Exploding tires?

[Kubla]

my current bus has hydraulic brakes, no compressed air.

[family wagon]

I picked up a few lock-on air chucks not for safety but for laziness. I set the pressure regulator on the wall at whatever pressure I want, then I use a multi-outlet adapter and several hoses to connect as many tires as possible at the same time. Then I go find something else to do. The tires reach the final pressure a little more slowly than they otherwise would, but they do get there and with minimal time on my part spent squatting by each tire. They also end up with pressure equalized among them.

Those lock-on chucks also come in handy when I un-seat a tire bead on the hand truck or the skid loader: with it clipped to the valve stem both my hands are free to wrangle the tire until the bead re-seats.

[cadillackid]

Yes I totally get clip on air chicks.. but where do commercial drivers stand? Where are you supposed to stand? Is there danger standing in front of the tire?
The set it and walk away would work for being in Ohio as I have a nice compressor on wheels..

Interesting kubla that you have no air, my redbyrd has hydraulic brakes but still has air. Goes again to show how many configurations these busses could be ordered with.
Christopher

[Deezl Smoke]

Unfortunately there are not that many commercial drivers left that know how to, or want to, check tire pressure any more. But everyone that is fearful of these tires exploding is right to be so. It has little to do with tire manufacturers, and a lot to do with owner maintenance. A tire that is run low and over heated, will break down in structure yet go unchanged in appearance. Filling a tire like this CAN be lethal.

This is where the hammer or bat comes in. At each stop or each rest area anyway, if you walk around the bus and swat the tires with a bat or club or hammer etc. you can at least find out if you have one getting low enough that action must be taken right away to avoid ruining a tire.

If you have a tire repaired or purchased and installed at a tire shop, before leaving, always look to be sure they located the inside dual valve stem so it can be accessed thru the opposing wheel hole 180 degrees from the outer dual. Dont leave until this is corrected if they mess it up. Tire shops are like any other shop now days, help turn over is weekly.

The air fillers with a hose out from the gauge are worth the pita to use IF you buy a good quality one. The cheap harbor freight ones are not worth the packaging they are in. I have one as well as a good one so I can say that with confidence. Harbor freight has a lot of great stuff, but not the tire filler with the clip on and extension hose. Yet. Maybe someday they will improve it.

Standing in front of the tire for the front and outside rear is the worst place to stand. It's better to loose an arm that to loose your head,....literally. So if you are going to use a straight chuck and manhandle it, squat or stand off to the side and push the chuck on with your arm crossing the tire. On the farm trucks, I put down a foam knee pad to kneel on and kneel off to the side when adding air. That does not guaranty me anything, but I feel better making some effort.

IMO

[cadillackid]

so please tell me where to buy the RIGHT tool for the job... I can search online and find a zillion tire inflators...

as for a Bat.. what does the bat 'DO' when a tire is under inflated? does it bounce more, less, sound like a thud instead of a basketball?

ive actually thought about putting a TPMS system in.. or having one put in (inside sensors).. but many tell me they are worthless so I havent done it.

my MAIN interest in reviving this thread is knowing WHAT to buy and WHERE to buy it... as many know here im not looking for the cheap solutions.. I like to do things in a manner that works the best.. alas thats why I put 6 brand new tires on the DEV and probably will on redbyrd too..

I definitely did make sure on DEV that the long valve stems were installed on my duals and that I could access them.
-Christopher

[DoubleO7]

The bat thing depends on your ability to remember (next time) what it sounded like after you inflated to the desired pressure.

[Versatile]

Do not ever apply heat to a wheel or lug nuts. !!!

[family wagon]

I don't know if you'll find a tire expert who also drives a truck..

At the end of the day you're looking for a widget with a tire chuck style you like, a length of hose you like, a pressure gauge that can be trusted, and a pair of valves for adding or bleeding off air. "Right" could be different for different people because there are several aspects of preference to it.

For my own use, it's a Harbor Freight unit like this except that I've put on one of the locking chucks linked earlier rather than the dual-foot thing it came with.

