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Can you actually inflate with tires on the ground? Any pump will work with no weight on the tire but if you want to inflate with the weight of the vehicle on the tire, a hand pump sounds hard to me.
Again, the OP knew it would not be easy. They asked if it was POSSIBLE. It is.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gimme3steps
That doesn't make any sense. That's like saying you can carry an empty air tank, but it's too heavy if it has 150 lbs of air in it.
What I mean is if the weight of the car is on the tire. You are not only inflating the tire but raising the car too. Like sitting on a balloon while somebody tries to blow it up. Hard to do.
Used to be you could fill up free at gas stations but now they have that thing that wants a dollar for air.
I still chuckle when I see "FREE AIR" signs at gas stations. It just doesn't sound right!
I guess I can see charging for air....so few gas stations do repairs anymore. They have to install a compressor that they wouldn't otherwise need, pay for the juice to run it, and deal with the inevitable vandalism to the air hose, etc.
I doubt they make much, if any money selling air...
Probably a stupid question. Too cheap to pay 50c for a gas station pump with a bad valve and a broken gauge, can I use my bike pump?
It's the same standard valve, right?
The PSI values are lower than a bike tire (35 PSI for most car tires, 80 for my bike).
Is there any reason a bike pump wouldn't work on a car tire? Obviously the volume of air is higher, so you'll be pumping for a long time, but other than that, is there any reason a bike hand pump can't be used on a car tire?
As long as the pump is made for shrader valves (the type seen on cars) and not presta valves (the type seen on most road bikes) then there's no reason why you couldn't use your bike pump. It might take you a couple weeks, but you could do it.
Used to be you could fill up free at gas stations but now they have that thing that wants a dollar for air.
Not all gas stations charge for air but a bulk of them do. We have two nearby that don't charge, neither one of them has a garage either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by car54
I still chuckle when I see "FREE AIR" signs at gas stations. It just doesn't sound right!
I guess I can see charging for air....so few gas stations do repairs anymore. They have to install a compressor that they wouldn't otherwise need, pay for the juice to run it, and deal with the inevitable vandalism to the air hose, etc.
I doubt they make much, if any money selling air...
They probably "don't" BUT I think they do it "because they can" type of deal. I've even heard some stations charge for water too for the radiator but that's hearsay as I've not seen it myself.
Heck at one time didn't gas stations charge you to use the toilet?
After reading this thread I decided to try topping off the tires to my Nissan Sentra with a cheap stand-up style bicycle pump. On average it took about 50 or so pumps to raise the pressure about 10 PSI, so assuming a leisurely pump rate of 1 pump every 2 seconds, it will take around two minutes a tire, or less than 10 minutes to pump up all of you tires. Even though I don't live that far from a gas station, it still seems quicker to use a bicycle pump.
Of course. That's the miracle of pneumatics. It will just take a while.
Let me recommend that a very adequate air compressor can be had for $59 from Harbor Freight and it will serve other uses as well such as blowing off work benches with compressed air, run pneumatic tools (briefly), etc. I cannot imagine trying to do without my pneumatic stapler and brad nailer.
And, the next level is a 10lb CO2 tank with a 150psi fixed pressure regulator. Will inflate dozen tires.
Last edited by Wilson513; 09-12-2010 at 09:21 AM..
Of course. That's the miracle of pneumatics. It will just take a while.
Let me recommend that a very adequate air compressor can be had for $59 from Harbor Freight and it will serve other uses as well such as blowing off work benches with compressed air, run pneumatic tools (briefly), etc. I cannot imagine trying to do without my pneumatic stapler and brad nailer.
And, the next level is a 10lb CO2 tank with a 150psi fixed pressure regulator. Will inflate dozen tires.
I got the really cheap one at Harbor Freight (under $10) and it works okay. I keep it in the car for when I don't want to use the bicycle pump. I do use a bicycle pump if the tire only needs a few pounds. My Aura has a slow leak (105K on the tire and probably a bent rim) and I have to put in some air a once a week or so and the bicycle pump works okay, 50-80 pumps does the trick.
Someone I know with a Camaro with the chrome wheels known for not holding air gets a Craftsman compressor for about $30; it has a one year warranty and lasts almost exactly one year with almost daily usage, so back it goes every year for a free replacement.
I got the really cheap one at Harbor Freight (under $10) and it works okay. I keep it in the car for when I don't want to use the bicycle pump. I do use a bicycle pump if the tire only needs a few pounds. My Aura has a slow leak (105K on the tire and probably a bent rim) and I have to put in some air a once a week or so and the bicycle pump works okay, 50-80 pumps does the trick.
Someone I know with a Camaro with the chrome wheels known for not holding air gets a Craftsman compressor for about $30; it has a one year warranty and lasts almost exactly one year with almost daily usage, so back it goes every year for a free replacement.
There are a lot of alternatives. You can get a little compressor that plugs into the cigarette lighter. You can get an air tank that you fill up at a gas station. There are little CO2 cylinders like you would use for a paintball gun (although it takes a couple of cylinders to fill up a tire. You can get a 110V compressor like I suggested above from Harbor Freight. Or, you can get a foot operated bicycle type pump.
I have a lot of the above for use in my off road activities.
On those wheels, you can de-beadthe tire and clean the bead off with a little emery paper without removing the tire and then rebead it. But you will need a compressor to fix it. Or, it its not a really valuable tire, get an aerosol "fix a flat" and use that. Get two cans and use one and keep the other for next time. After you put a coupleof those in there, it will seal up the leak.
Probably a stupid question. Too cheap to pay 50c for a gas station pump with a bad valve and a broken gauge, can I use my bike pump?
It's the same standard valve, right?
The PSI values are lower than a bike tire (35 PSI for most car tires, 80 for my bike).
Is there any reason a bike pump wouldn't work on a car tire? Obviously the volume of air is higher, so you'll be pumping for a long time, but other than that, is there any reason a bike hand pump can't be used on a car tire?
It works, I have done it in emergencies before. As the others say, it takes a long time and lots of pumps. I know what you mean about the gas station air stations. Half the time some tool stole the chuck or damaged it but running over it or something and you end up getting ripped off because it will take your money but you don't notice it is busted until it's too late! I have a big 240V 2-stage 80 gallon in my workshop that runs anything. Unless you are running DAs and other airhawg tools like a blast cabinet you won't need one like mine. Even mine works quite a bit when I use my blast cabinet. Anything less than the 240V models is lack luster at best for that kind of purpose. You would be tickled to wrap your hands around a small 120V model that will run most common things. A impact wrench, tire inflation and staple/nail guns are what most people use these for.
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I have a big 240V 2-stage 80 gallon in my workshop that runs anything. Unless you are running DAs and other airhawg tools like a blast cabinet you won't need one like mine. Even mine works quite a bit when I use my blast cabinet. Anything less than the 240V models is lack luster at best for that kind of purpose. You would be tickled to wrap your hands around a small 120V model that will run most common things. A impact wrench, tire inflation and staple/nail guns are what most people use these for.
