AC Tire Inflator Suggestions?

[FL370]

Question: When was the last time you filled the tires in your other vehicles? When you weren't at a gas station or tire store?

100% of the time.

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[tmeyer3]

I just threw this in the smuggler box: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-H...ectric-Quiet-Air-Compressor-3300113/311273547

I use it regularly for airing down.

 

[Cybergirl]

I really like this one. Is it cheaply made or is it fairly
High quality? I have never heard of that company.

I've only used it a few times on off-road excursions. It's Chinese made which sometimes means low quality, but the reviews are quite good. It's quiet, and light weight (21 lbs). I leave it in the truck along with a tire patching kit. I also take along this 4-ton bottle jack. It's very small, but effective for changing a Cybertruck tire on the road. The trick is to first elevate the truck's suspension to Extract Level, then lift the truck with the bottle jack on a block of wood.

 

[NaptownRick]

I picked this Craftsman one up, along with a tire repair kit, just for emergencies. It is both AC/DC which is nice to use in other vehicles. If I can fix it myself in 5 minutes, why wait for Tesla Roadside!?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JLTMQJT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, for those who go off-road and want to deflate your tires, this could come in handy for those folks (I'm not one of them). Not just for emergencies/flats.

Rick

 

[chaosmarine92]

A/C 120v chargers come with battery powered units.

Huh? I don't understand what you are trying to say.

Edit: OH you mean they have a 120v charger for the battery. Yeah that doesn't help their case for me at all. I don't want a battery to be present period, the truck is the battery. And any included charger won't be able to run the pump on it's own anyway, it takes time to charge the battery at 20watts or whatever.

 

[FL370]

I picked this Craftsman one up, along with a tire repair kit, just for emergencies. It is both AC/DC which is nice to use in other vehicles. If I can fix it myself in 5 minutes, why wait for Tesla Roadside!?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JLTMQJT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, for those who go off-road and want to deflate your tires, this could come in handy for those folks (I'm not one of them). Not just for emergencies/flats.

Rick

I got the same one. Lucky I had an extension cord in the truck when I needed it the first time. That 120v cord is short.

 

[NaptownRick]

Yes good call, and I do keep an extension cord in the bed storage anyway, never know when I might need it now that I have the option! Love the CT!

 

[Jager]

I just ordered the 120v unit linked by @Cybergirl, above (@HaulingAss has also pointed to this unit in other threads). Was originally going to wait to see what the specs are on the Tesla compressor due later this year, but am doubtful that unit will be very robust.

I have the Fanttik mentioned. Works fine for topping off a few pounds in a car tire. Not great for bringing up a truck tire from near zero psi (like after a puncture repair); or airing up multiple tires after a 4wd adventure.

I keep tire repair kits and air compressors onboard all my motorcycles and they've bailed either myself or my pals out on multiple occasions. My Model 3 carries everything needed to repair a tire, if needed; or replace it if it can't. I experienced a puncture in that vehicle last summer... a puncture I was able to successfully plug - but not until I had removed the wheel/tire from the vehicle.

The Fix-a-Flat type products will help with some punctures. Maybe. But mostly they just give a false sense of security, followed by a holy mess (and a still-flat tire) when you finally get a chance to try 'em out.

Tires are pretty terrific these days. But drive long enough and you will have a flat.

 

[HaulingAss]

I picked this Craftsman one up, along with a tire repair kit, just for emergencies. It is both AC/DC which is nice to use in other vehicles. If I can fix it myself in 5 minutes, why wait for Tesla Roadside!?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JLTMQJT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, for those who go off-road and want to deflate your tires, this could come in handy for those folks (I'm not one of them). Not just for emergencies/flats.

Rick

No, that Craftsman is not suitable for airing back up after off-roading in a Cybertruck! It will put out too little air and overheat too readily. It's a cheap toy.

 

[HaulingAss]

I really like this one. Is it cheaply made or is it fairly
High quality? I have never heard of that company.

