand pump. Thirty five years olds, crudely made with a leather washer and a handle that looks like a piece of broomstick but its actually more efficient than a foot pump.
www.ebay.com/itm/Tyre-pump-all-LADA-Models-Art-2101-3917010-/400893515620
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Sat 8 Oct 16 at 08:28
|
>>They do larger faster
>> operating ones now.
>>
I must have one of the older slow ones. It seems to take for ever.
A tip: they get slower as the seal in the pumping piston dries out. I opened mine up (halfords) and put a few drops of oil onto the piston. it did improve the pumping ability a bit.
I also drilled a hole in the plastic casing opposite the piston so that I could repeat this in future without opening up the case.
It kept its seal better if stored with the piston crank uppermost, ie with the pump upside down.
Remember these are not really tyre inflators, just topper-uppers. They haven't a hope of inflating a flat tyre that has pulled away from the wheel rim. (Although I have inflated a tractor tyre with a tube once - it took over an hour, and flattened the battery)
|
>> Remember these are not really tyre inflators, just topper-uppers. They haven't a hope of inflating
>> a flat tyre that has pulled away from the wheel rim. (Although I have inflated
>> a tractor tyre with a tube once - it took over an hour, and flattened
>> the battery)
>>
I find they work far better if the engine is running - way better than you'd expect from just a slight voltage increase.
|
>> However I now have a need for one of my own for my 4x4 excursions. Any experience or thoughts please.
>>
Are you looking for something which will re-inflate all the tyres after the pressures have been lowered for off-road use? If so, I imagine you'd need something a bit more chunky than the £10-20 jobs.
|
|
If you really want it for 4x4 excursions, you need something reasonable of you'll be waiting forever. I use one of these: www.paddockspares.com/pm982-twin-cylinder-12v-compressor-usually-60-00gbp.html
|
>> ... I use one of these: www.paddockspares.com/pm982-twin-cylinder-12v-compressor-usually-60-00gbp.html
That one was highly recommended some time back by a user in a similar discussion on HJ.
|
Hi Tigger. I've had a look at your link, but they (Paddock Spares) don't seem to offer much detail and I haven't found a reference anywhere other than yours. The only one's I've ever tried to use have been pretty breathless or have broken down/overheated.
It would likely get used quite extensively some days for as someone else mentioned it would be for topping up 4x4 tyres after running them at around 18psi. of course it it did work well then everybody else would want a slice of the pie!!
|
|
Sorry meant to add. I presume it runs off of the lighter socket and not battery clips?
|
>> Hi Tigger. I've had a look at your link, but they (Paddock Spares) don't seem
>> to offer much detail ...
As you like. I'm not selling them.
>> I presume it runs off of the lighter socket and not battery clips?
Not a chance. It draws something like 45 Amps. I usually leave the engine running!
|
|
I don't know why anyone would mess about with those things. Three or four minutes with a foot pump and job done.
|
|
Costco have Goodyear branded 12v tyre pumps. Designed for american personal trucks it is well up to the job of car tyres.
|
|
I still use the one I got for free with my Esso Tiger vouchers that they were giving out during the late 80's. I've also still got a load of cassettes in the drawer that I got free too. God knows why!! I haven't got a cassette player anymore.
|
I have had several footpumps and 12v pumps over the years. Best footpump has been Michelin twin barrel (still going strong after more than 5 years) but worst was expensive Michelin 12v job which blew the car fuse every time I used it for more than a couple of minutes.
We have two cars and 4 pushbikes but total pump use is a few minutes per annum and the life of most 12v pumps seems to be only an hour or two of total actual use. Pathetic when you think of it that way.
Currently I have a cheapo Ring 12 v that is about 4 years old.
If I were in the market for one now I'd buy one with a screw to valve fitting (I've had fails on the clip-on type) and digital readout rather than a toy analogue one. Now that so many come with an OEM-branded pump along with the dreaded gloop, I'd consider one of those. A quick google for a Honda one came up with one at £30.
|
>> As you like. I'm not selling them.
I was not dissing your view. Having re-read my reply I can understand perhaps that it seemed like that. I appreciated your input, thank you.
