Tire Inflation

Dave Young

Dave Young

Member
Another dumb newbie question ... sorry guys, but cut an old man a little slack.

All four of my tires can use some air. Tomorrow, I’m planning to buy a (probably a Ryobi) compressor. Like everything else I’m trying to learn about my new model A, I check things out on YouTube. A couple of folks have stated that when using one of these ‘home use’ compressors, it’s necessary to jack up the car so that the wheel being inflated is off the ground and not taking the weight of the car.

Makes sense, but is it a fact ? ... I wouldn’t even know how to jack up the car!

Please straighten me out before I buy a small compressor that’s a waste of time and money. What they’re saying is, a small home use compressor doesn’t have
the power to lift a car. I’ll appreciate some opinions.

Dave
 
Dave,
I've never heard this one. I have a small compressor in my garage that seems to handle the job with the car on the ground. Think about the tiny units that they sell that plug into the cigarette lighter so you can inflate a tire on the road. They seem to work without jacking up the car. They take a while but I guess they work. Just sayin'.
Marty
 
Jack up a Model A by the axels.

Small compressors? Thay may not be able to handle the weight. You are not just pumping air.

35 psi needed. Look at compressor rating. Enjoy.
 
You most certainly do not have to lift the car before filling with air. I think the person that told you that is full of hot air!
 
You can inflate a tire with one of those small portable air tanks. Sounds like those folks were blowing a little smoke! They didn't try to convince you the earth was flat too did they?
 
When on long distance tours, I carry a 12 volt compressor that runs from a cigarette lighter socket. I have a couple of those for accessories like refrigerator, pump etc. If one of those Chinese 12 v compressors can inflate a tyre from dead flat, I'm sure your Ryobi one will be just fine. BTW, it it were necessary to jack up the car to inflate the tyres, how do they get away with those air hoses at service stations?
 
As stated no need to raise the car to inflate tires, to 35 psi. The important aspects are to fill the tires when they are cold, not after a drive . Hot tires can add 3-5 psi after driving.
We make our own gauges from a stock air pressure gauge that reads 0 to 60 # with a rt. angle fitting on it and some brass connectors to allow easy access to the stem. Most store bought pencil and other gauges are not found to be too accurate.
 
Lift in the air?? LOL!
I agree with the others. No need to lift the wheels.
I've used a 12v hand held pump, and a 20 HP compressor. No worries.
 
Don't buy a direct drive oiless compressor. They have a short lifespan, and are a waste of money.
I buy the small lighter socket compressors for $5 at garage sales and secondhand stores. I buy belt driven smaller one or two cylinder oil filled compressors for $25 to $50 at garage sales or on Craigslist.
 
I have a craftsman battery powered compressor that will do it easily and fairly fast. I've had to jack a few things up that were tubeless just so the tire bead would contact the rim but other than that it will pump it to the correct psi.
 
If I may suggest:
Before you take your car out again, practice changing a tire.
Better to learn in your garage then on the side of a road.
And get yourself a compressor, to keep your tires pressured up...no jacking required.
 

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Dave Young said:
Another dumb newbie question ... sorry guys, but cut an old man a little slack.

All four of my tires can use some air. Tomorrow, I’m planning to buy a (probably a Ryobi) compressor. Like everything else I’m trying to learn about my new model A, I check things out on YouTube. A couple of folks have stated that when using one of these ‘home use’ compressors, it’s necessary to jack up the car so that the wheel being inflated is off the ground and not taking the weight of the car.

Makes sense, but is it a fact ? ... I wouldn’t even know how to jack up the car!

Please straighten me out before I buy a small compressor that’s a waste of time and money. What they’re saying is, a small home use compressor doesn’t have
the power to lift a car. I’ll appreciate some opinions.

Dave
Click to expand...

Would be very funny at the gas stations ; everybody jacking up their cars for inflating their tyres !
At least good for one thing : more jobs created - "jacking guys"
 
Well, I told you I was a newbie ... how you gonna learn if you don’t ask questions?

Seriously, though, thanks for the info. I’m off now to buy my compressor.

By the way, I had just assumed that the big compressors you find in garages and some gas stations had more power than the $20. one you plug into your cigarette lighter. Like I said,
I’m just a newbie ...
 
Dave Young said:
Well, I told you I was a newbie ... how you gonna learn if you don’t ask questions?

Seriously, though, thanks for the info. I’m off now to buy my compressor.

By the way, I had just assumed that the big compressors you find in garages and some gas stations had more power than the $20. one you plug into your cigarette lighter. Like I said,
I’m just a newbie ...
Click to expand...


They do have more power but the thing is, a larger unit can provide the volume needed to run air tools which needs more air.
 
No offense. Everybody has to learn. But inflating a tyre isn't this something they learn you when you go to do your tests for your driver's license ? At least that's what they teach you over here in Europe.
By the way : don't buy the Les Andrews books because I don't think that this is something that is explained there.
 
Dave Young said:
Well, I told you I was a newbie ... how you gonna learn if you don’t ask questions?

Seriously, though, thanks for the info. I’m off now to buy my compressor.

By the way, I had just assumed that the big compressors you find in garages and some gas stations had more power than the $20. one you plug into your cigarette lighter. Like I said,
I’m just a newbie ...
Click to expand...

Dave-

Don't feel bad about asking a Newbie question. Everyone was a Newbie at one time.

I think there is a cautionary tale here that some people are passing on to you, and it's based on the statement you made in your opening post:

... "A couple of folks have stated that when using one of these ‘home use’ compressors, it’s necessary to jack up the car so that the wheel being inflated is off the ground and not taking the weight of the car. ..."

Use care who you listen to the advice of others. There are many self-proclaimed experts and Know-It-All's out there and you will almost certainly run across several of them in your tenure with the Model A.

I wish the Internet existed when I was a Newbie. You have it easy!:D
 
I've had a couple of the cheap cigarette lighter compressors. They didn't last long and I couldn't get more than 30 pounds out of them. That's not full Model A pressure but it's enough to get you to a better compressor. Course they're useless in an A anyway because the compressor is 12-volt and there's no cigarette lighter to plug it in. ;)

Most any 120V compressor should pump up your tires and no, you don't have to jack up the car. If you're running air tools, you'll probably need a more powerful compressor.
 
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