The best tire inflator ever?

[Danglerb]

I've decided to throw some money at the problem, I want ...

The best tire inflator EVER.

OK, maybe not the "best" and maybe not throwing very much money, but I need the following features;

1) Old man friendly long handle with an excellent sealing dual (up or down) chuck. I haven't decided on locking vs non locking chuck. Most of my valve stems are rubber, so edging toward some kind of locking type, even willing to give up the dual head and nice handle for a positive easy manual lock.

2) Accurate to a pound, 22 to 45 psi expected useful range.

3) Easy fill and bleed controls.

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Single tool, or simple fill device with a separate gauge and bleed thing?

Anybody ever use a fill device with an adjustable pressure regulator?

Thinking it would be really handy to set the fill device to say 36 psi, hit all four tires, then bleed down with gauge to exact psi I want on each tire.

 

[hossmwp]

Have you seen the ones from Longacre racing? They are very nice. I dont have the inflator/gauge but I do have one of the gauges. I have had the pleasure of using one of the inflators with gauge and it worked flawless. I am sure it was extremely expensive.

 

[kartracer55]

Longacre is top notch stuff. I have 2 of their gauges and they are worth every penny. Accurate as hell and hold up well.

 

[jeep44]

 

[jerk_chicken]

It's funny, I have a blackburn high volume pump and I've pumped up flattening tires a bunch of times with it.

 

[Danglerb]

Longacre is very nice, but I'm thinking maybe its best "gauge" not best chuck, and I would like best chuck over best gauge.

Anybody use the Longacre pressure reliefs? (drill a hole in wheel and bleeds off pressure as temp goes up)

 

[kartracer23]

Longacre is top notch stuff. I have 2 of their gauges and they are worth every penny. Accurate as hell and hold up well.

See now, I don't think Longacres are all that accurate. Grab 3 or 4 different ones and I'll bet you get different readings. We tried it one day at the track, setting a tire with one gauge and testing it with others. There was like 3 PSI variation. Now, consistent, I would agree. Which is all I care about. In racing, you don't care about what the gauge says (it could read out in ABC's), just that it's consistent.

 

[kartracer55]

See now, I don't think Longacres are all that accurate. Grab 3 or 4 different ones and I'll bet you get different readings. We tried it one day at the track, setting a tire with one gauge and testing it with others. There was like 3 PSI variation. Now, consistent, I would agree. Which is all I care about. In racing, you don't care about what the gauge says (it could read out in ABC's), just that it's consistent.

Yeah, I used the wrong choice of words I suppose. My point was that my 1 year old gauge and 3-4 year old gauge read identically, even though the older gauge has taken a serious beating over the years.

From brand to brand you might find variation. When I say 11psi, I know its 11psi on MY gauge. I have not been impressed with pepboys type accu-pro gauges, however.

 

[Danglerb]

I've read that fluid filled gauges may need to be "vented" to reset the base pressure reference, but I assumed standard gauges would be fairly accurate.

Consistent also works for me, but I would want to do a gauge party and compare all the different gauges to find out the variation. Main thing I want to be able to know, using any of the gauges I have, is has the pressure changed since the last time I checked and set it.

*** I'm awfully lazy, so unless its fairly easy to check and fill my tires I tend to forget until the car steers funny. I'm hoping a new better inflator will break me of this bad habit.

 

[scottmlew]

I'd go with a separate inflator and gauge, but that's just personal preference. Whether you want a combined unit or you go with separates, I'd say Longacre...I've been very happy with the products, but more importantly, with the pre and post sales support. They have a really nice digital inflator/gauge combo with a nice angle chuck...check it out.

 

[ImportTuner]

Longacre is top notch stuff. I have 2 of their gauges and they are worth every penny. Accurate as hell and hold up well.

Hey kartracer .. where did you buy your Longacre gauges; been trying to find some good pricing .. I'm looking for a 50355 .. Thanks

 

[Danglerb]

$123 shipped via amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NN9D3I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[ImportTuner]

$123 shipped via amazon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NN9D3I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Hey danglerb ... thanks for looking it up. It looks like the one I want, has no model number and the type of connector on the end is vague. The description is even more vague ..

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Product Description
Longacre Racing digital tire air pressure gauges. Available in 3 styles. Choose from Professional Digital Tire Gauge with Memory, Digital Tire Gauge with Backlight and the Economy Digital Tire Gauge. The Professional Digital Tire Pressure Gauge with Memory: This is the ultimate in tire pressure gauges. Store the cold tire pressures in Memory. When the car comes in, store the new hot pressures also. Recall and toggle back and forth to compare the gain. 1.5 - 100 psi and the display reads in 1/10th psi increments. Memory stores one complete set of both cold and hot pressures with easy recall. Has a High Flow release button, gauge bumper for protection, built-in night light, ultra flexible 17" hose, swivel chuck and comes with a foam lined hard carrying case. Digital Tire Gauge with Backlight: Has a large 2 1/2" gauge face, an air pressure release button, external gauge bumper for protection, 1.5 to 60 PSI by .1 PSI. Tire pressure reading always active and has night light for dark pits. Economy Digital Tire Pressure Gauge: Pressure reading always active. No hold. 0-100 PSI with automatic zero. Read to .5 PSI. Comes with air pressure release button, external gauge bumper for protection and ultra flexible 14" hose.

 

[alex71]

why not roll your own? a little coiled hose, an air chuck, a guage, and a ball valve. I've made a couple back-savers like this and they work great.

 

[Danglerb]

Amazon item is from a search on amazon using Longacre 50355 and was the only hit.

Thinking I will try a few roll my owns. I have a 5 gallon portable tank, and I was thinking about putting the $14 HF digital regulator on it with a sealed dual chuck inflator on the end of the hose. Set the regulator to 36 PSI, snap the locking inflator to the tire, wait until I hear flow stopping, then swap on a gauge with a pressure release to set the pressure I want.

Or set the regulator to 33 psi and just use the gauge to check it from time to time.

 

[alex71]

there's no need to swap them back and forth. plumb a ball valve between the regulator and air supply. when you close the valve, the gauge will show the pressure in the tire. when you open the valve, it will show line pressure and fill the tire.