Cordless tire inflators

[BarryCogan]

Has anyone had experience with using a cordless (20V) tire inflator on high pressure Model T tires? Not looking for the kind that plug into a cigarette lighter. Rather, ones with an 18 - 24V Li-ion battery.

[browning]

I have used a Dewalt 20 volt compressor on everything from 22.5 inch motorhome tires @ 90 psi to bicycles and wheelbarrows, as well as model T tires. It works great but larger tires and higher pressures shorten the battery life considerably. Kind of slow but super handy. One of the best cordless tools I have owned.

[TMiller6]

I bought the Ryobi 18 volt version and used it on my clinchers at my garage. It has a display with auto shut off when filled.

My kid got one from me for his 40th birthday as a result.

[Dodge]

I have two styles of Ryobi tire inflators. One has a hand grip on it and a funky round gauge. The other came out later and is square with a digital guage you can set and wait until it gets to the pressure. Both work but the square one will do all 4 tires without pooping out.
I went Ryobi as I have several of their tools using the same battery.
I give the second one a big thumbs up.

[Allan]

Are Ryobi tools well regarded in USA? Here they are more of a budget line for handyman use. They seem to have s tool for all uses. I'm sfuck on Makita, my son on Milwaukie.

Allan from down under.

[TMiller6]

Allan,

Yes, I regard Ryobi as a budget line tool as do many others. I have found them to be durable and as I am a DIY, I have never had an issue with durability. I do own Milwaukee, Makita, and Porter Cable for some of my work where I think it is necessary.

[South Park Zephyr]

I purchased this from Amazon when I was fighting a slow leaking tube, before I replaced my tires/ tubes.
It works great and is compact enough to store easily.

[vech]

I bought a cordless Makita high quality, HIGH pressure tire inflator at least 5 years ago.
It will easily inflate a model T tire to 65 psi, no problem at all. I recently took my 1922 coupe out for an afternoon drive, on a nice warm day in Mississippi. Before I hit the road, I used it to inflate all FIVE tires, from 40 lbs to 65 psi and it did them all, no problem.

No, it is not cheap. But my experience with Makita cordless tools has been excellent...You get what you pay for.....

Go here, have a look, and make your own decision.....

https://makitatools.com/products/details/DMP181SYX

[Allan]

Scott, the good thing about your work-around for poor quality tubes is it will still be of service when you get good tyres and tubes. It is shameful that you had a need for it in the first place.

Allan from down under.

[Pat Branigan Wisc]

I have a Milwaukee and it works well on all my tires some large and some hi pressure, I should of bought it years ago as it sure makes it easy in tight places. It has memory settings and auto shut off.

[haydonr]

I'm very happy with my 18v Dewalt.
It takes a while if starting from zero, but does a good job.

[mortier]

I bought a GOOLOO tire inflator off Amazon. It's worked well for the past year, including inflating my trailer tires to 80psi. The "Project Farm" guy on YouTube reviewed them.

https://youtu.be/kWNYjkh-JyI?si=VlJoNabtlzQmiDzr

[OilyBill]

Years ago, I bought a very cheap, cigarette lighter powered, tire inflater pump. I think it was $9.99 at Auto Zone. Since then, I have been in a battle of wills with it, using it and daring it to fail, which it NEVER HAS. It is tiny, buzzes and vibrates, but continues to operate, and has yet to break, which is what I am waiting for, before I throw it in the trash can. I WON"T throw it away if it still functions, and it WON'T fail, just to spite me. The fittings on it still screw securely on the valve stem, the cheap plastic hose STILL does not leak, and it STILL pumps up my tires. I have a much larger pancake compressor that I use, but I nearly always use the little plastic tire inflator pump for all my cars. I have even packed it in my motorcycle saddlebags for the trip to Milwaukee from Tucson, for the Harley celebrations. The piston must be the size of a pencil eraser, but as soon as I connect it, it starts pumping, and you can watch the needle climb right up, even on my high-pressure clincher tires. It is still accurate as well, the tiny plastic gauge on it indicating within a lb.or 2 of exactly what my expensive Jaguar Tire Guage shows when I check it after it's labors. When I am done with it, and I disconnect it from the tire I am using it on, it releases a little snorted "Pansey-ass!" at me as I coil up the tiny hose and wrap it back up in it's little velcro sack.

[michaelb2296]

Lmao.

I usually purchase things that allow me to use my lithium ion batteries anywhere. You’d be surprised how many aftermarket manufacturers use 20V Dewalt batteries in their tools!

I have a handheld leaf blower that looks like a drill but blows just as hard as any 56 Volt eco .. It just doesnt last very long.
Not a problem when you are blowing off the dust on your T,
Or, the cat pisses you off!

[Stephen_heatherly]

I have a Milwaukee tire inflator that uses the M12 cordless screwdriver batteries. I've had it for a few years and frequently use it on my model Ts with clincher tires as well as my truck. It works excellent, just takes a few minutes to air a tire back up if it's very low.

Stephen

[DanTreace]

I bought a GOOLOO tire inflator off Amazon. It's worked well for the past year, including inflating my trailer tires to 80psi. The "Project Farm" guy on YouTube reviewed them.

https://youtu.be/kWNYjkh-JyI?si=VlJoNabtlzQmiDzr

Thanks for that link, just ordered a Gooloo after following the video to the end conclusions, will be handy to take on tours, just in case of lost air.

[TXGOAT2]

Makita's website showed TSC as a dealer, so I went to TSC to buy one. They had none in stock, but could order one, sans battery and charger. They could NOT order the Makita kit with the inflator, battery, and charger. They did have a DeWalt 20 V unit in stock, and they had a battery and charger kit for it, in stock, and marked down $100.00. That brought my total cost to $319.00, well under the cost for the Makita outfit. The DeWalt unit will operate on 12 volt DC, 120 Volt AC, or its own battery. I've had good results with both Makita and DeWalt equipment. The discounted battery/charger kit appears to have a 2023 date, so it may or may not be a bargain, but so far it appears to be fully functional. FWIW, I bought an LiFe battery for an HD motorcycle about 3 years ago. It appeared to be 2019 production. So far, it still functions well.

[TXGOAT2]

It's not clear on the DeWalt inflator unit exactly where air drawn by the compressor enters the case, and no mention is made of an inlet air filter. It can be used sitting upright, or laid on its back so that the controls and gauges are readily visible. There are two sets of slots on the back side of the case. When the unit is operating, warm air comes out of one of them. The other one may admit cooling air for the motor, or inlet air for the compressor, or both. With the unit laid on its back, both these vents are very close to the ground or shop floor, where loose dust and debris are more commonly found than not. I think it would be a good idea to only run the unit, when laid on the back side, on a clean surface like a swept floor or a piece of clean material so that dust and debris would not be drawn into it.

[Steve Jelf]

I took to carrying a 12 volt battery in my 1915 just for the convenience of using an electric compressor for tires. In case that might go awry, for a backup I carried this:

Can it get a tire up to 70 psi? You may have to stop and rest a time or two, but yes, it can.