Tyre deflators - why??!!

[camdyson]

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

[D4D]

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

[Campa]

I got one of these from SNAP-ON, little expensive, but you can haggle the price down with the franchisee  
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

[Gunna Do]

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.



I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.

[Estelle]

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.

[Black Diamond]

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.



I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.

These are the best things ever invented 

[hutchie62]

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.



I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.

x2

[D4D]

Hey Gunna how do you find the ARB deflator, I'm wary of unscrewing the valve everytime I want to drop the pressure.

[camdyson]

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

[Gunna Do]

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.

[Gunna Do]

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.

[darren]

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

[GGV8Cruza]

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

[Gunna Do]

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.

[Heiny]

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.

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
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.

[Estelle]

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.

[kiva]

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.



I use one of these to reinflate the tyres.

x3

[SteveandViv]

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  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 

[darren]

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

[Joff]

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  

Take your time guys  

[Estelle]

Good to know Cam. Sure beats the stick I'm still using  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 

Could be a problem if you have are colour blind.  I guess you should just go for the prettiest or most appealing one.

[Black Diamond]

I fit tyres for a living so im screwing in and out allday long (Valves that is ) 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.

[Moto Mech]

Another vote for the ARB ezi deflator here.

[Burnsy]

Take your time guys  

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.

[AKB]

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