MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: camdyson on May 03, 2011, 07:19:37 PM
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Hands off keyboard - I'm not asking why we air down tyres!
My question is, why are there all those "you beaut tyre deflator" type gadgets out there? Presumably you need to inflate them again, and presumably you'll do it with a compressor with gauge, so why not use that to deflate too?
All I do is take the gauge off my ARB compressor, attach to tyre valve, squeeze trigger, and hey presto! Fast deflation and a pressure reading every time I release the trigger. Takes seconds.
I'm sure others must do the same, but I've NEVER seen this described, instead just one ad after another for w#%ky gadgets to screw on to valves etc. Am I missing something? Am I cheating?
This is what I use:
Cheers,
Cam
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Mine does
http://www.longacreracing.com/catalog/item.asp?id=228&catid=8
Air pressure release button
Internal gauge damper for more accurate readings and longer life
Ultra flexible 14" hose with ball chuck
2" Glow-In-The-Dark dial face
(http://www.longacreracing.com/images/products/tires/50401.jpg)
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I got one of these from SNAP-ON, little expensive, but you can haggle the price down with the franchisee :laugh:
It's very slow to let pressure out, I only use it now for a accuate reading when I check the pressure
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=63246&group_ID=1665&store=australia&dir=catalog
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I bought one of the ARB tyre deflators, which unscrews the valve from the valve stem to allow for much faster deflation times. Takes about a 1/4 of the time to let the air out. And you get a pressure readings when you want them.
Not a big item to carry either.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfLxRp0e0kEQy8xY0_SLfUY3u861W83cfVZQRT2mjUNy30vjvg)
I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.
(http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13159.0;attach=33318;image)
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People like w#%ky gadgets. Saves them time (well maybe not, but that is what we are told by the highly paid marketers).
We thought about getting some of those 'thingies'. How many sets do you get. Four for each situation, and then you find out you need to go to a lower or higher pressure.
Doesn't take too much to work out how long to depress the valve to reach a required pressure. First one is the fiddle.
So yes Cam, you are cheating. Cheating the marketers out of their cut. Shame on you.
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I bought one of the ARB tyre deflators, which unscrews the valve from the valve stem to allow for much faster deflation times. Takes about a 1/4 of the time to let the air out. And you get a pressure readings when you want them.
Not a big item to carry either.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfLxRp0e0kEQy8xY0_SLfUY3u861W83cfVZQRT2mjUNy30vjvg)
I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.
(http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13159.0;attach=33318;image)
These are the best things ever invented :cup:
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I bought one of the ARB tyre deflators, which unscrews the valve from the valve stem to allow for much faster deflation times. Takes about a 1/4 of the time to let the air out. And you get a pressure readings when you want them.
Not a big item to carry either.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfLxRp0e0kEQy8xY0_SLfUY3u861W83cfVZQRT2mjUNy30vjvg)
I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.
(http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13159.0;attach=33318;image)
x2
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Hey Gunna how do you find the ARB deflator, I'm wary of unscrewing the valve everytime I want to drop the pressure.
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So is the pretty red one actually better than the pretty blue one for deflating? Have you compared?
My pretty blue one can deflate four tyres (sorry Myswaggers - six tyres!) as fast as you can say "gee that air's really rushing out!"
Cheers,
Cam
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So far so good. None have failed or leaked so far, but I am very carefull about screwing it back into place. If it doesn't feel right when I'm screwing it in, I turn it back the other way untill I feel the thread skip over the start point. If that makes sense.
I am a bit wary of the pressures indicated on the guage, and don't think it is entirely correct by a couple of PSI.
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So is the pretty red one actually better than the pretty blue one for deflating? Have you compared?
Cheers,
Cam
Whilst I've never timed either, I would bet my left nut (wheel nut that is), that the pretty red one is considerably faster at deflating a tyre than the pretty blue one.
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After using GD's deflator i got one my self. I had always thought them a bit of a w*nk but i love it
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So far so good. None have failed or leaked so far, but I am very carefull about screwing it back into place. If it doesn't feel right when I'm screwing it in, I turn it back the other way untill I feel the thread skip over the start point. If that makes sense.
I have the red deflator and have had no problems with it, just to be sure I also went to the local tyre place and got some spare valves in case something went wrong during the process. You cannot loose the valve while deflating as it is locked in the valve by the deflator but I wanted to have a back up in case
GG
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TEST JUST COMPLETED
1 minute 33 seconds - v - 15 seconds (305/70R16 (33") tyre from 30psi to 20psi)
You can do the sums on six tyres.
