Pumps

[CyberCynth]

No, not plimsolls.... nor anything to do with water flow.

I'm hoping someone can give me a recommendation for a good, reliable and accurate footpump, not one of the manual variety, the go-and-have-a-cup-of-coffee-while-the-machine-does-all-the-work type. (Don't you just love automation?) I have a Halfords machine at the moment, but despite all its flatulent noises and St. Vitus' Dance actions, (just so you think it's working really hard) the pressure in the tyre remains stubbornly static. I decided to check the tyres at the filling station instead, only to find the measurements on the gauge there were of unrecognisable units, and as I didn't know how many doodle-flips there were in an 'ows-yer-father I left the filling station uninflated and somewhat bemused.

Any ideas? Or does anyone know why the filling station gauge doesn't just read in old money any more? Before anyone asks, yes, I did check the pressure figures, which are on a sticker on the door pillar, so I wasn't going in completely blind.

 

[RogerL]

Have a look at the Auto Express Best Tyre Compressor http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/89534/best-12v-tyre-air-compressors-for-your-car

I've got the previous version of the Ring featured there - it does "everything on the tin" including pumping the caravan tyres up to 65 psi - some compressors only go up to about 40psi.

The other units are probably Bar and kPa but I only do old school so stick to psi.

 

[JTQ]

Having been there I would forget the foot pump and buy a good quality track pump, like the Joe-blow Sport 11.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/topeak-joe-blow-sport-ii-track-pump/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&kpid=5360103024&sku=5360103024&ci_src"18615224&ci_sku=5360103024uk&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=All+Products&utm_medium=base&utm_content=sew7BVo1F_dc%7cpcrid%7c%7cpkw%7c%7cpmt%7c%7cprd%7c5360103024uk&dest=1&curr=GBP"

 

[Gozza]

Having been there I would forget the foot pump and buy a good quality track pump, like the Joe-blow Sport 11.

I've got the Halfords own brand version of that and I concur. Only one warning - make sure when you buy it that it's compatible with car-type valves as not all bicycle pumps are.

 

[ProfJohnL]

............ Or does anyone know why the filling station gauge doesn't just read in old money any more? Before anyone asks, yes, I did check the pressure figures, which are on a sticker on the door pillar, so I wasn't going in completely blind.

I have Michelin pump, with automatic shut of when the set pressure is reached. This seems to be a good one and comparatively quiet compared to my previous Halfords model which broke.

With regards the filling station gauge graduations, I'm not sure if you (or Roger L) noticed,but we are supposed to switched to metric fundamental units. All our national standards for calibration are configured to the SI system. So having grown up at the time when we used imperial FPS (Foot, Pound and second) basic unit and converted to CGS (Centimeter Gram and Second), and then again to the MKS, (Meter Kilogramme and Second) which was adopted as SI standard (System International) I have to think hard about which to use. So the reason the filling station has more than one set of units, is it needs SI units for calibration, and the other units for the traditionalists who don't, can't or won't start using the newer standards.

Despite supposedly having become a metric nations, there was so much negativity towards SI when it cams to pubs, so we retained the Pint measures, and the cost of changing all the road signs to Km was astronomical.

Incidentally Canada which traditionally was a British Colony used the UK Imperial system but partly because of its near neighbour the USA which used its own imperial system with increasing trade especially in the oil and gas industry found the discrepancies between UK and USA imperial systems caused much confusion, so there was a strong impetus, and did change completely in the 1970's

You should find that virtually all UK engineering and commercial dealings are now based on the SI system, even many of those with the USA, though I'm sure some contributors will find some exceptions to this.

 

[RogerL]

Official standards are one thing - common usage is something very different - no reason why the two can co-exist with consumers converting units where absolutely necessary.

The point is there's huge financial cost to publicly converting - but little financial benefit.

As far as tyre pressures go - I can set my gauge to whichever system I choose, one of the benefits of cheap Chinese electronics - if it ever needed calibration I'd just choose the official units, and then switch back afterwards.

Unlike many younger people who were ONLY taught metric at school, I was taught both and can still handle both when I need to - the PC brigade that says that we need to pander to those who can only handle one system need stopping !

 

[ProfJohnL]

..............The point is there's huge financial cost to publicly converting - but little financial benefit.................... the PC brigade that says that we need to pander to those who can only handle one system need stopping !

Merry Christmas Roger.

Using "Tradition" as the way to do something is an excuse for not properly evaluating the situation and settling on the best way to do something.

In so many cases traditions do not represent the best solution or reason, and so its right to question them. If after re-evaluation the 'tradition' is vindicated then all well and good, but at least the reasoning has been tested.

I agree the cost to convert all the public signage is huge, and it is questionable if its worth it , but from an industrial or commercial consideration there can be quite a considerable cost to not converting, which is why when dealing with international trade SI is the way to go.

 

[RogerL]

Show the real benefit and everyone will back it.

UK industry has been dealing with metric as well as Imperial since the '30s and it's done so well it was never an issue with the UK's original application to join the Common Market, now the EU.

I'm certainly not advocating Tradition fo tradition's sake but Change for change's sake is equally unacceptable.

As the saying goes "Change is inevitable, progress is optional"

 

[gary]

As far as little non-pumping electric piston type pumps are concerned, there is generally an oil hole somewhere and a couple of drops of 3in1 normally restores them.