[Deezl Smoke]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

so please tell me where to buy the RIGHT tool for the job... I can search online and find a zillion tire inflators...

as for a Bat.. what does the bat 'DO' when a tire is under inflated? does it bounce more, less, sound like a thud instead of a basketball?

ive actually thought about putting a TPMS system in.. or having one put in (inside sensors).. but many tell me they are worthless so I havent done it.

my MAIN interest in reviving this thread is knowing WHAT to buy and WHERE to buy it... as many know here im not looking for the cheap solutions.. I like to do things in a manner that works the best.. alas thats why I put 6 brand new tires on the DEV and probably will on redbyrd too..

I definitely did make sure on DEV that the long valve stems were installed on my duals and that I could access them.
-Christopher

Here's but one of the many good inflation tools.

Try for the made in USA label when possible as they generally have no place to go when quality lacks. Over seas made stuff can be fine, but if quality lacks, good luck.

The bat or stick etc., gives the handler feed back. Buy one. Buy a small bat or find a good heavy stick that you can label and keep in your rig. Then make sure your tires are inflated properly and go around and give each tire a good wack. You'll feel and hear what a properly inflated tire feels like and sounds like. The bat or stick will bounce back quick and the sound will be relatively high pitch compared to a near flat tire. Near flat or way underinflated will give slower bounce back and a lower thud sound.
To get used to it, each time you walk by the bus even if it is just sitting with no where to go, get the stick and have a go round the bus to get your ear and hand used to the feel and sound. If you wish, let some air out of a tire and give it a good wack to tune your feel. Of course air it back up when done.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Deezl Smoke

Here's but one of the many good inflation tools.

Try for the made in USA label when possible as they generally have no place to go when quality lacks. Over seas made stuff can be fine, but if quality lacks, good luck.

The bat or stick etc., gives the handler feed back. Buy one. Buy a small bat or find a good heavy stick that you can label and keep in your rig. Then make sure your tires are inflated properly and go around and give each tire a good wack. You'll feel and hear what a properly inflated tire feels like and sounds like. The bat or stick will bounce back quick and the sound will be relatively high pitch compared to a near flat tire. Near flat or way underinflated will give slower bounce back and a lower thud sound.
To get used to it, each time you walk by the bus even if it is just sitting with no where to go, get the stick and have a go round the bus to get your ear and hand used to the feel and sound. If you wish, let some air out of a tire and give it a good wack to tune your feel. Of course air it back up when done.

that my friend is Exactly what I was looking for! perfect.. ordered and on the way..

the long hose is what I was interested in.. most of the ones i was finding were 12 or 14" hose..

-Christopher

[GreyCoyote]

Just for grins, I asked a friend to deflate a tire for me. We did this blind. When I got home I grabbed the aluminum bat I keep in the bus (used for self-defense, impromptu ball games, precision fuel injection adjustments, etc) and went tire thumping to try to find the low one. It didnt work. I figured he forgot to do it, so I went around the bus twice more thumping and whumping to see if that was the case. Still no dice.

So I called him to ask which tire he deflated, and he says "all three on the drivers side". The pressure gauge confirmed it. One rear-outer tire was as low as 55 psi. The others about 70 and 80 psi.

Bottom line: I cant tell the difference with the "thud test". Guess I'll have to stick with a gauge. In my defense these are very stiff, new, 11R22.5 tires. I have a feeling the sidewalls, given the lightly loaded nature of the bus, dont "give" like they would in a semi.

YMMV.But worth knowing!

[Deezl Smoke]

Originally Posted by GreyCoyote

Just for grins, I asked a friend to deflate a tire for me. We did this blind. When I got home I grabbed the aluminum bat I keep in the bus (used for self-defense, impromptu ball games, precision fuel injection adjustments, etc) and went tire thumping to try to find the low one. It didnt work. I figured he forgot to do it, so I went around the bus twice more thumping and whumping to see if that was the case. Still no dice.

