Petrol Station Air Compressors

[glenn l]

I never trust the gauge on the servos compressor. I take my own and there is a fair bit of difference when i check them against each other

ive used a couple and checked them with a good gauge and every one was miles out.

 

[delcowizzid]

tyres have the max psi on them not what they should be pumped upto mine are 15psi under there max psi to make them wear evenly if i set them to the max psi there would be no centre section of tread in a matter of weeks

 

[nstone63]

The biggest problem I've had with the old style 'manual' servo compressors is that a lot of the staff know nothing about them.. I had my car there a while back to pump the tyres up, and I hit the lever as I was upwrapping the hose and no joke, enough water came out of the line to fill up a pint glass

 

[Adds_05]

But I then realized that the compressor was actually deflating all of his tyres from 37psi down to 32psi, so I sat there wondering if he had actually realized that he was deflating his tyres rather than inflating them.

deflating isnt always a bad thing,having your tyres over inflated will cause the middle of the tyre to wear out quicker than it wearing out evenly

 

[wikky]

Servo compressors have about a +/-10psi accuracy anyway. I'd never trust one on being anywhere near close to actual pressure. Best idea is to carry a decent/accurate gauge in the car and use it. Slightly off topic.....

 

[acarmody]

Would never trust them, and half of them are genuinely broken. Amount of times I've gone to use one (and if its working), and I've had to help the people before and after me is incredible.

For a while now all my tyres are serviced regularly, and all filled with Nitrogen, I never need to touch them.

But the odd occassion where a family member or friends comes over and I notice a less than full tyre, I whip my compressor out of the shed and fix it up on the spot, and I use an old-school manual gauge.

 

[Verynice]

Yes normally the servo ones are out, with everyone dropping it and so on, I'm not suprised people cant do it properly, especially the older folks who aren't strong enough to push the connector onto the valve...

A good idea would be to carry around a pocket gauge in your car, then check the difference, and adjust the auto pressure to suit.

Nitrogen is a bit of a farce too, its useless mixed with air. There will always be air caught in the tyre from when its fitted before filling with nitrogen.

 

[Troy711]

For a while now all my tyres are serviced regularly, and all filled with Nitrogen, I never need to touch them.

Is nitrogen worth the hype or not? I've been told that the only real benefit is that the pressure doesn't change with temperature. I just don't like the fact that they reckon you need to take it to a tyre shop to get pressures checked and to get a top up.

 

[lein]

Nitrogen is a bit of a farce too, its useless mixed with air. There will always be air caught in the tyre from when its fitted before filling with nitrogen.

So long as they are using the correct filling procedures it should be cool. It's the same thing they to with aircraft tyres. And in both cases so long as it is done correctly there should be next to no air left in the tyre.

Is nitrogen worth the hype or not? I've been told that the only real benefit is that the pressure doesn't change with temperature. I just don't like the fact that they reckon you need to take it to a tyre shop to get pressures checked and to get a top up.

You'll be able to check the pressures your self, but unless you have a supply of nitrogen you'd still have to get someone else to fill them. Unless you're mates with someone working on the Flightline of an airport. Then you'd be set.

 

[2DIE]

I pumped mine up the other day using a mini air compressor that cost around $200, the tyres got to about 20psi each and the compressor started slowing down and vibrating weirdly.

I decided I would pump them all up to 20psi and go to the servo and put them up to 35 where I usually have them. When I went to pump them up there were all 47-50psi.. needless to say I let them down and I will be looking for a reliable pen type tyre pressure checker to keep in the car.

Cant believe I paid so much for this air compressor because it was meant to be the best in the range, it even says it can pump up 4x4 and truck tyres but the reading is way out.