# Air for Tyres WARNING



## Wanderwagon3 (May 27, 2005)

Today I went to local "BP" garage. Paid an enormous sum to brim my tank and moved to the AIR machine . It was a newly installed "BP" machine and air cost 40 pence(previous machine was 20p) HOWEVER>>>>the machine would not deliver more than 60 psi and my rears need 65.psi.

There must be many more in the Motorhome Facts Group who also need more than 60 psi,

Check or bypass BP......the manager refused to refund my 40 p... a friend who works there went to ask for it .

Fortunately a nearby garage supplies air free to well over 60psi.

Hope this of use to some.
Ken.........with Wanderwagon 3


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

It's worth noting that UK is not the only place where you can't always blow up van tyres to the pressure you want.

We fed several euros into a French machine last trip and we only wanted it to produce 55 psi. It would do a maximum of 45 psi

Be aware of this too if you are buying a tyre inflator to take with you. It's very hard to get a manufacturer to guarantee that it will reach these higher pressures. The blurb usually tells you what it will measure, not what it will inflate to. Most are designed for cars.

G


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Air machines*

Hi

Well at 40p that is cheap compared to Road Chef/Maidstone services on the M20. It cost me a pound a go - and it took several goes.

Read about it here.

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-42948.html

Top marks though to ATS in Oswestry who checked my tyres free of charge last week.

Russell


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

My truck runs 95 psi at the rear and 100 psi in front. No idea where I can check them in the Uk, but I seem to remember the " gonflage" stations on autoroutes go up to 6 bar.


Now, the only problem is, I dont live in France, and I have no idea what bars are in real money.  8O


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## mickyc (Jan 20, 2006)

1 Bar is about 15psi :wink:


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## 107088 (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks for that 

2 bars at the back, and 2 and a bit in the front. 

sounds like a pub...... :wink:


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi 

All garages we have been to only have the air pumps that go up to 60psi. We have now got a compressor set up at our sons house so when we see them two or three times a year we do the tyre pressures. The tyres do not seem to loose a lot of pressure over this amount of time. 

steve & ann. ------------- teensvan.


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

bandaid said:


> Thanks for that
> 
> 2 bars at the back, and 2 and a bit in the front.
> 
> sounds like a pub...... :wink:


6.5 & 7.0 surely ????


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Wanderwagon3 said:


> Today I went to local "BP" garage. Paid an enormous sum to brim my tank and moved to the AIR machine . It was a newly installed "BP" machine and air cost 40 pence(previous machine was 20p) HOWEVER>>>>the machine would not deliver more than 60 psi and my rears need 65.psi.
> 
> There must be many more in the Motorhome Facts Group who also need more than 60 psi,
> 
> ...


 Hi,
To blow tyres up to any decent high pressure, you would be better going to the truck side of any service station. Not all have air, but most on the motorway system do! 8)


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tyre pressures.*

Hi

I have always found a machine that will do the required pressure - at a price. The machine in the truck service area at Road Chef Maidstone was identical to the car one, and yes, it was also £1 per go. It must be added that the air pipe was no longer than the one in the car area - so how a fifty foot truck deals with that...

Russell


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi,

after I bought my van I learned rather quickly (and the hard way) that not all air machines at petrol stations have sufficient pressure for it. The rear tyres take 5.5 bar (80 psi). This depends on the compressor they use and is not dependent on the brand name of the oil company. 

So I have made 3 decisions:
1. I have bought a foot pump that can go up to 10 bar. 
2. If possible, at petrol stations I use the air supply at the truck section. This is guaranteed to be sufficient.
3. If I have to pay for air, then I only do it if I have the confirmation from the staff that their machine delivers sufficient pressure, and otherwise can have my money back.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## teckie (Feb 25, 2007)

Few weeks ago I bought from NETTO a 12volt pump that claims to blow a tyre up to 250psi for only £3.99... thought it was great value if needed in emergency :lol: 

Teckie


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## Bagshanty (Jul 24, 2005)

*portable pumps*

I have been carrying and using these portable inflators for years, easily reaching 75 psi. Wouldn't inflate any other way. You pay more for quicker inflation, and this is important because they run HOT. Mostly they advise no more than 10 minutes use then resting it for an hour to cool down, so the more air you can get in in that 10 minutes the better. Big tyres at 75 psi take a lot of air


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

You can thank Health & Safety for the 60psi at fuel stations, nearly all of them will be the same. If you put 60psi in a an average car tyre it should be ok, put 85psi in and it could well go bang!

Just as easy to pop along to an ATS, ETC. truck tyre centre as they will be able to sort you out most of the time for free.

One thing to be careful with, dont rely on the pressure gagues to be accurate a fuel stations. I have a calibrated one and check them with my car and very few are accurate many are 4/5 psi out.

Richard...


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## AndrewandShirley (Oct 13, 2007)

*Air Pressure*

I pump mine up by hand using my Road bike pump.

My road bike tyres needs 100-110 psi and that guage is fairly accurate.

I also use it to pump up the rear suspension.

Its a bit of work but at £15 or less from Lidl it works for me.


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## dcmo (May 19, 2005)

Apologies, mods, if this is too off-topic but it is related!

I just had to get 4 new tyres for my car and bought at Costco (1 week before their £20 off when you buy 4 deal but that's another story :roll: )

Anyway - they have a big sign saying their tyres are filled with nitrogen and I now have green valve caps 8) 

I didn't think to ask at the time but if/when I need to top up, can I just add air as usual? I assume I can as air is mostly N anyway, but I'm sure you clever folk can advise. 


:wink:


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## bikemad99 (Aug 17, 2006)

I have never checked my own tyre pressures as the main tyre suppliers,Kwik fit & National for sure, give free safety checks,both tread depth & pressures. Just pull in and ask.
Reg.


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## 108717 (Dec 12, 2007)

My father bought me a high quality push on tyre pressure guage for christmas some years ago. It's calibrated with a laser from Mars, runs on kryptonite and is built by someone in a brown nylon coat with a beard.....you get the picture. What it has taught me is to never trust the readout at many airline points. They're supposed to be regularly calibrated but having once inflated then drove home on tyres Fred Flintstone's would be proud of, I checked them and was horrified that I'd put in enough for me to float should I encounter a flood. I don't trust them much these days. Good little gizmo. Bless me Dad!


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## THEPOET (May 1, 2007)

Hi,

Nobody has mentioned Tesco's yet. My local Tesco garage has an air machine that goes past 70psi. It has a digital readout. Have seen the same type of machines at other Tesco stores.

Pete


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## Velvettones (Jul 31, 2007)

asda in sutton thinks that theres wont go past 30 - i know i asked

i think they are wrong but with such a low estimate i wasn't taking the risk


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## 108717 (Dec 12, 2007)

is 20p/40p classed as a risk? I'm giving up self employment based on this principle.


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