Gas station air pumps (automatic type)
- Thread starter Joe1
- Start date
Yeah, air used to be free. Or least 25 cents. Or at the Mobil station if you were buying gas, they'd turn it on for free but they stopped that a long time ago. Oh well, at least they don't chuck you out the airlock if you can't afford the air.
+1 on the frustration of trying to air up at Wawa. Those things are wildly inaccurate and usually always full of moisture. Make sure to push the moisture out of the hose before attaching it to your tire. The wait lines are almost comical, especially in the mornings as temps start to get cooler with the change of seasons.
This is why I use a compressor at home whenever possible, and put an extra 3psi in each tire over what is on the placard during the season changes. Instead of the recommended 35psi cold, I run 38psi cold. This covers me for a 30 degree drop in temp (based on the rule of thumb that tire pressure will drop 1psi for every 10 degree drop in ambient temp). It is supposed to get up to 80 here today, but then down in to the mid 40's overnight by late week. I am all set, but there will be huge lines at most Wawas on Friday morning of drivers trying to shut off their TPMS lights.
This is why I use a compressor at home whenever possible, and put an extra 3psi in each tire over what is on the placard during the season changes. Instead of the recommended 35psi cold, I run 38psi cold. This covers me for a 30 degree drop in temp (based on the rule of thumb that tire pressure will drop 1psi for every 10 degree drop in ambient temp). It is supposed to get up to 80 here today, but then down in to the mid 40's overnight by late week. I am all set, but there will be huge lines at most Wawas on Friday morning of drivers trying to shut off their TPMS lights.
Centuries ago, during the Punic Wars, gas stations used to have the free air pump right there by the gas pumps. Seems to me I last saw a sample of that vanished breed in the mid-'90s.
I'm not about to pay $2.00 for air (usually the time you get for $1.00 is not enough to fill and check four tires). At Home Depot I picked up a portable compressor that plugs into the "lighter," and it works great.
Oh yeah, I remember those days. For $1, you have to take off the valve stem covers in advance and position the car so that you can hit all 4 tires in one shot otherwise it will shut off on you when you're on the last tire. With the price of air going up, one day it'll be $5 or $10 just for air. It's a little crazy now paying $1-$1.50 for air when it used to be free or just 25 cents. I remember being up in arms when they went to 50 cents. The free air gas stations have pretty much disappeared aside from BJs.
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- Jul 14, 2020
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I find the Wawa ones to be accurate within 1-2 psi. Either that or the Lexus TPMS system in both of our 2016s are identically inaccurate, which is highly unlikely. I wouldn't try them on the first cold AM though. Learned that lesson.
I don't trust the gas station types. They either don't work or I can't get enough pressure high enough to inflate the tire.
Also, I drive 50k miles a year with work. One time I was in a shady part of St. Louis and I literally had a drive by shooting happen right around the corner while I was trying to air up a tire. Gun shots and squealing tires really got my attention. So I bought a portable unit for every car we own with the exception of my Tundra, which I put a vehicle mounted unit in.
I like some of project farms tests...might help ya'll go in the right direction.
Also, I drive 50k miles a year with work. One time I was in a shady part of St. Louis and I literally had a drive by shooting happen right around the corner while I was trying to air up a tire. Gun shots and squealing tires really got my attention. So I bought a portable unit for every car we own with the exception of my Tundra, which I put a vehicle mounted unit in.
I like some of project farms tests...might help ya'll go in the right direction.