Basic Tire Pressure Inflation Question

Buy a gage--they're not too expensive. I keep a bicycle pump in the trunk. It's a perfect way to keep the tires at the right pressure. On average, it takes about 7 pumps/psi. MLD

Release how much. Yes, it will be very approximate without a gauge, With a gauge, you won't have to go in and out of your car.

Find a gas statopm with a better aor siupply, with a pressure gauge. For some, the pressure is regulated, others have a gauge built into the pump hose that you can read, just by letting go of the trigger.

Firnd a better station.. Hess stations still give air for free, at least the one around hear does.

Devise or find for sale, something that goes onto the gas station hose and regulates the output pressure, like the clanging pumps were regul;ated.

Buy a 12v tire pump that runs off the cigarrette lighter. Then if your'e parked for a week and your tires are low, you don't have to drive to a gas station. Get one with a built in gauge. (Calibrate the gauge against a separate tire gauge. )

Also a good idea, but how big are your tires? What make and model do you drive?

They have been known to blow a fuse and in the end could be more of a pain than it's worth.

Car and tire size not a significant factor. On average--Avalon (big tires) takes about 7 strokes per 1psi. Smaller tire (Honda) usually takes about 5 pumps per 1 psi. The bike pump comes in very handy to fine tune the tires when they are not all at the same pressure --2 to 3 psi kind of difference. In an emergency, it can be a life saver. I've pumped up a flat------good exercise MLD

Many years ago, some cars came from the factories with a built in tire pump and an air hose in the trunk.Have the engine running and in neutral gear, another little lever on the transmission engaged the pump and Presto! compressed air to air up the tires. cuhulin

If I can't find a nearby Hess station....

Thanks to all!! I'll buy the gauge. Just longing for the "good old days" to return (and not just when I pull in to the horribly named "service stations").

Thanks again.

People have been known to die from dinking too much water, but neither of the tire pumps I've had has ever blown a fuse. (One from Pep Boyss and one by Black and Decker) I left the first one, that I'd had for

10 years, running when I went inside once, let it run long after I should have turned it off, and it stripped a gear inside it, Plus blowing a fuse is not a crisiis.

Good to know. I'll put one in my trunk if I ever don't have an electric one.

Either one has the advantage that it will pump up the tires when you are 20 miles from a gas station, like if you've been camping without driving for a week. And they will pump up the tires right in your driveway.

They also used to sell, and one could make, a hose that went from the spare tire to a low tire. It could go from the other 3 tires to the low tire too. Wouldn't add air but would share the air that th tires already have.

They also used to sell a tire hose that screwed in in place of a sparkplug. but maybe t he gas vapor was bad for a tire, or even dangerous.

You're right Micheal. I wish aur were frree like it used to be. Now kids with bicycles have to have their own pump. They don't hang around the gas station and get to know the mechanic. (I otoh lived at least a mile from a gas stattion. Even in the middle of the city , I think most kids do.)

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Maybe this part of my reply wasn't seen. Sorry.

Heck, just buy an inexpensive tire pump and keep it in your vehicle, a good tire gage too. cuhulin

Easier said than done. You just reminded me, I need to add some air to my car's tires, last night they were a little lower than I like them but there's only one station around here that I know of that still has a functioning air hose (and it's a coin-op one too, natch.)

nate

On Nov 4, 4:49 pm, N8N wrote: than I like

_____________________ I strongly enourage folks to BOYCOTT gas stations that charge for air, even if they are the cheapest gas within a mile.

Air is FREE - it's part of the EARTH.

-ChrisCoaster

don't know about your state, but in my state, the service stations are legally required to give you free air and water - it's considered a road safety necessity. now, nobody has a machine without a coin box on it, and none of these stations have a big red sign advising you of the law, but in order to be compliant, behind the attendant's desk is a button that switches that stuff on. all you have to do is ask them to press it.

you're not paying for the air, you're paying for the compression.

but you're not even paying for the compression if you know what's up - see my reply to nate.

There are available aircompressors which are designed to be installed under the hood of vehicles.Some people who do off roading use them.I think they have a magnetic cluch on them, sort of like on auto airconditioner compressors.Just flip a switch and you have compressed air. cuhulin

____________________ Yeah, they'll use the old "wear n tear" excuse. Horse - you know what I mean! :) They need to just stop being so greedy.

-ChrisCoaster

..

____________________ That law should require them to remove the coin boxes as well. Passers by who don't know any better will drop coin unnecessarily!

-CC

I'm not sure that that's the case, but I couldn't find anything in Title

46.2 (that's the Virginia code regarding motor vehicles.) In any case, you're lucky if an attendant around here speaks English at more than a rudimentary level, and I doubt that they would even know how to turn the compressor on - I know for a fact that asking for a receipt when the pump is out of paper is universally futile.

nate

If you are handy, it shouldn't be hard to convert an A/C compressor for that duty. That's a lot of weight to lug around for something that you shouldn't need more often than every month or so, though. A/C delete brackets are popular among racers because the A/C is very heavy. (south of the Mason-Dixon line though that's really not a practical idea for an everyday car...)

nate

...

_____________________________

Welcome to America . . . It's not about what language you speak, it's about what you can do for me, and how little I can get away with paying you by the hour to do it.

Sorry for the bruise on your head.

Reality knocks hard!

-CC

There are several inexpensive 12 VDC powered compressors that will serve for most tires. Take care of them and they will last a long time. Previous post about possibility of blowing fuse in the cigarette lighter circuit is alarmist.. Yes, it COULD happen, but so what if it does? Carry another 10A (or whatever you need) fuse in your car for that eventuality.