Whoa, where’d November go?! It’s high time I sat my butt down to write about Jeep stuff!
This month last year I wrote about several on-board air options, and I continue to love the compact on-board ARB air compressor I use. However, the accessories I’ve got for airing down and up need some improvement and on a recent trail run the trail boss gave me some excellent advice on better options for air (thanks, Gary!). So, here are some air accessories you may want to consider using on your next trail run, and *hint, hint* these would make some great stocking stuffers for those off-roaders on your holiday gift list!
For a couple years I’ve used this ARB Tire Inflator with Pressure Gauge for both deflating and inflating and it works. However, I have to sit at each tire and hold the gauge to check it periodically when airing down, until the appropriate tire pressure is reached. And for airing up? Sitting at each tire again, I’ve always held the handle down manually to air back up each tire – and by the 4th tire the hand cramp that occurs is no joke!! Well guess what? I learned that there are better ways to get that air where it’s supposed to go, and here are four suggestions!
Coyote Enterprises Tire Deflators – both the Staun Automatic Tyre Deflators and the Coyote Automatic Tire Deflators are worth a serious look for airing down. (Buy the Coyote version here). These allow you to set the desired air pressure (the pressure you want to air down to), plug them on, and walk away. They come in sets of four so you can air down all four tires at the same time, hands-free. They let air out until your desired / set air pressure is reached, and then they stop. What a genius idea, right?! You can spend the time at air-down looking at all the other cool rigs and planning your next mods, instead of holding your deflator gauge four times over!
My ARB Tire Inflator is still a good choice for airing back up, but I learned that I don’t have to sit there and hold the gauge - woo-hoo! I’ve now got a pack of this cut-to-length gear snake (wire twist tie) that I can twist around the inflator handle to hold it down.
This does require untwisting to check the air pressure periodically, but it’s better than sitting there holding the gauge til your hand cramps! I picked up the gear snake at Walmart, but other options are these gear ties at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Or, someone else on a trail run last year said they use a hair tie (elastic hair band) to wrap around the handle of their inflator so they don't have to hold it.
Bonus: use the gear ties to hold up your sway bar when it’s fully disconnected on a trail run! I’ve always just pulled the sway bar up and it’s stayed there during trail runs, but I learned that, with time, it can slip down more easily on trail and potentially cause damage. What to do? Use a gear tie to secure it in place at its highest position.
Friends of ours use the ARB Tire Deflator. It too allows a person to walk away during air-down, although it needs to be checked periodically as it doesn’t automatically stop at the desired air pressure. However, don’t walk too far away – this baby really lets the air out quickly!
What air accessories do you love? Comment below! Thanks again to trail boss Gary for the advice on these air options – I love learning new Jeep stuff on group trail runs!
Happy Holiday Trails to you all!