Best tire inflator?

Topic: Best tire inflator? (Read 1186 times) previous topic - next topic

Best tire inflator?

January 22, 2016, 02:25:40 pm

Like to upgrade my old gauge. A search showed Roger liking http://www.campbellhausfeld mp6000 Anyone find anything different/better? Thanks, M

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #1 – January 22, 2016, 02:37:10 pm

Look for Milton brand, especially the higher end items

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #2 – January 22, 2016, 03:11:14 pm

Thanks, Tim. Looks like nice gear! Question: do I need to buy the adapter kit to hook-into our coach air & gas stations, etc. ? I'm looking at the Milton S-516. Thanks, M

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #3 – January 22, 2016, 03:46:17 pm

I use this combo - works great for all my inflation chores. The "Straight Back/Straight Forward" chuck is perfect for inflating the rear duals.

POWERTANK - CO2 Air Systems

POWERTANK - CO2 Air Systems

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #4 – January 22, 2016, 04:52:19 pm

Yeah, I use the Milton stuff in our auto care stores, we have common male fittings on all tools and female on all hoses

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #5 – January 22, 2016, 05:45:32 pm

Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie – January 22, 2016, 03:46:17 pm

I use this combo - works great for all my inflation chores. The "Straight Back/Straight Forward" chuck is perfect for inflating the rear duals.

POWERTANK - CO2 Air Systems

POWERTANK - CO2 Air Systems

Bought a second one for the garage. Really top quality stuff

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #6 – January 22, 2016, 06:54:56 pm

Agree with Chuck & cashflashbob. The PowerTank stuff is stupid expensive but you get what you pay for. Not familiar with Milton.

see ya
ken

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #7 – January 22, 2016, 08:27:18 pm

I use the Milton S516. It is a combination filler/gauge. Put the gauge on the Schrader style stem to read the pressure. Pressure the lever to inflate. Release the lever to measure. Repeat until desired pressure it achieved. I use it for motorhome, cars, motorcycles, tractor, etc. I use a manual pump for bicycles.

I always use compressed air from the coach to inflate tires on the coach. The air has been processed through the dryer and is less likely to cause corrosion inside a tire as compared to untreated air. (And it is ~80% nitrogen.

.) The connecter at the "Schrader valve end" of the S516 only allows air flow when the center pin is depressed. With some careful manipulation, I can use the S516 to bleed the pressure in the coach's system far enough to turn on the air compressor. When I hear the dryer purge, I know the pressure will be at maximum and I can inflate the tires to my usual choice of 105 psi.

Some folk install a "dump valve" in the air fill line in order to "play the compressor games" when filling tires on a coach. The "cut in" pressure on the D2 regulator is often lower than the desired pressure for tires. The "cut out" pressure is usually high enough to properly inflate the tires. Listening to the engine, compressor, and dryer, a astute "air installation specialist" can pick the ideal time add air to the tires.

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #8 – January 22, 2016, 09:37:13 pm

Agree, I have the 15 lb Power Tank, only filled it once, $15.00 to fill, Pricey, but so sweet when you need it. Also works air power tools, impacts, ratchets, air/hydraulic jacks. Once you get one, you will never sell it.
mho

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #9 – January 22, 2016, 10:17:29 pm

I have a couple of these 20oz CO2 tanks that are used in Paintball guns.

Amazon.com : Empire 20oz CO2 Tank : Paintball Tanks : Sports & Outdoors

Enough CO2 to push several hundred nails from a nail gun. Costs about $3 to fill.

This air filler was less than $20. Lot cheaper than more than $100.

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #10 – January 23, 2016, 09:25:57 am

Roger, I like your set up. What fitting etc did you use to "tie" it all together? Where did you get the gauge assembly?

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #11 – January 23, 2016, 10:29:07 am

I changed my D2 valve to the 110-130 rated one. Better brakes and the minimum pressure fills my tires at 90/100 fine.

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #12 – January 23, 2016, 12:06:10 pm

Quote from: Caflashbob – January 23, 2016, 10:29:07 am

I changed my D2 valve to the 110-130 rated one. Better brakes and the minimum pressure fills my tires at 90/100 fine.

That is what most of the coaches come with and have since my 99 at least. I carry a spare too.

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #13 – January 23, 2016, 12:31:10 pm

You can get a kit at Lowes and other places that includes the bottle, a regulator, a coiled air hose and a holster. The holster is made of neoprene for insulation. When you start using the CO2 the bottles get very cold. I have a couple spare 20 oz bottles. The fittings are normal air fittings. A 20 oz bottle of air will shoot 1500 1" nails. Regulator is adjustable up to 120 psi. These are really nice when you are working somewhere that a compressor is not handy or you just don't want to get one out. I can get the bottles refilled at my local hardware store. I don't think this sized bottle would do much for the coach tires but probably would work for a car tire or easily a bicycle tire.

