Compressor For Tires Etc

[Edward Buker]

Richard,
Bleeding off 40lbs overnight is not really an issue when it comes to using this compressor. If we assume 8hrs that is 5lbs an hour of leakage from a small resevoir 1 gallon tank. It would be great if that number was zero but in a practical sense all compressors have a leak down rate and 5lbs an hour in my mind is tolerable. I have not checked mine, it seemed to hold pressure fine.

Later Ed

[Richard Cooper]

Joel -- the $20 discount appears when you put the item in your shopping cart at Amazon.  I know it's crazy they don't say anything about the $20 on the listing.

Try this link:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00519EUCE/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

I bought it last night and it's delivering tomorrow.  I have prime shipping.  My price is exactly what I quoted above.

[Edward Buker]

Just out of curiosity I checked my new P.C. compressor for leak down rate, with no hose attached just the bare compressor, and it was 5lbs in 5 hours going from 135lbs down to 130lbs. Very good..

Later Ed

[Keith Oliver]

?  I don't see the problem you guys, and the "RV Geeks" have getting higher pressure into your tires.  I tried moving one of my tires up 5 lbs to match the others, using the air chuck from the coach air supply.  Easy as pie.
First thing you need to do is to get the compressor to kick in.  You do that by holding the tire inflator valve open.  This is easily done by holding a screwdriver to it, and this lets air out of the coach's tank until the compressor kicks in.  Then you put it onto the tire valve and keep it there until either you feel like getting a measurement, or the compressor kicks off, indicating you have reached the upper limit cutout.
Easier still if you have an in-line guage ($10) but you certainly don't need to make up a system like the RVGeeks made.
For all the times you might not want to run your noisy diesel just to get air, an outside compressor works just the same.  You still need to let air out until it kicks in, then put the air to the tire valve, otherwise nothing happens.  I have a Canadian Tire Mastercraft brand compressor with a 2 gal tank, which I will use at home, so as to avoid unnecessary engine noise.

[Dick Simonis]

One wouldn't think that there is much of a need to adjust tire pressures.  I find it necessary twice a year......once when we leave AZ (drop the pressure) and again when we get to ID/OR to raise it back up compensating for the large ambient temp change.  Even than it's only about 3-5 psig.

[David T. Richelderfer]

I have found my tires' pressures increase 8 to 10 psi after an hour of travelling at hiway speeds.  At least that is what the TPMS is telling me.  Is this everyone's experience?

The dealer advised me to put my tires' cold pressures at 120 psi on the steering axle, 90 psi on the duel axle, and 80 psi on the tags.  The problem with the 120 psi on the steering axle is that after that hour of travelling the TPMS is reporting their pressures are near 130... while the maximum pressure, as labeled on the tires, is 123 psi.  The guys at Les Schwab's advised me to fill the steering axle at 115 psi cold so that they would not violate the 123 psi maximum rating by much, if at all.  My coach has Michelin X-Coach tires, if that makes a difference.

Any comments?

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

David,
Suggest you set cold pressure per Michelin's recommended pressures based on coach weight at each axle corner. See;
http://www.michelinrvtires.com/michelinrv/tires-retreads/load-inflation-tables.jsp
The recommended pressures should also keep you below the max rating even in high temp environments.
Steve

[Gerald Farris]

David,
The maximum inflation that Michelin list is the maximum cold inflation, not hot inflation. Tires should always be checked for proper pressure when cold and air should not be let out after they heat-up. The word cold can be used several different ways, however cold tire inflation is normally interpreted as morning pressure with the vehicle driven less than a mile (preferable not driven at all) at an ambient temperature of between 65 and 70 degrees F (some publications specify 68 degrees F).

All tires gain pressure with heat and a 10% rise while driving is considered to be normal and of no concern. I run 120PSI cold, and I often see 130PSI on my TPMS when traveling at highway speed on a hot day.

Gerald    

[David T. Richelderfer]

Thank you.  There lies the answer.  The maximum PSI listed on the tire is cold pressure, not hot pressure.  I noticed after letting Les Schwab's reduce the cold pressure to 115 psi from 120 psi that the hot pressure increased to nearly the same level as before, that being about 128 psi.  Obviously, at 115 psi there was more friction/flexing being allowed in/on the tire.  And more friction/flexing translates into a loss of mpg.  Before I take my next trip after Winter storage I will have those tire pressures put back to 120 steering/90 duels/80 tags as the dealer suggested.  Thank you again...  this tire pressure issue has been bothering me.

[Joel Weiss]

If you use the air hose and coupler there is an essential trick.  The issue is that the engine driven compressor will not kick in until pressure drops below what we want in our tires.  If you don't do it right, you can actually let air out of the tires!

There's no need to have a helper pumping the air brakes if you use a device like this:  http://www.amazon.com/Neiko-30227-Air-Inflator-Gauge/dp/B0046086MY/ref=sr_1_37?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1354991950&sr=1-37

I use this all the time for inflating tires because I can get a much more accurate pressure reading with it.  If I am using the engine's compressor and the pressure falls below the needed tire pressure, I just remove the chuck from the tire and press the trigger.  The resulting release of air will restart the compressor in a matter of seconds.

[Bill Sprague]

There's no need to have a helper pumping the air brakes if you use a device like this:  http://www.amazon.com/Neiko-30227-Air-Inflator-Gauge/dp/B0046086MY/ref=sr_1_37?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1354991950&sr=1-37

I use this all the time for inflating tires because I can get a much more accurate pressure reading with it.  If I am using the engine's compressor and the pressure falls below the needed tire pressure, I just remove the chuck from the tire and press the trigger.  The resulting release of air will restart the compressor in a matter of seconds.

I have one of those!  It came with an old Campbell Huasfeld compressor I have at the condo.  I think I will move it to the motorhome.

[Tim Bentley Co-Admin]

I have used a compressor like this one for years.  It takes a minute or two to build up to the 120lbs. I carry in my front tires, but does the job.  

Here is the BAC Amazon Link

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006CVXGR0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B006CVXGR0&linkCode=as2&tag=beavambaclub-20

[Lloyd Hall]

Thanks to this forum thread I purchased the PC compressor and just used it. I am very happy with it's performance. It works great.

Lloyd Hall

[David T. Richelderfer]

I ordered the Porter Cable unit at CPO Bosch.  It fills the one gallon tank to 135 psi in a minute, more or less... and that is just fine for my needs.  I went by Les Schwab's to get an inflator chuck that has no clip but snaps onto the tire's valve stem...  like they use in their truck shops.  You can snap it on the valve stem and walk away while the tire fills... and it snaps off when you pull it off - about $8.50 including the nipple that fits into the Quick Connect on the hose.  The Porter Cable unit has an adjustable pressure regulator built-in so why spend $25 to $40 for an inflator chuck with a pressure gauge?  I have several little pressure gauges located in strategic places anyways - one in the pickup, one in each car, one in each golf cart, etc.  Each golf cart, you ask?  Yes, I have three.  I played at Canyon Lakes today in Kennewick, WA... in a light snow.  lol

Next year I hope to be playing Winter golf in a warmer place... if you get my drift.

[Joel Ashley]

Thanks for the clue, David.   I was wondering where to get one of those twist lock extension chucks locally;  will check out Les' Clackamas store.

Joel