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Quality car tire pump
#1
Every car tire pump I have bought has been a junk. They either take forever to inflate the tire or burn out trying to. Is there a decent quality model out there?
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#2
I've gotten 30psi into a car tire using a hand pump by taking the weight off the tire.
I have a Campbell Hausfield 12v0001AV that's 8 years old. Slow but has lots of miles, inflating wheelbarrow tires and beachballs, etc. Doesn't just sit in the truck. I have owned a few "under $25.00 " pumps that were a waste of the plastic used to make them.
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#3
I've always used a bicycle tire hand pump. It is a relatively nice quality one with a guage I purchased in a bicycle store many years ago. I keep it in the car (changed cars several times since acuiring the pump) and top up the tires whenever I feel like it.

I don't know its brand name or model.

Being designed for bicycle tires and putting in a little air at a time with each pump, it can pressurize to 80 psi easily so the lower value needed for a car tire is no problem. It does take longer than a pump designed for automotive tires that tries to put in a larger volume of air more quickly.

Pumping with a bicycle tire pump is like going up a long hill in first gear. It will always work and can manage the steepest of hills but will take longer and require the least horsepower. The automotive tire pumps try to do it faster (a higher gear), require more horsepower, and are more likely to "burn out."
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#4
If you don't need it to be portable and if you have an air compressor then that's the way to go with the appropriate adapter.
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#5
Sadly, an 'emergency' device like a car tire pump is not designed or built to be used as an air compressor. The designed in 'duty cycle' is something like, oh, 10 minutes per YEAR. Heck, if you need to use one so often, you must be driving on a road made of nails and broken glass.

There are manufacturers that make more durable 12V devices, but it's gonna cost ya.
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#6
An alternative is to have an air tank that you carry in the trunk. You can buy a tank with hose, valve and gauge installed or buy a hose, valve and gauge and install it on a surplus freon tank. You can pressure them up to 125 psi or so and they fill a tire as quickly as a full blown compressor.
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#7
There really is nothing like a real air compressor with an inflator adapter with a gauge.

Once you have one of these you'll never go to a gas station again.

Except to get gas, of course!

You can get little ones for $100:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916613000P

But I'd be inclined to get one a bit larger -- with comparatively inexpensive air tools you can use them for lots of other things like taking lug nuts off, paint shaking, winterizing sprinkler systems, etc:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00915310000P
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#8
I use a bike tire foot pump to top off my tires. Don't need to lift the car off the ground, and to fill up only takes a few minutes.

I use one like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Custom-Accessories...B0000CBIGG

Jeff
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#9
I use a double cylinder bike pump that pushes are on both the up and down strokes.

Slow and tiring. The little 12V pumps are good for topping off car tires, but won't live long inflating tires from scratch.

If you have a good location, a compressor is really the way to go. Most people don't check their tires often enough anyway.
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#10
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605...000P?mv=rr

What about this 12volt model on sale?
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