Hope this gives you some idea of the speed.
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I bought one of the ARB tyre deflators, which unscrews the valve from the valve stem to allow for much faster deflation times. Takes about a 1/4 of the time to let the air out. And you get a pressure readings when you want them.
Not a big item to carry either.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfLxRp0e0kEQy8xY0_SLfUY3u861W83cfVZQRT2mjUNy30vjvg)
I have also used these and they are good but can eventually damage the seal of the valve :'( lucky for my mate that I always carry spare tyre valves ;D
I have Staun deflaters and they are quicker than my mate using his red ARB deflater, only trouble is that they are only set to one pressure so if you need to drop the pressure further it needs to be done with something else or reset the Stauns.
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The time it takes to let your tyres down is critical when on holidays, so we'd have to go with the fastest method too.
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I bought one of the ARB tyre deflators, which unscrews the valve from the valve stem to allow for much faster deflation times. Takes about a 1/4 of the time to let the air out. And you get a pressure readings when you want them.
Not a big item to carry either.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfLxRp0e0kEQy8xY0_SLfUY3u861W83cfVZQRT2mjUNy30vjvg)
I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.
(http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=13159.0;attach=33318;image)
x3
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So is the pretty red one actually better than the pretty blue one for deflating? Have you compared?
My pretty blue one can deflate four tyres (sorry Myswaggers - six tyres!) as fast as you can say "gee that air's really rushing out!"
Cheers,
Cam
Good to know Cam. Sure beats the stick I'm still using ;D Did the Staun thing. Don't even know where they are now ??? Wanted to get the pretty orange one but I like the idea of the blue one :laugh:
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I have the red deflator and have had no problems with it, just to be sure I also went to the local tyre place and got some spare valves in case something went wrong during the process. You cannot loose the valve while deflating as it is locked in the valve by the deflator but I wanted to have a back up in case
GG
I always carry a couple of complete valve stems. Its easy to rip one out in mud... Or maybe its just me
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I have the ARB compressor with the little inflator gizmo on the end (no guage). I take it off the hose and stick it on the tyre valve and walk away. I look around the car, maybe under the bonnet. Typicaly my 12yo son tells me he's gunna check the first tyre against my seperate $12 tyre gauge. He asks what I want front and back (plus the trailer if it's on) and really that's the last I do in the process.
To date, deflation/reinflation breaks have yeilded loose wheel nuts, dragging sticks, gouged sidewalls, leaking fuel tanks, leaking fuel lines, cracked roof bars, busted rear light bars, various reptiles and other wildlife and fresh coffee :cup:
Take your time guys ;D
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Good to know Cam. Sure beats the stick I'm still using ;D Did the Staun thing. Don't even know where they are now ??? Wanted to get the pretty orange one but I like the idea of the blue one :laugh:
Could be a problem if you have are colour blind. I guess you should just go for the prettiest or most appealing one.
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I fit tyres for a living so im screwing in and out allday long (Valves that is ;D) and there is no more risk in cross threading the valve core using one of these(ARB deflator) than using a standard core remover as the core is held in place inside the deflator.
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Another vote for the ARB ezi deflator here.
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Take your time guys ;D
I agree, what is the big hurry, for pure ease, a set of stauns with each set at a different pressure and coded using colour paint as such, screw it on walk away. So what if you have to use the same defaltor on all four or six wheels, time to strech the legs grab a drink and check the car and rig over.
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I agree, what is the big hurry, for pure ease, a set of stauns with each set at a different pressure and coded using colour paint as such, screw it on walk away. So what if you have to use the same defaltor on all four or six wheels, time to strech the legs grab a drink and check the car and rig over.
X 2 for the staun deflators preset
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TEST JUST COMPLETED
1 minute 33 seconds - v - 15 seconds (305/70R16 (33") tyre from 30psi to 20psi)
You can do the sums on six tyres.
Hope this gives you some idea of the speed.
I'm impressed GD, that's dedication to the cause! :D
1.33 seems ages, but I'm on 265's which probably speeds things up. Will have to time mine one day. So at the end of the day it's a speed thing.
Hmm, reckon I could have a stubby airing down while you drive ahead and scout the track... ;D
Cheers,
Slow Cam
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ARB donated a tyre gauge to me at a 4wd club meeting and it was pretty good but when deflating tyres I was always the slowest when out with a group. ARB then saw fit to donate a deflator to the worthy cause that is my tool kit when we did a tour through the factory so now have both. The deflator is certainly way quicker than the other methods I used previously.
