Manual tire pump recommendation?

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Ed_Flecko

Ed_Flecko

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I don't mind inflating my tires by hand, so I'm looking to buy a manual tire pump.

Are they all the same or are there some brand(s) that are worth a few bucks more?

Also, there's probably some sort of attachment I need to keep the hose attached to the valve stem while I'm inflating the tire, isn't there?

Suggestions?

Thank you,
Ed
 
Seems like Joe Blow pumps are very common among bicyclists, I have one and it works well and seems durable. On mine, one side is for a standard valve and the other is for a Presta valve with the little screw out doohickey...you wouldn't care about the latter. There will be a lever on the valve stem interface to keep the pump engaged.

But, I suspect it will take you a LONG time to pump up a car or truck tire with a hand pump! Even pumping up a mountain bike tire from near flat by hand takes me a while.
Or is there something auto specific available that I don't know about??
 
I agree with Fsharp. Seriously, I have tried using various bicycle pumps on a car, and you will die of old age before you get any car tire filled. But if you have to do it, you want to use a foot pump, if you can find one.
037049955633.jpg


These are OK for topping off tires, but if you are plugging a flat, see above comment.
 
Is your use case also for emergencies and keep in the car? And perhaps blow up inflatables at the lake/river?
Or is it keep at home and also use it as a starting point for air tools?

If it is the former,
I would suggest either a jumpstarter that has a built air compressor (although likely the compressor feature is cheaply made).

Or you can get a standalone more robust unit that can run off of 12V. I suggest viaair offerings.
 
Originally Posted By: raytseng
Is your use case also for emergencies and keep in the car? And perhaps blow up inflatables at the lake/river?
Or is it keep at home and also use it as a starting point for air tools?

If it is the former,
I would suggest either a jumpstarter that has a built air compressor (although likely the compressor feature is cheaply made).

Or you can get a standalone more robust unit that can run off of 12V. I suggest viaair offerings.


My go-to for in-car portable air is one of these, which I fill off my home compressor, then keep strapped down in my trunk. Has come in extremely handy on more than one occasion.

307vtw1.jpg
 
This one actually looks like not-junk.

I had a foot pump of my dads for bike tires. I, being 15 and in good shape,
busted it by pumping it 90 cyles a minute until it mis-cocked itself and I stomped it into a pile of twisted metal.

Since 12v inflators are ubiquitous I have to imagine the foot pumps being 3rd world junk unless it's a 50-year old design like perhaps the below item.

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/86072/halfords-686646


Halfords 686646

 
Originally Posted By: SirTanon
Originally Posted By: raytseng
Is your use case also for emergencies and keep in the car? And perhaps blow up inflatables at the lake/river?
Or is it keep at home and also use it as a starting point for air tools?

If it is the former,
I would suggest either a jumpstarter that has a built air compressor (although likely the compressor feature is cheaply made).

Or you can get a standalone more robust unit that can run off of 12V. I suggest viaair offerings.


My go-to for in-car portable air is one of these, which I fill off my home compressor, then keep strapped down in my trunk. Has come in extremely handy on more than one occasion.

307vtw1.jpg



Agree on the air tank. Will fill a truck tire to 45 psi easily.
 
O.K., you've convinced me that a hand or foot pump isn't worth it, since a good one with cost as much, if not more than an inexpensive pump.

I'd like to stay below $50 and I see Amazon has the Viair 87P Portable Compressor Kit - https://www.amazon.com/Viair-00087-87P-P...+air+compressor and WalMart has the ABN Portable Air Compressor - https://www.walmart.com/ip/ABN-12V-350W-...lator/125653278

To me, the ABN looks to be a better compressor, but I don't see any reviews so I'm not sure about its quality.

Thoughts?

Ed
 
I'd just go viaair, everything is made in China so the better or worse is a roll of the dice so you want Amazon and a better return policy to help you.

