Tire Inflator Hacks (1 Viewer)

[TeCKis300]

I know many of us have on board air systems. There's probably a lot of good air hose and tire inflator hacks out there that would be great to see. Here's a start of a thread to share.

My OBA is pretty basic with install documented here

LX gets Onboard Air

Not completely done yet, but here's a sneak peak of the onboard air project for my LX. Different take than the usual beastly dual-arb underhood. My original intent was just to get a portable Viair unit with gater clamps. Thing is, the LX has engine bay covers EVERYWHERE, even over the...

forum.ih8mud.com

I use a standard manual inflator and hose. Both of which fit great where the jack is to the side. I put the inflator in first pretty deep in the cavity. Then coil the air hose in large loops so the first aid kid fits within the coil.

Another hack that I use is a two tire air hose splitter. I can optionally use this with my standard inflator, and allows me to fill two tires on a single axle simultaneously to equal pressures. There's some cool four tire manifolds with auto-shutoff out there, but as I commonly use different pressure between the front and rear axle, this serves me better. This splitter also works as a 10' air hose extension to allow me to reach buddies or my camper tires.

If anyone is looking for some great locking air chucks, these are worth every penny
Amazon product ASIN B01938M8MW

 

[grinchy]

Homemade 4 tire inflator. Cost about $100. Very easy to make using push to connect tubing. Takes less space than my old 25 ft single hose. The chucks are closed, so works for any number of tires zero to 4. Also works for stand up paddle board and bicycle tires. It sounds and looks fiddly, but definitely faster than one tire at a time. Lots of redundancy as well, if you care about that.

link to bill of materials

Builds - The Guzzler - 2009 LX570

Backpacking in the Mt baker wilderness this weekend. Still early season. First ones in. Glissading fun was had. Lots of 4L but not hard trails, just steep.

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[grinchy]

dupe

 

[ATwoZ]

I picked up the premade MORRFlate system, in hindsight would probably build my own, but pretty solid. Looks like I got the same digital gauge from them as you have @grinchy

Even if DIY I really like the flexzilla hose as it doesn't have any memory to it

About MORRFlate • MORRFlate

morrflate.com

 

[g1701gst]

I thought the MORRFlate was a little overpriced and I had an Amazon gift card so I decided to go the DIY route. I'm happy with my end result but no longer think the Morrflate is overpriced. I spent a little over $300. I wasn't satisfied with a few cheaper parts I originally tried like the barbed tees and 4-way threaded tee. I ended up going overkill on my connections. It is all field serviceable and modular.

Parts list:

QTY	Price	Subtotal	Item	Link	Notes
2	$16.99	$33.98	Metalwork 304 SS Tee 1/4" NPT Female	Amazon product ASIN B07DT8GCMW	Much cheaper options are available. I am sure Stainless Steel was necessary
10 - 14	$4.83	$48.30	Flexzilla Pro 1/4" Reusable Fitting - RP900250	Amazon product ASIN B009TCDKXY	Reusable and no special tools. I only needed 10 since the hoses I bought came with 4 already.
2	$19.98	$39.96	Flexzilla Pro Air Hose, 1/4 in. x 25 ft. - HFZP1425YW2	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008BT2SIY/	Other lengths might be more economical but more end fittings would be needed. 50 total feet are needed.
1	$44.50	$44.50	Flexzilla 3-Way Manifold 1/4 in. NPT - A86666FZ	https://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Manufacturing-A86666FZ-Flexzilla-Manifold/dp/B07PFDRHNM/	FYI this manifold is 3/8 FNPT. Many cheaper options are available.
1	$37.50	$37.50	Flexzilla Pro High Flow Coupler & Plug Kit (14 Piece), 1/4" NPT - A53458FZ	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CK42B32/	Much cheaper options are available but this gave me spare parts and the hi-flow quick connectors I like. What is actually needed are 3 1/4" FNPT plugs and a coupler for however you want to connect to your compressor.
4	$12.23	$48.92	Haltec H-5265 Standard Bore Lock-On Air Chuck	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01938M8MW/	Very secure closed type chuck.
1	$12.97	$12.97	MEASUREMAN 2-1/2inch, 0-60psi, 1/4inchNPT Lower Mount, SS Case	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TQNC85G/	Glycerin Filled, why not? I prefer a simple analog gauge.
1	$9.99	$9.99	3/8" Mini Ball Valve NPT FxM Thread	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IEUE7WY/	If you use a different manifold, smaller threading may be needed
1	$14.50	$14.50	Nitto Kohki Hi Cupla 20SF-NPT Quick Connect , 1/4" FNPT	https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079J4JDNJ/	This fitting is to connect to my Ironman Air Champ Pro Compressor, I think most other compressors use a more standard fitting.
		$290.62	Just over $313 with tax	https://www.jbtools.com/ is another source for the Flexzilla parts	Total weight: 7lbs

