tyre inflation. small compressor? tyre pump?

**How do you rate those little cigarette plug in air compressors - any good? is it worth staying away from the cheap ones? better of with a under the bonnet ARB proper one? **

Hiya Rowen

There are arguments for and against these units,i personally use the latest ARB Under bonnet and hav found it fantastic for what i use it for,pumping up tyres after deflation...

From what ive read if you buy a potable one and use it ofted steer clear of the cheapie ones...
Do a search here theres plenty of info..

Cheers

If you want to go manual, take a look at the Michelin foot pump (in Autobarn stores in Vic), but it would take a LOOONG time to fully fill 4by tyres. It's a good unit otherwise with an accurate guage.

For occasional part reflation of my Forester tyres I use a unit bought off Ebay for about $90. It uses battery clamps.

There's cheap,there not so cheap and there is expensive ones.
Forget the cheapies.The not so cheap around $120-$150 are ok if only using a few times a year expensive are the go if using on a regular bases.
Cheers
Glyn

If it is able to run off a cig socket, its output will be low.

I look at a quality compressor as a long term investment. My Blue Tongue is now 9 years old, been mounted under the bonnet in 3 vehicles, pumped thousands of tyres, and still pumps fine. Cost a lot of money in 2000, but not a cent since.

In the 1970's and 80's I used handpumps - used to be able to get quality ones back then and I used them mostly for split rim tubed tyres, and occasionally could reinflate a tubeless. Most of the cheapies these days are garbage. But I've got one of the dearer "Fluid" brand ones in the bike section of Anaconda, and have to say, it pumps well and looks good quality.

Hi Ro,

Have had a number of cheap units over the years that have worked ok for awhile and then died. Due to a set of circumstances, that I won't go into...... I have a new ARB Hi-flo and a second hand older Lo-flo and a (so far) reasonable quality Hi-flo from repco. A comparison test of the units is here
At the end of the day your decision will come down to , Budget, Amount of use, Vehicle Tyre Size.

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers,
Wayne.

Hi Ro
Keep the cheap cigatette plug in type compressors for pumping up the kids bike tyres.

We have hand now for about 6 year an ARB compressor. Have it mounted under the bonnett and works a treat. A few years back when doing a pure cross country trip of 15 days, punctures were the thing being the leed vehicle. On 4 occasions, I had to take the tyre comptetely off of the rims and my compressor was able to pop the bead out and reseat a tubeless tyre, no problems at all and all in the bush.

Here is where I have my unit mounted

Cheers

StephenImage Could Not Be Found

G'day Ro
If you're in Brisbane go to Sunshine State Spare Parts (near Archerfield airport) or if elsewhere find a Don Kyatt and buy the twin cylinder portable Terrain Tamer pump. Good unit, good price.
Cheers from the Moose

Rowen,

While a hand pump, or cheaper compressor type pump will put a few psi into car tyres, you need to consider how much air and how long it takes without the pumper (if using a hand pump) or the cheaper compressor expiring from overheating.

A good quality portable compressor will come with battery terminal clamps to connect it to the electrical source, not a ciggy plug. They generally draw quite a few amps when operating.
A good quality compressor will inflate a tyre within a few minutes, (depending on the volume applicable to that compressor)
A good quality compressor will (should) not overheat and in rare circumstances that it does, will have a thermal overload device to stop permanent damage to the compressor.
A good quality compressor will include an air inlet filter to enable operation in dusty and sandy conditions.

Above all, only a good quality air compressor will have sufficient "grunt" to inflate a tyre from dead flat where a tyre needs to be reseated on a rim following a puncture repair.

Expect to pay $250+ for a good one.

Bill

I've had an ARB plumbed into the vehicle for years and it has been very reliable over many years. A bit slow perhaps.

The small ones that sell for $9.95 on eBay are slow but seem to last for years but I wouldn't use one for pumping a 33" tyre.

I recently bought a 150L/min twin cylinder one on eBay ($52 plus $28 post). It looks sturdy enough. It pumps tyres fast.

As for reliability, ask me in ten years.

BobImage Could Not Be Found

I have a ARB under the bonnet and find it great. I would not want to risk it with a cheapie.

Also start the engine when you pump to give it some extra grunt