I have both the DeWalt cordless inflator and the Chinese one here:
Amazon.com: TC·BL Portable Air Compressor 110V,Ultra Quiet Air Compressor Oil Free and Lightweight Small Air Pump : Tools & Home Improvement

Both are good quality units, both are made in China. So is the cheap craftsman inflator linked above. The country of manufacture has not been a good indicator of quality for many years. I haven't checked, but I bet the Husky is made in China too.

I've been using the DeWalt for about 3 years on our F-150, horse trailer, and Model 3s. It's a solid unit that can fill a surprising number of regular sized tires on one 20V 5Ah battery. It could also be good for adding 3-5 psi per tire on a Cybertruck if you are not in a hurry. But it's grossly undersized for airing up all four Cybertruck tires after off-roading (adding 15 psi per tire). And it would be even worse at towing duty (raising all four tires from 50 psi to 65 psi). It might even cause it to burn up or hit the thermal overload cutout requiring a cooling off period.

The TC-BL compressor appears to be well engineered mechanically but I have no way to judge the reliability of the electronics that drive the two-speed permanent magnet motor. While running it sounds very solid, it's pretty quiet and sounds like it will last a long time, at least from a mechanical perspective. That said, one of the eight head bolts was not even finger tight on the unit I received. I noticed it before I turned it on for the first time, torqued it properly and haven't had any issues with it since.

I've used it to air all tires back up from 40 psi twice, 35 psi around 7 times, and 30 psi 3 times. I only air down to 30 psi for flotation in spring snowpack and don't exceed 20 mph when aired down that far. It's very bad for the tires to drive faster with so little air pressure, especially if you have a lot of people or gear with you. It can/will ruin the good driving performance of the tires to fatigue the composite construction of the tires in this manner.

The compressor has performed admirably so far, it's exceedingly fast for its size and weight. I've never had to pause it to let it cool, even when going from 30 to 50 psi on all four tires. That said, I don't think the results would be as favorable if not used with a 4 tire filling system (hoses designed to fill all four tires simultaneously). The reason I say this is because the compressor puts out such a high volume of air that it would overwhelm the amount of air only one tire valve stem can pass. This will cause a buildup of pressure between the compressor and the valve stem causing the compressor to work too hard. This can be mitigated by running the two-speed compressor at 50% speed. But it's going to take a while to add 15 psi to all four tires using this method. That's why the MorrFlate hoses are key to airing back up after off-roading (unless you have time to kill). The root of the problem here is the Schrader valve was introduced in the 1890's when tires were but a fraction of the volume of tires today. The valves can only flow a small volume of air.

My average fill times are around 4 minutes for all four tires. And that's about how long it will take to fill one tire with this inflator. It will only be a little quicker. As for size, the TC-BL compressor is about the same size as the DeWalt, although at around 19 lbs. it weighs quite a bit more than the DeWalt, even if you weigh the battery and charger. Keep in mind, all of these compressors are made in China, regardless of the brand name stuck on it. You will have a real hard time finding one NOT made in China (and that is no guarantee it's any better). China is capable of making very high-quality products, in many cases better than products engineered and manufactured in the USA.

I bet the Tesla "Cyberinflator", due out this year, is made in China too. It will be interesting to see what it's capabilities are. I'll be super impressed if it can keep up with the TC-BL.

 

[The Tumbler]

I needed an air compressor to reinflate my truck's tires after 'airing down' when traveling on rough off-road trails. To get reasonable speed, I looked for a two cylinder compressor and found this one which works well. I fits nicely in the sub vault. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YTKQLVK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

It's useful for operating air tools, as well.

Thank you. Exactly what I was looking for. Good to know it fits in the vault

 

[HaulingAss]

Thank you. Exactly what I was looking for. Good to know it fits in the vault

To avoid any future confusion, I will note that the vault refers to the entire bed of the truck under the tonneau cover. @Cybergirl was referring to the sub-vault, also known as the "smuggler's compartment" or the "basement" of the vault.