So I called him to ask which tire he deflated, and he says "all three on the drivers side". The pressure gauge confirmed it. One rear-outer tire was as low as 55 psi. The others about 70 and 80 psi.

Bottom line: I cant tell the difference with the "thud test". Guess I'll have to stick with a gauge. In my defense these are very stiff, new, 11R22.5 tires. I have a feeling the sidewalls, given the lightly loaded nature of the bus, dont "give" like they would in a semi.

YMMV.But worth knowing!

Nope. Sidewall and load do not matter. There is a difference, you just may not be able to find it until someone helps you.
Here's

one of the first youtube videos that come up

when searching.

You cant tell a 20 lb difference usually. It is more of a proper inflated vs. 40 pounds or so type of thing. If you have the ear for it, you may be able to dial it closer, but the bat or stick etc. is a simple and quick maintenance means more than a "precision fuel injection adjustment"

[cadillackid]

The tires im working with are new as well.. I got a gauge and lots of air I'll use both to keep the tires up..
I hear lots about keeping bats in busses for protection. Is it a thing for busses to get robbed often??
Christopher

[GreyCoyote]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

The tires im working with are new as well.. I got a gauge and lots of air I'll use both to keep the tires up..
I hear lots about keeping bats in busses for protection. Is it a thing for busses to get robbed often??
Christopher

Dunno, but I've always carried. Way too many folks out there who look at a bus, get all nostalgic about their final year of school (usually the 5th grade), and then decide they want to steal my stereo for old times sake... and aren't necessarily adverse to killing me in the process.

"Ah, good times, good times..."

On a serious note, the challenge for me was Burningman. Every year I make the trip from Deep South Texas to Black Rock City, NV, which is held on Federal land under a closure permit. Possession of a firearm there absolutely guarantees jail time, so carrying isn't an option. Thus the need for my Precision Fuel Injection/Attitude Adjustment Tool, Officer!

[Scooternj]

Originally Posted by GreyCoyote

Thus the need for my Precision Fuel Injection/Attitude Adjustment Tool, Officer!

I've heard that having a baseball glove helps with the alibi

[Deezl Smoke]

Originally Posted by Scooternj

I've heard that having a baseball glove helps with the alibi

Note to self. Watch for after Christmas sales on baseball gloves.

[leadsled01]

MILTON air products are my favorite..

Originally Posted by Deezl Smoke

Here's but one of the many good inflation tools.

Try for the made in USA label when possible as they generally have no place to go when quality lacks. Over seas made stuff can be fine, but if quality lacks, good luck.

The bat or stick etc., gives the handler feed back. Buy one. Buy a small bat or find a good heavy stick that you can label and keep in your rig. Then make sure your tires are inflated properly and go around and give each tire a good wack. You'll feel and hear what a properly inflated tire feels like and sounds like. The bat or stick will bounce back quick and the sound will be relatively high pitch compared to a near flat tire. Near flat or way underinflated will give slower bounce back and a lower thud sound.
To get used to it, each time you walk by the bus even if it is just sitting with no where to go, get the stick and have a go round the bus to get your ear and hand used to the feel and sound. If you wish, let some air out of a tire and give it a good wack to tune your feel. Of course air it back up when done.

[1olfart]

I really like your aluminum bat reasoning! I better get one, just in case I travel to Danglebury, Tejas. Over here, on the East side of town, I use frozen tamales for most of the same things. (except, of course, the ball game)
Ole'

[Kubla]

If you want to thump tires, a hammer works better, aluminum bat is not heavy enough on the end

[GreyCoyote]

Well, we are presently fresh out of tamales, but can test this when the next batch comes out.

Kubla was right: weight is important. My aluminum bat wasnt heavy enough, but a 4-foot length of 1-1/2 inch pipe (my cheater bar) worked pretty well.

There is a small difference to my ear between 105 psi and 75 psi. But the rebound is very different. Not dramatically different, but noticable.

So. Problem solved! Just need to carry my cheater bar!