I'll always remember 12yrs ago and the first time I came across Kpa, I was in China on business and asked the guy what pressure he was using to test at? xxxkpa....what?!! I'd never heard of kpa so completely flummoxed me.
I knew it must be metric and some division of a Bar but what? and then the Chinese don't know what a Bar is so then translation went totally to pot?!!!
Thank the good Lord for Google then, 1Bar = 100kpa so quickly converted to just over 50psi and far too much which is why I was asking the damn question in the first place. lol

 

[Gafferbill]

.........ATS who have depots nationwide (Trowbridge and Chippenham) will check and adjust your tyre pressures for free and any advice they give will be safety related.

 

[crazyguider]

OH has has real problems with foot pumps over the last couple of years. He had a GB made pump for years but it finally broke. Since then he's had a couple of Halfords models, which have come apart while being used; unsurprisingly these were NOT British made. He has trawled the internet looking for older British type, which he purchased and mackled together with some new parts. He now has an great foot pump, not some rubbish that falls apart after a little use.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

After going through several foot pumps from Argos and Halfords I eventually bought a 'Mitchelin' brand. The pump itself was more rugged but the nozzle was difficult to get on the car valve and sometimes wouldn't let air into the tyre. I replaced the nozzle with one from Halfords (rip off at £6). All is OK now and pumps up both car and van (60 psi).

 

[chrisbee1]

.........ATS who have depots nationwide (Trowbridge and Chippenham) will check and adjust your tyre pressures for free and any advice they give will be safety related.

Including "your shockers are leaking and need replacing" as happened to me. They weren't.

 

[Gafferbill]

Including "your shockers are leaking and need replacing" as happened to me. They weren't.

They weren't replaced even though they were leaking?hmy:

 

[CyberCynth]

After going through several foot pumps from Argos and Halfords I eventually bought a 'Mitchelin' brand. The pump itself was more rugged but the nozzle was difficult to get on the car valve and sometimes wouldn't let air into the tyre. I replaced the nozzle with one from Halfords (rip off at £6). All is OK now and pumps up both car and van (60 psi).

I was looking at the Michelin pumps online yesterday actually. How difficult is it to change the nozzle, if required? Is it some thing I'm going to be able to do myself, given my scant range of tools?

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

After going through several foot pumps from Argos and Halfords I eventually bought a 'Mitchelin' brand. The pump itself was more rugged but the nozzle was difficult to get on the car valve and sometimes wouldn't let air into the tyre. I replaced the nozzle with one from Halfords (rip off at £6). All is OK now and pumps up both car and van (60 psi).

I was looking at the Michelin pumps online yesterday actually. How difficult is it to change the nozzle, if required? Is it some thing I'm going to be able to do myself, given my scant range of tools?

Tools required - 1x knife to cut the rubber tube to remove old nozzle, and 1x screwdriver to tighten up jubilee clip over new nozzle. Simples. The jubilee clip comes with the replacement nozzle.

 

[CyberCynth]

Have a look at the Auto Express Best Tyre Compressor http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/89534/best-12v-tyre-air-compressors-for-your-car

I've got the previous version of the Ring featured there - it does "everything on the tin" including pumping the caravan tyres up to 65 psi - some compressors only go up to about 40psi.

The other units are probably Bar and kPa but I only do old school so stick to psi.

Have just looked on your recommended site; have never heard of the Ring, but seems like a good buy for the money? Especially if the nozzle actually works, and doesn't need changing! Thanks, Roger.

 

[CyberCynth]

After going through several foot pumps from Argos and Halfords I eventually bought a 'Mitchelin' brand. The pump itself was more rugged but the nozzle was difficult to get on the car valve and sometimes wouldn't let air into the tyre. I replaced the nozzle with one from Halfords (rip off at £6). All is OK now and pumps up both car and van (60 psi).

I was looking at the Michelin pumps online yesterday actually. How difficult is it to change the nozzle, if required? Is it some thing I'm going to be able to do myself, given my scant range of tools?

Tools required - 1x knife to cut the rubber tube to remove old nozzle, and 1x screwdriver to tighten up jubilee clip over new nozzle. Simples. The jubilee clip comes with the replacement nozzle.

Thanks for that, but to be honest, if I'm paying over thirty quid for a product I don't want to be faffing about changing nozzles (especially at £6 a go!) at a time when I've got a few other things to be doing, too! Think I'll plump for the 'Ring' that Roger posted about. Anyone know what the life expectancy is for any of these products? Admittedly, my current Halfords model is probably 10 years old now, and is definitely past it.

 

[RogerL]

Ring is a long-standing manufacturer of electrical products, from China/Korea - their early quality (20-30 years ago) was low but now they're as good as the European brands like Bosch, whose quality has dropped a little over a similar timescale.

 

[Craigyoung]

Asda / morrisons filling station , 20p for 3 minutes off air , tap in pressure you require , auto shut off when your at your desired pressure . Sorted !

 

[RogerL]

The problem with using any garage or supermarket is that your tyres are hot/warm when you get there - certainly not cold like they need to be to adjust pressures properly.

You can of course over-inflate by, say 5psi, at the garage/supermarket and then adjust next day before using the car - but that does require you to have your own pressure gauge, or pump with one built-in.

 

[chrisbee1]

Including "your shockers are leaking and need replacing" as happened to me. They weren't.

They weren't replaced even though they were leaking?hmy:

Er no, they weren't replaced because they weren't leaking.