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

I have both the DeWalt cordless inflator and the Chinese one here:
Amazon.com: TC·BL Portable Air Compressor 110V,Ultra Quiet Air Compressor Oil Free and Lightweight Small Air Pump : Tools & Home Improvement

Both are good quality units, both are made in China. So is the cheap craftsman inflator linked above. The country of manufacture has not been a good indicator of quality for many years. I haven't checked, but I bet the Husky is made in China too.

I've been using the DeWalt for about 3 years on our F-150, horse trailer, and Model 3s. It's a solid unit that can fill a surprising number of regular sized tires on one 20V 5Ah battery. It could also be good for adding 3-5 psi per tire on a Cybertruck if you are not in a hurry. But it's grossly undersized for airing up all four Cybertruck tires after off-roading (adding 15 psi per tire). And it would be even worse at towing duty (raising all four tires from 50 psi to 65 psi). It might even cause it to burn up or hit the thermal overload cutout requiring a cooling off period.

The TC-BL compressor appears to be well engineered mechanically but I have no way to judge the reliability of the electronics that drive the two-speed permanent magnet motor. While running it sounds very solid, it's pretty quiet and sounds like it will last a long time, at least from a mechanical perspective. That said, one of the eight head bolts was not even finger tight on the unit I received. I noticed it before I turned it on for the first time, torqued it properly and haven't had any issues with it since.

I've used it to air all tires back up from 40 psi twice, 35 psi around 7 times, and 30 psi 3 times. I only air down to 30 psi for flotation in spring snowpack and don't exceed 20 mph when aired down that far. It's very bad for the tires to drive faster with so little air pressure, especially if you have a lot of people or gear with you. It can/will ruin the good driving performance of the tires to fatigue the composite construction of the tires in this manner.

The compressor has performed admirably so far, it's exceedingly fast for its size and weight. I've never had to pause it to let it cool, even when going from 30 to 50 psi on all four tires. That said, I don't think the results would be as favorable if not used with a 4 tire filling system (hoses designed to fill all four tires simultaneously). The reason I say this is because the compressor puts out such a high volume of air that it would overwhelm the amount of air only one tire valve stem can pass. This will cause a buildup of pressure between the compressor and the valve stem causing the compressor to work too hard. This can be mitigated by running the two-speed compressor at 50% speed. But it's going to take a while to add 15 psi to all four tires using this method. That's why the MorrFlate hoses are key to airing back up after off-roading (unless you have time to kill). The root of the problem here is the Schrader valve was introduced in the 1890's when tires were but a fraction of the volume of tires today. The valves can only flow a small volume of air.

My average fill times are around 4 minutes for all four tires. And that's about how long it will take to fill one tire with this inflator. It will only be a little quicker. As for size, the TC-BL compressor is about the same size as the DeWalt, although at around 19 lbs. it weighs quite a bit more than the DeWalt, even if you weigh the battery and charger. Keep in mind, all of these compressors are made in China, regardless of the brand name stuck on it. You will have a real hard time finding one NOT made in China (and that is no guarantee it's any better). China is capable of making very high-quality products, in many cases better than products engineered and manufactured in the USA.

I bet the Tesla "Cyberinflator", due out this year, is made in China too. It will be interesting to see what it's capabilities are. I'll be super impressed if it can keep up with the TC-BL.

This was great. Very informative. This sealed it for me… TC-BL for me.

 

[The Tumbler]

To avoid any future confusion, I will note that the vault refers to the entire bed of the truck under the tonneau cover. @Cybergirl was referring to the sub-vault, also known as the "smuggler's compartment" or the "basement" of the vault.

Yes. Understood. I knew what Cybergirl meant by sub vault. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Djinndjinn]

Never used an air compressor to inflate tires. It looks like the TC-BL one above doesn’t come with any specific hoses. Any recommendations for a hose kit for inflating tires to be used with an air compressor? Saw this link on Amazon, but not sure if it fits the bill…

https://www.amazon.com/WYNNsky-NPT-...air+compressor+hose+for+tire,tools,125&sr=1-9

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