[Snooky]

Having had a hard time recently finding a petrol station air filler that works and hearing on here how important it is with the RFT'sto keep the pressure right I was thinking about getting an air compressor. I had one of the 'plug into the cigarette lighter'jobs a few years back but it was rubbish so I was thinking of a mains one so I could check my car and the miswahs from home.

Anyone got one that they would recommend?

Cheers

[SoYank]

If you're going for the mains powered type you'd do well to get one with the storage tank instead of just the pump. This way you'd have more versatility and could use it for other applications such as impact wrench for overtightening your lugbolts, nailgun for deflating your neighbors tyres, paintgun for roadrash touchups, etc.

[networkguy]

Auto Express did a group test on these a few months back and the one that came out top was the Halfords own brand digital rapid tyre inflator.

I picked one up for about £30 and it is very good and very accurate.

BUT

They have just launched a new version of it and I have no idea if this is as good or not.

The new one can be found at this link

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...tegoryrn_76861

But the good news is that you may well find the old version on clearance (it's bright orange) at a good price.

[scotw]

I have an older one of those, seems to work OK.

How often are people checking their RFT's? This is the first time I've had them, do they need a bit more attention than normal ones?

[vivekk]

Originally Posted by scotw

I have an older one of those, seems to work OK.

How often are people checking their RFT's? This is the first time I've had them, do they need a bit more attention than normal ones?

I couldn't be bothered, & ended up checking the pressures a few days before each UK Meet.
I now know better, & do it on the morning of each meet.

No, seriously, you should keep a regular eye on the air pressures- I now try to do it at least every 6-8 weeks.
'Visual' checks do NOT work, due to the side wall support provided in RFTs.

From my own experience, keeping them on the higher-side of 'normal' seems to work better than keeping them 'low'.

I also tried out a selection of the 12V air pumps.
Personal experience told me it was 'easier' to just carry 20p in the car all the time.

I'm now thinking of scrapping that idea, & just compiling a list of 'UK member Garages', if that's ok with Oli ?!

All the best.

Viv

[GarryF]

Anyone tried putting Nitrogen in yet? then no more leaks

[Z4 Beemer]

Your petrol station charges for using their air Viv ??

I tend to check about every 2 to 3 months when I fill up with petrol. BP don't charge for using their air, although I don't trust what their machine is telling me and have my own digital pressure gauge.

[vivekk]

Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer

Your petrol station charges for using their air Viv ??

I tend to check about every 2 to 3 months when I fill up with petrol. BP don't charge for using their air, although I don't trust what their machine is telling me and have my own digital pressure gauge.

Gordon, the only air pump that gives the same reading as my digital gauge, is the one that charges an extortionate 20p.

Viv

[red355]

I recently bought a Wolf Sioux 2.5 HP compressor for 99 quid.

Its will be used to spray the fence soon but its makes short work of topping up tyres.

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by GarryF

Anyone tried putting Nitrogen in yet? then no more leaks

Yep, I've got Nitrogen in my tyres; at least 78% of the air in my tyres.

By your assertion, if I inflate my tyres with regular atmospheric air as opposed to just Nitrogen, then only the non-Nitrogen molecules will leak out (obviously Nitrogen doesn't pass through the valve or sidewalls but other gasses do). So, if I inflate my tyres with air (78%/21%/1% mix), wait a month for the Oxygen and other gasses to leak out, reinflate, again with regular air, the concentration of Nitrogen in the tyre will have increased. Wait another month and repeat. After several months, then increase the pressure with air and wait for the non-Nitrogen to leak out. Once this is done I then have nearly 100% Nitrogen in my tyres at the appropriate psi. Then I guess I'll never have to reinflate my tyres unless I get a puncture.

Hmm, think I'll stick with regular, run-of-the-mill, atmospheric air. Seems simpler.

[scotw]

Originally Posted by red355

I recently bought a Wolf Sioux 2.5 HP compressor for 99 quid.

Its will be used to spray the fence soon but its makes short work of topping up tyres.

Thats a bit serious just to keep my tyres OK. Thanks for the advice chaps, I do check them every few months, so I should be OK.

[jjbirch]

dont think you can wrong with that kit for 99 quid i have a air compresser too, use it for everything even blowing dust off around the house

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by jjbirch

dont think you can wrong with that kit for 99 quid i have a air compresser too, use it for everything even blowing dust off around the house

Hope you're not asthmatic.

[jjbirch]

lol just when i drill holes and stuff

[Snooky]

Thanks for the advice folks

[SDRX]

Originally Posted by SoYank

Hope you're not asthmatic.

[waybar17]

I've got my car running with 100% Nitrogen in the tyres. To be honest, you can't feel much difference. Driving it out, it felt 'slighty' tighter, but nothing to get excited about.

It's supposed to increase performance and MPG, because Nitrogen doesn't expand and contract with temperature as much as oxygen, so you get the correct pressure when the tyres are hot or cold.

The place where I had it done sucked all the air out and replaced with 100% Nitrogen.

[GarryF]

Originally Posted by waybar17

I've got my car running with 100% Nitrogen in the tyres. To be honest, you can't feel much difference. Driving it out, it felt 'slighty' tighter, but nothing to get excited about.

It's supposed to increase performance and MPG, because Nitrogen doesn't expand and contract with temperature as much as oxygen, so you get the correct pressure when the tyres are hot or cold.

The place where I had it done sucked all the air out and replaced with 100% Nitrogen.

Yeah, someone told me costco are doing it, your supposed to get less pressure loss too

[waybar17]

Exactly - Costco.

[red-max]

I've got a 12V compressor with built-in digital pressure gauge, something like this. It certainly beats the old-fashioned footpump, or driving round all the local garages trying to find one with a working air line. Lots of them about for less than £30 (Google for "car tyre pump") - the cheapest I saw was in Maplins for about six quid(!)

[beemerbird]

Originally Posted by scotw

I have an older one of those, seems to work OK.

How often are people checking their RFT's? This is the first time I've had them, do they need a bit more attention than normal ones?

Scot, I've found on both beemers I've owned that until the RFT's have a few thousand miles on them, they tend to loose a small amount of pressure initially especially under hard cornering. You can't tell by looking a them either because of the side walls, but you can feel a difference via feedback through the steering wheel.

Back O/T - Machine Mart do a range of good quality compressors ie. Clarke.

[networkguy]

The ONLY reason for running nitrogen in tyres is that it is less prone to temp change.

Normal air takes up more volume when warm and less when cold. Basic physic!

Nitrogen does not expend so much in the heat and does not shrink as much in the cold which means your tyres are actually at the right pressure more of the time.

Nitrogen leaks just as much as normal air.