Tyre Inflator

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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T48 TRE
Joined: Mon 10 Nov, 2003 07:22
Posts: 359

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Coventry

Tyre Inflator

Post by T48 TRE »

Last december I bought one of Halfords Automatic tyre inflators. You know the one with the preset the pressure and it stops when it reaches it, and can do pressure in PSI Bar or KPI.
Anyway after using it for about six times it suddenly packed up for no reason on Thursday. LED's game on, preset worked, it just would not Pump.
I took it back to Halfords and although I didn't have the original reciept, I took a bank detail showing I had paid it to halfords. they didn't really bother with my "proof" but immeadiately offered a replacement.
I was concerned that a replacement of same would perhaps let me down again so asked if I could upgrade and pay the difference. This was no problem, so I picked the Michelin preset model with the screw on adapter and valve to reduce the pressure.
I tried it out yesterday and believe me for the extra £10 I paid was well worth the upgrade. I did my wife and my car again and found the old model was reading low whereas the new model was spot on. I use a seperate guage to check the pressures.
I just wondered if anyone else on here had any problems with their tyre Pumps.
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Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Tyre Pumps

Post by Mike Fishwick »

I can never understand why anyone wants an electric tyre pump - except that today's people cannot understand that a surplus of electronics is not necessary for mundane tasks such as inflating a tyre.

Why not save yourself all the aggro of failed electrics/electronics and cheap compressors, and just buy a good quality foot pump? I have been using a Halford's brass-bodied foot pump for about twenty years, and it still works fine. I bet it works faster than a tiny electric compressor, too.
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TitanTim
Joined: Mon 23 Jun, 2008 18:56
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  Z3 roadster 1.9i
Location: Stafford

Post by TitanTim »

I use an old Dunlop footpump from 50's which does fine for the rear tyres, I still use an electric pump for the fronts :)

Tim.
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2001 Z3 1.9 Roadster Sport - 2012 Z4 sDrive 2.0 M Sport
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Jonttt
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Joined: Sun 28 Dec, 2008 16:32
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  M roadster S54
Location: Liverpool

Post by Jonttt »

TitanTim wrote:I use an old Dunlop footpump from 50's which does fine for the rear tyres, I still use an electric pump for the fronts :)

Tim.
Park it the other way around if the lead won't reach :D

I use one that I got for £10 off eBay, auto stop, presets and emergency lights. I checked with an accurate gauge and is spot on. Not the most robust (cheap plastic job) but for £10 it has been great. Manual pumps are great for "top ups" but I recently put puncturesafe into my tyres so had to totally deflate / inflate and was a godsend (I didn't fancy standing there for 15 minutes inflating each tyre manually).
Happiness is not around the corner........happiness is the corner
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Robert T
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Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
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  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

I have a Michelin one which is powered from the lighter socket. Not automatic, but is has a removable pressure gauge and some white LEDs so you can see what you are doing in the dark. Only slight PITA is that the cable is only long enough to reach to one side of the car at a time, so you need to swap over to do the other side.

IIRC it takes around 7A, so I can't use it with Froggy, as I only rated his lighter socket at 5A. Instead I power it from the Z3 parked alongside, but it became a real pain having to turn the car round to do the other side, so I bought a nice long lighter socket extension lead which allows me to both cars without having to move either. :D

Oh, and Mike, some of us would struggle with a foot pump, as our bodies are not quite as fit as they once were. :wink:

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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T48 TRE
Joined: Mon 10 Nov, 2003 07:22
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  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Coventry

Post by T48 TRE »

I have had my old footpumps in the past, I always found that the rubber Tube perished, or the internals packed in. I thought it would be easier just to have a machine do the heavy work for me, instead of standing pumping my foot up and down, and as Robert says, we are not getting any younger.
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Robert T
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  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

T48 TRE wrote:...and as Robert says, we are not getting any younger.
I didn't say I wasn't getting any younger, just that my body is old and knackered before it's time. Image

:roflmao:

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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T48 TRE
Joined: Mon 10 Nov, 2003 07:22
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  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Coventry

Post by T48 TRE »

Sorry Robert, I stand corrected, I am not getting any younger, and my body is old and Knackered.
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Mike Fishwick
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 10:27
Posts: 2093

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Daglan, France

Exercise1

Post by Mike Fishwick »

Look at it like this - a foot pump gives you a bit of exercise, a compressor gives you none! I will be an old age pensioner in six weeks time, and I can work a foot pump easily enough - don't under-rate your tired old bodies!
BATTERZEE
Joined: Mon 20 Jul, 2009 21:35
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Winkleigh, Devon

Post by BATTERZEE »

Jonttt wrote:I recently put puncturesafe into my tyres so had to totally deflate / inflate and was a godsend (I didn't fancy standing there for 15 minutes inflating each tyre manually).
Sorry to hijack the topic but how did you find the Puncturesafe? Thinking about having this done, they are only 25 miles away in Exeter.
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T48 TRE
Joined: Mon 10 Nov, 2003 07:22
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  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: Coventry

Post by T48 TRE »

Mike I reached retirement age almost 5years ago, but worked up until the end of last month when I said enough is enough. I wanted to be able to enjoy the Z more.
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maxman
Joined: Sat 09 Dec, 2006 20:55
Posts: 301

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: wrexham

Post by maxman »

I bought a 12v unit made by Ring sells for £29 but can be bought for about £24 if you shop around.Works well ,small and neatly packaged.
Recommended in one of the Auto Express trials. :colourful:
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kruisn
Joined: Sat 22 Oct, 2005 22:28
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  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Keikeri,New Zealand

Post by kruisn »

T48 tre said (I did my wife and my car again and found the old model) etc etc.


What sort of connector do you use and where could I buy one to suit ???
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Martin
Joined: Mon 14 Feb, 2005 17:56
Posts: 145

  Z4 roadster 3.0i
Location: Warwickshire

Post by Martin »

Probably a silly question perhaps but........

I am likely to ditch my runflats in favour of Falkens in the near future. Given that the car has no spare wheel I guess I should follow advice and carry a can of tyre weld and a compressor just in case. Will a foot pump do the same job as a compressor when using tyre weld?
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Robin
Joined: Sun 14 Dec, 2003 18:35
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  M roadster S50
Location: Southampton
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Post by Robin »

I bought one of those Michellin inflators from Halfords. Cost £44. It didn't seem to register the starting pressure correctly. So for example there might be 30psi to start with but it set itself to zero psi. So if I set it to pump up & stop at 30psi it would go to 30 psi plus the 30 psi pressure already there = 60 psi !!!!!
I took it back before I wound up with an exploded tyre.
I tried twp others of the same model. Carefully read the instructions & the same happened. So got I got a refund.
Just shows they are capable of causing a dangerous situation.
I was pretty disgusted to be honest that an expensive branded product could cause result in a safety hazard such as wrong tyre pressures or potentially exploding tyres !
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Robert T
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  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

Robin, I have seen mine do what you describe, as it zeros itself when it starts up. Connect it to the power first and make sure you get a reasonable reading before starting to inflate. Works just fine if you do.

Mine does seem to read high whilst inflating, so I have learned to inflate to 1 psi over and then stop and take a proper reading with the compressor off.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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