>>
>> >> I presume it runs off of the lighter socket and not battery clips?
>> Not a chance. It draws something like 45 Amps. I usually leave the engine running!
>>
I am more than aware of the requirement to leave pistons pumping having killed a perfectly good original 14yo battery on my van, by charging a laptop for two hours!!! What I asked was, is the power source the ciggy lighter?
Regards........MD
|
>> is the power source the ciggy lighter?
No, a lighter is usually limited to 10 or 15 amps. A decent compressor takes a lot more, so would blow the fuse right away. If you're serious about using it for offroading you need one that connects straight to the battery.
A number of people on here don't seem to appreciate the volume of air which is needed in a big 4x4 tyre. You're be disinclined to lower the pressures for a tricky section if it took 20 minutes to reinflate them!
If you google paddock PMS982 or 981 you'll find a number of offroaders using them. Or you could look at the similar www.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Automotive-RAC900-Heavy-Duty-Accessories/dp/B000W08QZY
|
Oops - that should be PM982 not PMS!
These are the daddy, but you'd have to be very in to your offroading to spend this amount... www.mattsavage.co.uk/acatalog/450P-A-Portable-Compressor-Kit-Automatic-45043.html
|
|
It may be the daddy but the Costco one looks similar, certainly does the job, and is nearly £400 cheaper!
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 10 Oct 16 at 15:29
|
Costco seem to sell two:
www.costco.co.uk/view/p/ring-12-volt-heavy-duty-air-compressor-model-rac900-139578
www.costco.co.uk/view/p/goodyear-12-volt-air-inflator-844753
As to which is better value - well it depends what they're going to be used for. For topping off the odd tyre at the weekend, the cheaper one will of course be fine.
I used to offroad regularly, and wanted something that would allow me to lower the pressures and reinflate them quickly. For my needs, a bigger compressor suited me.
Last edited by: Tigger on Mon 10 Oct 16 at 16:25
|
|
I have the £30 Goodyear compressor, it is well up to the job. It easily tops up my pram wheel spare to 60 psi.
|
Thanks to all.
Today I acquired the Ring RAC900 from Halfords at £74.99 Have yet to try it out, but the reviews tell the tale.
Upon reading the paperwork within the packaging it said "Do not allow the compressor to become wet." I have emailed Ring for conformation of the fact and await their answer.
A local motor factor (fairly big operator) wanted £126.00 for the same machine!!!!!!
|
I'v just bought this :- Ring RAC600 12V Digital Tyre Inflator with Storage Bag and Adaptor Set
£19.99 on Amazon with Prime next day delivery.
Tried it out - it works.
|
>> A local motor factor (fairly big operator) wanted £126.00 for the same machine!!!!!!
I got in touch with the company which supplied the Dim-plex heater via Amazon and gave them an ear bashing.
= "As a gesture of good will we have refunded the difference between the two prices".
Proper job, as we say in Cornwool.
|
I bought a Ring RAC 610 12V compressor a couple of years ago via Amazon. It cost about £12 and works very well, even on my 60psi spare.
I double-check the tyre pressures with an excellent Race X gauge.
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Tue 25 Oct 16 at 15:15
|
I have two, a Fiesta one and a Yaris one. Both liberated from written off hire cars. One lives under the passenger seat in the Vitara and has a lighter plug. The other is in the workshop with croc clips. Both work well.
I also have a 230V twin cylinder jobbie with air filters mounted on my old welding trolley. Rarely use it, though. It's easier to get a 12V one out.
|
>> I also have a 230V twin cylinder jobbie with air filters mounted on my old
>> welding trolley.
>>
Just the job for your bouncy castle?
|
She looks after herself Roger.
|
Well Ring have basically that it needs to be vented and that I suppose is obvious, but puts it at a disadvantage in moist north Devon. I may have to construct a 'box' affair, through vented, to place it in whilst in use.
On its first outing it pumped up 4 trailer tyres from 60 to 65 psi without fuss, taking approximately 20 seconds each. I am quite impressed. Not too noisy either.
|
12v tyre inflators - Falkirk Bairn
