Small (for tires etc) air compressor

[ning]

My toy air compressor, probably bought at KMart, seems to be unable to get my truck's tires above 45psi any more... not that they ever gave me 50psi in less than 20 minutes or so (35" tires).

Are there any decent small air compressors for tire filling? 50 is all I need (right now, at least), but I'd like some decent flow as my tires are a decent size. I don't need to fill bike tires (have hand pumps) or balls, just car, truck and trailer tires.

I don't (yet) have any air tools, and rather doubt I'll be getting some any time soon.

Bonus points if they don't have a price tag indicating being plated in gold or diamonds...

 

[boggen]

time to play your luck and winning the lottery it would seem!

if all ya doing is filling tires. a little plug in 12v unit that goes into cigarette lighter most likely good enough. "slow" but they work. make sure it has a "oh whatch me call its" that hook / lock onto tire valve stem , so you can just set pressure on regulator and walk away for a few minutes.

most of the cheap little 110v small units are all air cooled with a little fan on them. try not to let the compressor run for a long time (running air tools, paint tools, etc...) if you due more likely the heat build up will cause the unit issues. its not the motor but the pump portion of the air compressor that is issue. (compressing air/gas creates heat)

most of all the small little units. all have the same junk in them. (small and cheap) and designed for quick short term useage. and it will be doubtful you will be able to get parts. (been there done that)

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if you are DIY'er as in changing / sharping blades on mower, swapping out tires, an impact wrench air gun. see about min 90PSI prefer up to 120PSI or higher PSI the better.

if you deal with a lot of crud on the tractor as in plugging up the radiator and oil coolers. having more tank capacity as in 10 plus gallons can be beneficial. 90 PSI good, just more tank capacity, to deal with a blow gun.

the 5 gallon units can run an air gun nailer or stapler just fine.

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be careful of the cheap quick connects on the hoses and attachments that may come with it. i have always ended up going out and having to buy new ends within a few uses due to the quick connects pull off of a hose or jam up completely and will no longer connect.

 

[rustydollar]

Covert an old AC or fridge compressor like this fellow on Make it Extreme did.

 

[Bird]

When we were full time RVers, the RVs had generators so I carried a 2 gallon, 100 psi, oilless compressor from Sears (made by DeVilbiss). It worked great for airing up tires, blowing dust out of things, and such. As Ryan (Boggen) said above, you don't want to let one of the oilless run too long at a time.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Just a small cheapie "pancake" style compressor is all you really need to air up tires, especially if you're not driving any big demand air tools. My little pancake compressor can air up my truck tires to 80 psi in a couple minutes.

 

[Diamondpilot]

A little $50 unit from Menards has done the job at my daughters.

 

[ray66v]

This is the smallest, cheapest compressor I can recommend:

Sears.com

I own one.

They sometimes go on sale for $89.

It's light, so it's easy to carry. Which is why I retired my other portable.

Oil lubed. And, though not quiet, not real loud either.

 

[fidowanttobe]

This is mine and I like it a lot. Not too loud and is much easier to carry than a pancake style. Used it a lot and if it died, I'd buy another. Direct drive but DOES require oil.

 

[LD48750]

Harbor Freight has a 3gal 100psi unit that is only $40 with coupon that you can get online.

Pancake or hot dog

 

[George2615]

As mentioned, many places sell a small compressor that will pump up your tires for well less than $100.
Home Depot, Lowes, HF, Menards, Tractor Supply, etc.
Wish you were closer as I have a used one for sale. Wouldn't be feasible to ship across country.

 

[jwstewar]

This is mine and I like it a lot. Not too loud and is much easier to carry than a pancake style. Used it a lot and if it died, I'd buy another. Direct drive but DOES require oil. View attachment 511658

I have/had one of these. I miss it. I still have it and it still works, but it won't build up more than 45 PSI any more, so it constantly runs.

 

[davesl708]

I bought a Husky 8 gal. unit from HD. Just for tires, nailer and spray gun. Used it for maybe eight hours of run time over three years. The diaphram check valve in the head failed. Fatigued at the screws. You cannot buy the CV you have to buy the whole top end. About the cost of a new unit. Made a new CV out of a flexible drywall knife blade. Works like a charm.

I would not buy another one. Very loud and slow to recover.

 

[Diamondpilot]

My buddy is a go-cart racer and they all run California Tools Compressors. $140 and $100 on Amazon.

Reason they run them is they will run off a Honda 2000 generator and are so quite you actually hear the Generator over the Compressor.

The model they run is the CAT-5510SE and the CAT-1P1060S

 

[scdeerslayer]

Are you looking for a 12v compressor to keep in the truck? If so, look at Viair. After being disappointed with several other 12v compressors I bought a Viair that came with a nice carry bag and have been happy with it the couple of times I've needed it.

 

[ning]

Are you looking for a 12v compressor to keep in the truck? If so, look at Viair. After being disappointed with several other 12v compressors I bought a Viair that came with a nice carry bag and have been happy with it the couple of times I've needed it.

Mostly just looking for something to fill up tires when at home. Truck only very occasionally does very mild trail work and I don't change pressure for that, and carry a spare that I keep pressured properly so hopefully I don't need to air up out on the road.

The California Toss compressors are tempting with their quiet, though the reviews on amazon are pretty mixed between what looks like people doing immediately post-purchase reviews and people who've had them catch fire or otherwise die on them...

 

[WM75Guy]

I bought a Campbell Hausfeld Quiet Air Compressor, 6 Gallon Pancake, Half the Noise, 4X Life, All the Power (DC060500) from Amazon for $179. It is very quiet and goes up to 125 psi. Since my pickup and trailer tires take 80 psi it works well.