Short whip to connect to my compressor:

One half. I really like the clean look with this threaded stainless steel tee:

The bag I already had:

Cheaper parts I ended up not using:

This video gave me some ideas and explained the build options well. Skip the inflation/deflation timing sections, I didn't find that info useful.

DIY 4-Way Tire Quick Inflate/Deflate System for Off-Road Tires

Welcome back to the Gator Overland Channel. In today"s video I explain the fundamentals and advantages of inflating and deflating your tires to maximize your...

youtu.be

 

[1world1love]

I have the Morflate as well and I really like it. It is expensive, but like @g1701gst I started pricing out components and factoring in my time and decided that it may not save much in the end. I really like the Flexzilla components. Nothing cheap there.

I used the same materials as @grinchy for running my plumbing in the truck (ie from the engine bay to the tailgate where my quick connect is) and that has worked out great. The only thing I would be concerned about with using it in a 4-way kit is that I find that I am pretty rough on the morflate. I am tossing it around the swingouts and occasionally tripping on it and it is constantly in mud, dirt, and rock. I wonder how those compression fittings will hold up in the long run.

 

[CharlieS]

I made my own based on instruction here too. I don't think I saved much over the morflate, but they had long lead times when I was looking. I also used flexzilla hose and components and it is good stuff. Only bummer is that digital guage shuts off mid inflation and you have to wake it up.

A guy I met at an event this summer had a system that shut itself off when it hit a preset pressure (inflating or deflating) - so clever.

 

[1world1love]

I made my own based on instruction here too. I don't think I saved much over the morflate, but they had long lead times when I was looking. I also used flexzilla hose and components and it is good stuff. Only bummer is that digital guage shuts off mid inflation and you have to wake it up.

A guy I met at an event this summer had a system that shut itself off when it hit a preset pressure (inflating or deflating) - so clever.

Yeah, it would be cool to have an inline pressure switch. More so for deflation. I have a set of Staun and Coyote deflators and they both seem sensitive to temperature. I end up having to babysit them and it is almost more convenient to get the morflate out. At least then they are all equalized.

 

[TeCKis300]

Yeah, it would be cool to have an inline pressure switch. More so for deflation. I have a set of Staun and Coyote deflators and they both seem sensitive to temperature. I end up having to babysit them and it is almost more convenient to get the morflate out. At least then they are all equalized.

For deflator, I've changed out my Staun automatic style deflator to captive valve core removal tools like the ARB linked. I find them quicker, more accurate, and easier to adjust for different off-road venues.

Amazon product ASIN B004LQCDOA

 

[CharlieS]

As I mentioned above, I made a moreflate type rig. It works well - so well that I was airing up after a ride yesterday, and it only took a few seconds longer than a guy with a Powertank type CO2 inflation rig. That surprised me. I have an ARB style deflator that works too, but it takes a lot of time. I like that this four way setup gives me the same pressure in all tires, and I can monitor it from one place. Funny side note, i was in Qatar for work and went on a desert "dune bashing" ride with a guide driving a land cruiser 200 series. This guy does this kind of stuff daily or at least almost daily. He just unscrewed the valve cores and let them deflate with no gauge or anything. I was kind of shocked. At the end of the trip, he pulled up to a giant tire filling rig and the employees refilled his tires (I didn't see a pressure gauge in sight, but maybe they have a built in one?). Just a bit of a contrast to how meticulous some of the folks on this board are (myself included).