Everyone has a cordless inflator?
tire inflators at all the gas stations are closed down?
- Thread starter The motor guy
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I just got this one. Feels solid and faster than my Ryobi. But the Ryobi had two sides. One for tires and one for beach toys. The Milwaukee is designed for tires.
Nope
I gave up on gas station tire inflators years ago, they were always a charge item (if working) in NYC
Costco being the exception, they have free air
I graduated to the M12 (later M18) inflator, I don't miss the inaccurate tire gauge and broken chucks at the station
Costco being the exception, they have free air
I graduated to the M12 (later M18) inflator, I don't miss the inaccurate tire gauge and broken chucks at the station
I always hated throwing a bunch of quarters in them, only to find out they're broken.I gave up on gas station tire inflators years ago, they were always a charge item (if working) in NYC
These stations don't want to maintain this equipment anymore, so they just let it go till it breaks, and don't fix it. They're actually being kind of courteous if you think about it. At least they're giving you fair warning.
The last time I tried to use one, I put money in, and while the compressor started running, no pressurized air came out....but about 5 psi of my air went into their failed compressor.
That was probably the same day I went to Lowe's and got my own compressor. You should think about doing the same thing, and just forget about looking for air out in the wild.
The last time I tried to use one, I put money in, and while the compressor started running, no pressurized air came out....but about 5 psi of my air went into their failed compressor.
That was probably the same day I went to Lowe's and got my own compressor. You should think about doing the same thing, and just forget about looking for air out in the wild.
The beach areas that let 4x4 vehicles drive on the beach have free air.
I tend to choose the option of fixing the tire.........unless it is every vehicle I have with aluminum wheels that always have corrosion where the bead seats. All three have at least one wheel that leaks from the bead. My blazer with steel wheels are still all the way up after sitting for 7 years.
The pumps at the gas stations are perpetually in use around here.
My wife gets leaky tires all the time. I can't find my M18 pump half the time because she steals it.
The pumps at the gas stations are perpetually in use around here.
My wife gets leaky tires all the time. I can't find my M18 pump half the time because she steals it.
I don't think I've seen a free air pump at a gas Station in Colorado for ten years or so. I used to be that every gas station had free air.
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I'm not sure where everyone has gotten the idea that they're free. They charge like $2.00 and the thing runs for like 3 minutes. It's like a car wash. Then if you have big truck tires like me, you're going to be out like 8 bucks by the time this thing fill them all if they're all low. lol
They're not now but many years ago at many of the gas stations around me advertised free air.
Patman
Staff member
I have one called the Airhawk that I keep with me at all times in case of emergency. It works really well too, inflates much faster than those cigarette lighter ones
It's getting harder than ever to find air on the road if you need it.Since the the proper tire inflation is such a serious safety issue,this is a good discussion. I bought two inflators for our cars.I like to check tires,in the driveway, cold.We know they change quite a bit according to air temp or distance driving.While waiting in a lot for my wife shopping shoes,I saw a Mom pull in with a low tire and kids.I explained it to her,Grandpa felt really good helping her.As warmer weather and vacations are around the corner,lets remember how much tire maintenance contributes to safety
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I keep a 10 gallon portable air tank. Surprisingly the thing holds air forever. Like a month later it's still at the same psi.
One nice thing about California, gas stations are required to provide free air and water. Now they can make you go inside and get a token, but they can't charge.
When we were kids, many stations had a hose hung up on the side of the building, attached to a big compressor inside. We all filled our bike tires with it. And I don't just mean the old boomer full-service stations either; the new quickie-mart style stations had them too.
The stations used to all have the 120pdi auto shut off ones but lately are all installing the suuuppppperrrr slow 70psi car tire inflation stations that all break down.Wawas have 2 air pumps, but usually only one is working
When I was a kid all tire air came through the wall out the side of the station and they always worked all winter, now the stand alone units are undersized and inop all winter
Most of the portable units will fill 5 or 6 70psi pickup truck tires then fail
Quik Trip's have free air, But people like to cut the Chuck off, Every other day the maintenance guy is fixing it.
It's funny to see these landscape truck/trailers hogging the air every morning, I've even seen a fist fight over it.....I like QT coffee & see some wild stuff go down when Ft. Worth Police/Tarrant County Deputies aren't there getting coffee.
They got the west facing side doors sealed off because of theft....Surprised the Fire Marshall allows that?
When they built it....I thought it was a good thing, But it attaches crime/criminals! I grew up here (Inner City) & it doesn't really bother me as I know how to deal with it.
It's funny to see these landscape truck/trailers hogging the air every morning, I've even seen a fist fight over it.....I like QT coffee & see some wild stuff go down when Ft. Worth Police/Tarrant County Deputies aren't there getting coffee.
They got the west facing side doors sealed off because of theft....Surprised the Fire Marshall allows that?
When they built it....I thought it was a good thing, But it attaches crime/criminals! I grew up here (Inner City) & it doesn't really bother me as I know how to deal with it.
In all fairness to gas station owners, if people took care of stuff as if they owned it then free compressed air would probably still be a thing.
But that's not how the world works today.
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