:cheers:
Dave
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X4
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I agree, what is the big hurry, for pure ease, a set of stauns with each set at a different pressure and coded using colour paint as such, screw it on walk away. So what if you have to use the same defaltor on all four or six wheels, time to strech the legs grab a drink and check the car and rig over.
This works if you are only using a few pre-sets and I suppose lots do and then fine tune from there. As I make my preasure decisions bassed on where I am at the time I can go from 20 up front to 28, it's just so hard to tell until your there. I did try the Stauns but just couldn't trust it. This was 5 years ago, maybe they are better now.
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I had 3 sets of Stauns (don't ask!) and the ARB deflator. Only the ARB deflator gets used these days :cup: YMMV
Cheers
Captain
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Same as the captain.
Does anybody want a set of Stauns?
Grant
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I have both the ARB Ezi Deflator and a set of Stauns, I actually prefer the stauns.
I usually just screw them on the valves and start driving letting the tyres deflate as i go, then when i stop the next time i take them back off, I've never had them fail or come loose
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+1 vote for the red ARB deflator. Have never used Stauns, so can't comment on them, but I like the ARB one.
I've been meaning to get one of the blue gauges for airing up. Currently I just use the standard air chuck that came with the compressor kit, and while it does the job, it means having to carry a separate gauge. So currently I'm relying on a not-very accurate cheapy slide gauge. I'm thinking the blue one might be a good investment.
I'd never thought to use the blue gauge as a deflator though. Might be good for times when you don't want to go to the trouble of unscrewing a valve stem for just a small adjustment (IE, airbags). Thanks for the tip Cam!
Thanks!
Matto :)
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I let mine down with a stick or small stone....
But then again I don't even own a GPS only paper maps. I think I need to move on with technology 8)
It does take a while to let the 285's down so maybe it could be a tyre deflator for this fathers day present ;D
:cheers:
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I'm with GU RUch - closest stick or stone does the job for me. I time how long it takes in letting the air out eg 5 psi at 30sec, get that one right, then do the same time on the others, and check it against my TPMS. Works for me.
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Hey Gunna how do you find the ARB deflator, I'm wary of unscrewing the valve everytime I want to drop the pressure.
Interesting that you should make that point as my 4x4 mechanic, while demonstrating it to me, actually did unscrew the valve too far, dropped it on his shop floor and we all had a search for it.
That had me thinking what if that was me out there with vultures slowly circling. YIKES!!! ???
So I've practiced as often as I can in the safety of my backyard and I'm pretty sure that those birds won't get a feed off me. :-*
Cheers - Wayne
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Interesting that you should make that point as my 4x4 mechanic, while demonstrating it to me, actually did unscrew the valve too far, dropped it on his shop floor and we all had a search for it.
That had me thinking what if that was me out there with vultures slowly circling. YIKES!!! ???
So I've practiced as often as I can in the safety of my backyard and I'm pretty sure that those birds won't get a feed off me. :-*
Cheers - Wayne
Your mechanic needs to learn how to use one as used right, there is no way the valve can come out of the brass peice thats screwed onto the valve. He must have screwed the hole thing off while undoing the valve.
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prior to my deflator i would remove the valve in the scrub, use my gauge on it as it was going down then quickly screw the valve back in when it was close. I alwas thought i would lose the valve but never did. The deflater is just easy
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deflators
- ferret by lightyears. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc_hV1dgHW4 http://www.ferretdeflators.com/
my ARB one fell apart (although it was a freeby)
Stauns - most overrated rubbish made... mine are as far as I could throw them off Craigs Hut hill
Cant beat the TJM Twig off the ground for reliability.
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I bought a set of presettable deflators the other day for $65 and they gave me a 9000 Kg snatch strap for free... I thought that wa a good deal !!
Evil-bay link - http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190509689888&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:AU:1123 (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190509689888&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:AU:1123)
Haven't used any of them yet :-[ :-[
Gotta get out more ...
:cheers: :cheers: :cup: :cheers: :cheers:
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I own a ferret tyre deflator - a local WA guy machines them up. They are good, but a bit of a pain without having a gauge. However, most people run the same pressures so you just need to work out how many seconds to deflate your tyres for. It is a lot faster than a stick or stone - I'd rather preserve my knees!
In saying that, i'd take an ARB one - just more convenient.
Aaron