Bicycle pump?

[Splat]

Hi!

Silly question....can I use a quality bike pump to pump up my tires? (265/75/16). Not from flat, but say to repump from 20psi to 30psi? (I know it will take a long time) , is it feasible?

cheers!

*Forgot to mention, my pump is rated to 220psi (It's a home/shop bicycle pump, all metal parts except for the handle)

 

[Stumpalump]

I have pumped up a tire with a hand pump before and it was brutal. Better than driving on a flat but for airing up 4 tires no. It will blister your hands and wear you out before you get two tires done. Todays pumps are so cheap I doubt they could handle the heat generated if you take turns with your buddy. As a backup or to add a few PSI to other tires on a slow electric pump then why not. You need the exercise. :sombrero:
Edit: I just notice you are going to be using a high pressure pump. That means high pressure and low volume. Thats perfect for a low volume bike tire @ 100PSI but does not have the volume to add 1 PSI to a car tire in 25 strokes. That a guess but I bet it's a good one if not more. Go lower a tire to 28 and bring it back to 30 and see what I mean.

 

[eric1115]

Possible? Yes. Practical? No. I've gone from low (<10 psi) to less low (~25 psi) in a ~225/50/17 car tire so I could get to a tire shop, and it would have been faster to get the spare out of the trunk and change it. That was with a shop quality pump; faster than a Silca style but still a ~160 psi pump.

 

[Splat]

thanks guys! Will look into air compressor then ARB?

 

[htek]

thanks guys! Will look into air compressor then ARB?

There are a lot of decent compressors out there from $50 to $500. What you need depends a lot on what you intend to do.

For example, on my "rockcrawler", I run both an ARB compressor and a engine driven compressor. The ARB runs lockers and the belt driven compressor is for airing up tires on multiple rigs from ~8 to ~30psi. If you (like me) frequently air up 12 large (35" and up) tires at a single time, then you will need a very capable (an costly) compressor. However, I highly doubt this is what you are after.

On the other hand, for my daily driver and more "overland" oriented F250, I bought a very affordable Viair 85p. Airing down my tires will only be done in very rare occasions. Therefore I can accept the fact it will take 45 minutes to air up 4 tires.

So, the compressor you need is directly related to what you intend to do with it, and how frequently you intend to use it.

-jm

 

[FreeManDan]

Things I would rather use in order of accessibility
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Campbell-Hausfeld-12-Volt-Inflator-With-Light/15135633?findingMethod=rr

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Masterflow-12v-High-Volume-Air-Compressor-Inflator/12321236?findingMethod=rr

http://powertank.com/products/sfID1/13

http://www.compareautomechanics.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/tire_air_pump_at_gas_station.jpg

P.S. I should mention that I have done it before, twice, but me and my brother would trade off when we got tired (no pun intended). It was over a decade ago when me and my brother were teenagers, we shoulda fixed the spare the week before...dumb teenagers

 

[alexrex20]

thanks guys! Will look into air compressor then ARB?

you don't need an ARB compressor to air up tires. in fact, i would advise against it. there are better compressors that are faster, cheaper, and more reliable. i warrantied my ARB CKMA12 three times before i got smart and sold the last replacement. now i use a Viair 450C-IG with a 2.5gal tank and couldn't be happier. it airs up my tires and powers my lockers.

as posted above, just get one of the portable 12v compressors from Wal-Mart or Target or Sam's or wherever. it sounds like you only need a compressor for the off-chance scenario that you need to air up a single tire. if you don't make a habit of airing down your tires, there's no reason to spend big money on a compressor that you'll use maybe once a year.

 

[Splat]

I actually ended up buying a

Master Flow Tsunami from Petboys for a very reasonable price (inexpensive!)

Portable, and ideal for what I'll be using it for (occasionally), and like the idea that the it uses battery clamps vs a 12V plug to power it.

Tested it a few days off the generator, and it worked wonderfully (so far)!