The hassle of getting air into your tyres

benjus

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

You use a bicycle pump for car tyres? Who are you, Arnie?

I inflate my car tyres to around 30 PSI, and my racing bicycle tyres to around 110 PSI... so I don't think strength is an issue.

Although of course car tyres do contain a lot more volume of air, so it would take longer.

droopsnoot

First off, have you checked that the valves are OK? I had some leaking valves on my classic which led to tyres going flat after a couple of weeks, popped into the local tyre place and they gave me a handful of new valves to try, even if you have to buy them, they won't be much.

Second, if you have a slightly porous alloy, or if there's a slight leak around the bead, you can get some sealant off eBay that you pour into the tyre, which is designed to seal small leaks of that kind. Again, I had trouble with two tyres on a classic I was selling, not worth fixing properly as the tyres were old and the new owner was fitting new ones on arrival, put some of this stuff in them and ran it up and down the road to distribute it, tyres were still at pressure when it arrived in Australia about two months later. I got a bottle for about £7.50, enough to do two tyres of the size I needed. Often sold for caravans.

philbostavros

My son had a leaky alloy on his Renault Scenic. Tried Kwick Fit who said we'd need to get wheel refurbished as they couldn't touch it (said it would probably cost £50 to £60).

Rang round a few tyre places and one of the local ones (not a national chain) quoted £10 to repair, which they did while we waited and been okay for the last 6 months.

paulsad

Or buy a new car from only £99 a month and extra £10 a month tyre cover.

zaax

worried_jim wrote: »

I have a leaking alloy so need to top up every week and would say over the last two years doing so has become more and more of a challenge.

The local Texaco used to have one of those free pumps with the gauge on them, could top up in seconds. They have now moved to a 50p payment, but never a queue. Would always do this on a Sunday morning and buy a paper- lost all my business now.

Tesco- also gone to 50p + there is always a queue for it, but you do get 5mins air so normally it is still going as the car in front of you finally moves off- unless he has done the same!

Sainsbury's- cheapest fuel and free air- can never get near the place it is so busy, could easily spend 10 mins queuing- to save 20p?

Texaco- on the way home from work- only 20p to use, but it does have a convenience shop so people do park in front of it, including local comedian/communist and radio 4 personality Mark Steel in his dented sky blue Volvo.

I swear getting air never used to be this much of a chore/expense. Rant over.

alloys corrode (not the best to use for wheel hubs). The rim needs grinding down. Take it to ATS or who ever and get the to do it.

Horizon81

If your legs/knees are OK then a foot pump would be the obvious cheap answer. They tend to break after a year or so but would do the job. Despite my dislike of Halfords I bought their yellow one for £20 or so which is dearer than the rest and feels better built, but only time will tell.

agrinnall

I've never had a footpump break, the one I'm using now is the one I bought when I returned to the UK in 1991 (no idea what I paid, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been anywhere near a current price of £20). While it's obviously possible that it might break the good thing is that it's entirely independent of anything on the car working, unlike the 12v pumps.

Avoriaz

Bettie wrote: »

I use a bicycle pump. good for the bingo wings!

BeenThroughItAll wrote: »

You use a bicycle pump for car tyres? Who are you, Arnie?...

I use a bicycle track pump for my car tyres.

I put 5 bar in my bike tyres.

Putting 2.2 bar in my car tyres takes longer because of the volume of air but is easily done in no more than maybe 20 to 30 seconds for topping up. That is a lot quicker than those little foot pumps and it provides useful exercise.

It cost me £17 but you can get a cheap one for about £5 to £8 that will be ok for up to 4 bar or so, which is fine for cars.

JustinR1979

What a random thread!

Norman_Castle

I had two part worn tyres fitted recently at a very small local tyre place. The fitter told me the alloys were corroded and spent a decent amount of time cleaning the inside of the rim with a wire brush in a drill. They wern't leaking with the old tyres but I expect the fitter was willing to do the job properly and avoid having me return with leaking tyres. Surely cleaning a corroded rim is standard practice when fitting a tyre.
Try a local independant. Avoid anywhere which charges for valves or compulsory hub cap realignment.