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #14 – January 23, 2016, 12:56:06 pm

I too have the Power Tank. Love it. Quality stuff. Pricey but you get what you pay for.

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #15 – January 23, 2016, 02:23:46 pm

Quote from: John S – January 23, 2016, 12:06:10 pm

That is what most of the coaches come with and have since my 99 at least. I carry a spare too.

My 97 was 90/105 if memory serves

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #16 – January 23, 2016, 02:28:57 pm

I have been sitting here with my computer on my lap for about 1/2 hour thinking about if I should reply to this post.

As a newbie member that does not even own a Foretravel, I decided during all the problems with attacks on the forum and such, that I would just view posts and not open my mouth until I was a bit closer to being an owner.

But as a professional mechanic, I feel that I must say something.

TIRES ARE DANGEROUS!!!!!

Each one is a rubber coated stick of dynamite waiting to blow up.

If you are going to top up your tire pressure, get something like this
Truck Tire Inflator Gage 10-160 PSI - Heavy Duty - Gages | Miltonindustries.com
It has a 5 foot hose on it and locking couplings so that you can get yourself out of the danger zone
NEVER, EVER, EVER stand right in front of a tire while inflating. Attach the proper inflation tool and stand out of the way.

Topping up a couple of PSI is not a big deal, but if you have a tire that has been run low, that is where the problem happens.
I'm Canadian, we might have different regulations than you do. Basically in a nutshell, any tire that has been run below 80% of it's proper inflation, needs to go to a tire shop and be inspected. The tire technician will take the tire apart, inspect it and if finding nothing wrong, will place it in a special tire inflation cage and over inflate it to a specified amount and time it for a specified period of time. If the tire is going to fail right away, it will blow up in a contained manner.

I have been around tires that have blown up. You do not want to be there. I have hearing loss in one ear from a pick up tire that blew the side wall out as I was walking past. One of my coworkers has lost the use of his arm from a tire that blew up as he was filling in, and another fellow I know has his face disfigure from the blast of a tire.
I worked at a mine that had a tire blow on one of the haul trucks. The inner tire exploded and blew the outer tire and rim over 300 yards from the truck.

I have noticed in my readings, that most people are tire aware. To avoid a blow out while driving, they are checking the tire pressure and installing new tires as they age out. Just go one step further with your tire maintenance and stay out of the way. If you have any doubts, stop at a tire shop that deals in truck tires and ask them the proper way. Keep yourself safe.

And about a Bendix Westinghouse type D-2 air governor. A D2 is built so that it has a cut in/cut out difference of 20 PSI, they are adjustable and when installed will quite often need to be adjusted to the proper spec for the vehicle. If you are going to the parts store and being sold a new and improved D-2 that is set for 130 PSI, chances are you just paid for the same thing. And if you really need 130 PSI to stop, you have some other issues going on that need to be looked at.

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #17 – January 23, 2016, 02:53:07 pm

My D2 was original and oil soaked and would intermittently not re-engage at the low set point and continue to drop until the spring safety chambers locked up the rear axle brakes .

The meritor disk brakes are cold blooded by nature as they were designed for much heavier equipement than ours.

Higher initial application pressure definitely helps the initial braking. Especially if you have turned off the trans retarder both to warm up the disks during a drive and to lessen the hard retarder slow down at low speeds at which the rotor speed is lower and the baking effect lessened.

Someone posted a chart here showing the different D2 rates available a while ago and what use they were intended for.

S-cam drum brakes are somewhat self energizing from the primary/secondary shoes effect as far as I knew.

The disks are not and require higher air pressure to work safer IMO.

Probably why the original U300 1988 unihome had a std retarder. The brakes being cold blooded and if memory serves me had a lower pressure D2 valve.

My two cents.

Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 16, 2025 ...

Best tire inflator?

January 22, 2016, 02:25:40 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #1 – January 22, 2016, 02:37:10 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #2 – January 22, 2016, 03:11:14 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #3 – January 22, 2016, 03:46:17 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #4 – January 22, 2016, 04:52:19 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #5 – January 22, 2016, 05:45:32 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #6 – January 22, 2016, 06:54:56 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #7 – January 22, 2016, 08:27:18 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #8 – January 22, 2016, 09:37:13 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #9 – January 22, 2016, 10:17:29 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #10 – January 23, 2016, 09:25:57 am

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #11 – January 23, 2016, 10:29:07 am

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #12 – January 23, 2016, 12:06:10 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #13 – January 23, 2016, 12:31:10 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #14 – January 23, 2016, 12:56:06 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #15 – January 23, 2016, 02:23:46 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #16 – January 23, 2016, 02:28:57 pm

Re: Best tire inflator?

Reply #17 – January 23, 2016, 02:53:07 pm

Affiliate Notice