Hi Roman, re a small tank, I considerd this once but decided think it will make little difference and be more stuff to carry, all it does is stop you having to turn on a compressor - but then you have to fill the tank up again with a powerful machine (assuming you want to get mega psi in there).
It all gets back to the desirability of a powerful compressor doing a tyre fast enough for you to use without hesitation.
I have heard using ones spare wheel as a reservoir. Stick 100 or more psi (6 bar) in there and attached a double valve air line. Never tried it but has the same limitations.

Chris S

Recently I saw the practice of inflating tyres with a tube attached directly to the exhaust. Incredible, but works ! Anyone any experience / comments ?

I MOUNTED AN OLD AIR CONDITIONING PUMP TO MY RR AND USE THIS FOR INFLATING TYRES, INSTALL AS FOR AIR CON BUT FIT AN AIR COIL AND TYRE VALVE HOLDER ONTO THE OUTLET AND AN OIL DRIP FEED ON THE INLET. AIR CON RUNS AT UPTO 200 PSI THERFORE INFLATES TYRES IN SECONDS UPTO WHATEVER PRESSURE YOU WANT, DOES NOT OVERHEAT AND WORKS FIRST TIME EVERYTIME . CHEERS STEVE

Ron and Roberta,

can you please keep me informed directly about this also (jan.nouwens@tip.nl), I am still considering this option apart from simply bying some compressor (maybe an ARB-model, some NLG 700 excl. VAT).

I have a contact that has more or less offered this idea to me, seems he has done it before but sofar I was not convinced about the quality of the idea. Now it seems to be working quit well if you look at one of the messages.

TNX, Jan.

Hi,

I have no idea about the specifications, but when I popped into Brownchurch a few weeks ago they had a new one in that they hadn't started to advertise.

It was going for around £250 I think?

see www.brownchurch.co.uk for details I guess.

Cheers, dj

whilst i believe the grand erg compressor to have very good airing up ability, those who would trade a little more money for less weight could try www.oasis-off-road.com
check out their trail head unit.i know it's an american type size but this sub 2kilo unit can fill a 35inx12.5inx15 tyre from 1bar to 2.5 bar in 1m 22s and that is one big tyre!

RE: Aircompressors

Blue Tongue has just released the Blue Tongue III (kindly mentioned by Renate). Here's an update from the webpage:

"Recently released, this latest evolution of the famous Blue Tongue pumps retains the unique Fan Cooled, Continuous rating that has made it the most reliable pump in Australia's hot and dusty conditions. This latest Blue Tongue III is a full 20% faster that its older brother to make it the faster pump in its class and still fan cooled."

Ralph Martell from Opposite Lock, Australia, wrote this back in an e-mail:

"Blue Tongue III air compressor is fast and most importantly continuous duty, so all four tyres can be re-inflated one after the other without cool down periods. Cost $AU345 including a 6 metre hose".

Check out http://www.oppositelock.com under "Tyre repair and Deflators". At $AU2.7 per £, it costs about £150 including air freight. OR try and e-mail Ralph Martell at [ola@ozemail.com.au]

Rgds,
Dennis

'Truck Air 275 psi'......The test unit is for sale (2 mins use). It has a fan cooled motor, 4 metre lead and a pressure dial which goes all the way up to 300 psi.

Was 50 now 40 quid (55 + new) and you get a free foldaway funnel

Ch

Old aircon unit under the bonnet vs £420 on a Grand Erg. Hmm...

Sounds like the aircon unit is the cheapest and most effective way of doing things. Am I missing something?

(BTW, we used a Halfords compressor for a year's trip with no probs. Inflated 5 7.50x16s from zero to 32psi without a break, no worries. Wasn't super-quick, and certainly not quick enough for desert stuff, but if you're just overlanding on a budget then it was OK. Maybe I was lucky..)

REF AIR/CON TYRE INFLATOR, I BOUGHT THE AIR/CON UNIT FROM SODBURY SORTOUT FOR £15, AIR COIL,VALVE ADAPTER, AND OIL DRIP FEED FROM MACHINE MART FOR ABOUT £25, NEW BELT TO RUN PUMP FROM LOCAL SUPPLIER £10, FILTER TO STOP DIRT ENTERING PUMP £5, PLUS A COUPLE OF POUNDS FOR SWITCH+RELAY, INSTALLED MYSELF, TOTAL COST APPROX £60, GARAGE COULD INSTALL IN APPROX 2HRS IF NEEDED. ON MONDAY INFLATED TYRE ON ARTIC TRL FROM FLAT TO 100 PSI IN 5 MINS

REGARDS
STEVE, STEVEPITT@JAPITT.CO.UK

Just back from three months in Sahara, grand Erg was just the job many times. In reality, takes a minimum of five minutes to get each tyre back to road pressure (37psi), and sometimes nearer ten. Perhaps, at 42C, the air is thinner!

Sam

about AIRCON units as air compresors.

You shouldnt oil the compressor !!.People using "oil drips" on AIRCON units are inflating their tyres with oil-wet air , which can absolutely disastrous for rubber//tyres in mid-term.

Rubber and Oil doesnt mix very well!

IMHO , the AIRCON unit should not be oiled at all (it is neither oiled whist standard (air conditioning) operation , is it?)


BTW: This is a good reason NOT to inflate tyres with air which is suspected to come from worn air conmpressors(== air compressors with worn piston rings). Worn air compresors "nebulize" an incredible ammount of oil in the air .This , which is indeed a serious problem for car re-spraying ,and a fatal risk for scuba divers , can also damage seriously your flashy new tyres in a matter of months. If possible , choose an "oil-less" air compressor . (which have not oil in the crankCase , hence having the piston rings made from teflon).
In serious cases , one should use an air-line-oil-separator (about 20 UKP) which is standard piece of hardware for car -respraying

Cheers.
Javier .

YES & NO !!!

The above explanation is completely true!
HOWEVER, when I was looking into this, it was suggested to install an air-oil seperator AFTER the compressor to remove the oil that was added to the air before the compressor. In that case you will have (more or less?) oil free air to inflate your tires.

I have not yet spoken to anybody who has actually done this but I believe this will work perfectly.

Regard, Jan.


p.s. I have finally bought an ARB compressor (originally made for air locks) but I have not tested it yet.

Hi Sam, I wonder if air is thinner at 42C (well, it is a bit, but that much...?), because if I put 10 mins of Grand Erg on a tyre, even if it was totally flat, tha car would look like a monster truck.
I would expect the tyre pressures to rise up to 20% over 'true' cold pressures, so readings may not have been accurate (but they would have been proportional, I guess).
I agree with what you said elsewhere about sand plates, too.

Chris S

Delighted to see the compressor forum is still going strong. I have just fitted a system to my Land Rover Carawagon. Son, Matt, (www.mattsavage.co.uk) has imported a couple from the States to try out and I've got the first. At the risk of this looking like a blatent ad here's the spec:
Max Pressure 150psi. Duty Cycles 20%. Flow Rat @ 100psi - 0.85cfm. 12 volt 240 watt motor with direct drive to compressor. Price under £200 including air line and guage
<sales@mattsavage.co.uk>

I have done two acurate tests on the unit. To inflate 1 x 7.50x16 from 1 bar to 2.5 bar took 3 minutes and to do all four tyres took 13.5 minutes. I have now plumbed the compressor in to an old fire extinguisher to act as a res., but this has proved to be a waste of effort. The straight compressor with pipes is enough. Matt's got one more in stock and following a wave of publicity soon will have more. Oh. and I've just melted my seventh Halfords one.