Summer is upon us, and my family typically uses the heck out of our Arctic Fox 811 truck camper during the warmer months.

My F350 isn't my daily driver, but I do use it enough between the weekends that I typically unload the camper between trips. And when the truck is empty, I cannot tolerate the horrendous ride quality if I keep the tires up at 80psi -- max pressure for carrying the camper.

As stupid as it sounds, my least favorite part of camping preparation is the time it takes to inflate my tires up to 80psi before every trip. I have a compressor in my garage with a 22 gallon tank which is kept between 130-150psi, and a standard (fairly high quality) 1/4" rubber hose. Between all 4 tires, I spend 15-20 minutes inflating tires up to 80psi. When the truck is empty, I keep the fronts around 55, and the rears around 40. This is what I've found to provide a reasonable ride quality and good tire wear.

So I'm looking for some input from this crowd regarding ways by which I might be able to cut down on the time it takes to inflate tires to high pressure. Would it help if I stepped up to a larger diameter hose? I've seen tire stores inflate tires from zero to 80psi in MUCH less time than it takes me at home. In order to do this, I'm thinking they run larger diameter hoses? Or their pressurized tank is kept at MUCH high pressure than what I'm using at home? Or both?

Anyway, just looking for some advice.

TIA

 

Buy a better compressor, compressors are rated not only by psi, but by scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) at a given pressure. Your small compressor is probably low, you need to get one that puts out more volume, not just pressure. Plus it will let you power more air tools. And yes, it could be your hose, think straw versus garden hose, but that will only matter if your compressor can keep up.

 

It's your hose. My Dad has a handy little tire inflater/gauge/air chuck, that is very slow when airing up tires as it has a 1/4" hose on it. That is major restriction in volume. Pull that thing off he has an put a regular air chuck on the 3/8" line from the compressor and tires air up much quicker. It's just that you have to use a separate tire gauge instead of the one made in the thing he has.

 

go to a gas station with the Large air compressor.. not the ones you put money into..


I have an Ingersoll-Rand...Ss3L3... 60 gallon, continuous duty. and set at 150psi.


like engines.. No replacement for displacement.

 

I have an 01 F350 and once I air up to 80 psi for my 5th wheel....I leave the air pressure alone....and my ride is not too bad.

 

What size (diameter) hose do you have for your Ingersoll Rand?
I'm definitely looking to get a bigger/better compressor when my current one gives up the ghost.

 

With air compressors, a bigger hose is always better for function, but may not be as convenient. 1/2" hose makes a world of difference running air tools when compared to a 3/8" hose. Just be sure you are using connectors that don't cut down the volume. Truck shops have a 3/4" hose to run their 1" impacts for changing tires, but that would be very unhandy to use on a 1/2" impact or cut-off grinder.

 

A 3/8 or 1/2 inch hose will help a lot. A 22 gallon compressor should be adequate for tires.

 

Look for the Megaflow high flow quick disconnects. The larger diameter through hole in the fittings helps. Upgrade to 1/2 inch ID hose. That helped me a bunch with air inflation and better action from my air tools. I purchased the hose bulk and made my own. The hose and fittings all USA. You probably need to upgrade the compressor too?

These are the good ones. Just push to connect and pull back on the collar to release. Katz Azz.

1101...1/4" connector Male NPT
1102...1/4" connector Female NPT
110...1/4" coupler Male NPT
112...1/4" coupler Female NPT

JTS Machinery & Supply Co.

Amazon has them too. Google the part numbers, 1101, 1102 etc...

 

3/8 inch and I also use 650 foot pound impact wrench..

and You can find good USED ones.. not easy but available...

I got mine as a 1 year old... He was in a divorce case
I gave 300... a couple of years ago.
then sold my Craftsman 33 gallon oil-less for 100.

 

Change that to 3/8, or bigger and you have a better chance.
I have a 5 HP, 220 volt, 2 stage compressor, needed for more CFM and a 60 gallon tank.
Still considered small but it does everything I need.

 

Good info here, guys. Thanks for the input.

 

The above listed part numbers will provide sufficient CFMs for 1/2" and down air hammers and decent tire filling rates. 3/4" drive and above you need to move up to the larger fittings and hose anyway. Remember it all bottle necks down to the schrader valve/stem size and the air chuck its self. Thats where the restriction is. OP definitely needs to step up to larger equipment to take advantage of larger CFM ratings. But your still gona be limited by the schrader valve/stem and the air chuck.

 

What you say makes sense - the Schrader valve being the greatest bottle neck. But my tire shop can completely fill my 285 tire from empty to 80 psi in about 60s, or maybe 90s. I couldn't do that in less than 4-5 minutes. So obviously it's an equipment difference upstream of the Schrader valve.

 

It drove me crazy checking and filling up all 8 tires so I made one of these so I can do 2 at a time and they balance out so the pair are identical which helps my self diagnosed OCD. It does take a bit of time but I am doing other things at the same time as my small portable compressor just chugs away

Multi tasking makes it easier for me to handle.