The reviews and my own experience do say to use a separate pressure gauge though, the built-in one often will give you off readings if it got a loose connection or the orientation of the connector.

I just have a $2 gas station pencil gauge I throw in to the bag. Its easiest to go a little overfull then let some out with the pencil gauge until you hit the mark.
 
fyi viair makes a lot of air related stuff including suspension kits. (e.g. low rider bouncing cars) so they do know a lot about air and compressing air and that's all they do.
you should buy with confidence.
The other company I've never heard of before
 
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I can't recommend a good affordable manual pump. I settled on a cheap sears/kmart hand pump, the hand pumps seem more reliable than the junk foot pumps. I've had to fix the hose once so far, as the heat killed it. I mostly use it for top-offs, letting the pump cool down some between tires.
I have a junk electric pump as well, kept in the trunk for emergencies - I hate the noise they make. I can top-off tires at midnight without waking up my neighbors; after the (back) exercise you really appreciate getting in your bed.
I chose the manual pump for nostalgia ...
 
I got a Serfas hand pump, cheap from Sierra Trading Post, for bike tires. I tried it on the car or truck one day, to avoid unpacking my 12-volt Campbell Hausfield emergency compressor and having it rattle on forever to add a few pounds. The hand pump is actually a lot faster for topping up a tire. Mostly I'll use it to go from 32 or 33 up to 35 psi, but it had no problem filling a leaky tire that was down to 25 psi overnight.

I haven't tried to fill a flat with the hand pump, and who knows how long it will last, but it is more convenient than the electric compressor.
 
I use a trad hand bicycle pump from Decathlon (a French company with a presence in Taiwan)for top-off.

big_aad70e458234469297bde8cbfa76bd01.jpg


I've had bigger stirrup pump styles (used here mostly for scooters). The one that came in my Lada's tool kit was quite good but here the lever-compression valve connector is a weak point.

The Decathlon screws on to make a secure connection. I've destroyed a few cheapo 12V electric compressors and wouldn't bother with another one.

Takes about 150 strokes for 5 psi. Full inflation probably impractical but I've never tried it. Life might actually be too short.

I was going to try an old propane cylinder that was lying around as an air cylinder but someone else has snagged it, probably for scrap.

EDIT: If you can snag a discarded fridge the compressor might work OK as a tyre pump. ENDEDIT
 
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I just use a $25 bicycle floor pump for my top ups. They have a gauge built in which is usually consistent if off by a couple lbs. If you've got 44" mudders on, it will take a while, but for normal tires its about 5-10 pumps per psi. Plus I think its actually faster than a cheap 12v pump. Those just melt themselves in into a noisy mess if you try to get anything above 32psi. Also if you trailer once in a while, a 12v pump won't reach those.
I put a couple drops of motor oil into them once a while and live happily in the trunk for a decade or two, plus you get a minor workout if you've let your tires get way under pressure.
 
Originally Posted By: Rhymingmechanic
I got a Serfas hand pump, cheap from Sierra Trading Post, for bike tires. I tried it on the car or truck one day, to avoid unpacking my 12-volt Campbell Hausfield emergency compressor and having it rattle on forever to add a few pounds. The hand pump is actually a lot faster for topping up a tire. Mostly I'll use it to go from 32 or 33 up to 35 psi, but it had no problem filling a leaky tire that was down to 25 psi overnight.

I haven't tried to fill a flat with the hand pump, and who knows how long it will last, but it is more convenient than the electric compressor.


I should clarify that I'm saying "hand pump" for what Indylan describes--the kind with a t-handle you pull up and pump down while standing on the base of the pump. I don't mean the kind in Ducked's photo.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
This one actually looks like not-junk.

I had a foot pump of my dads for bike tires. I, being 15 and in good shape,
busted it by pumping it 90 cyles a minute until it mis-cocked itself and I stomped it into a pile of twisted metal.


I broke my foot pump in a similar manner. Had no idea that one could even buy a new foot pump until I researched it for my post.
 
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