Air pressure rig

[coy55boy]

I ain't as young as I used to be...but, I still like to make sure I've got the right tire pressure. I ride a first gen. MKI and the way they are setup, it's difficult to use a tire pressure gauge. So, after fighting the bike a few times (the bike won), I decided to come up with a better mouse trap. It actually works pretty good, so I thought I'd share it.

 

I took the manifold off an old discarded portable air tank to start with. It's basically a hexagonal metal pipe with several ports tapped into it. It had 4 - 1/8" NPT ports (only need 3) and a 3/8" which I capped. Add a hose with a self-locking chuck. Swap the original gauge (0-125 PSI) with a more accurate 0-60 PSI. I left the original safety (although it probably wouldn't trigger until after the gauge was gone). I set the regulator on my compressor to 60 PSI.

 

Now I can just attach the chuck to the air valve on the wheel, add or release pressure as desired, and when finished remove the air chuck. I just have to remember to release pressure from the rig when I'm finished so as to not keep pressure on the gauge.

 

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n163/coy55boy/Misc/airpressurerig.jpg

[Boomer]

Nice....

[hipshot]

i too have "lost my religion", trying to air up my m/c/ tires.

great idea, and many thanks for the picture of the setup.

now i GOTs to have one.

just jt

[Sylvester]

What I would like to see is a tire gauge that has a 90 degree head. That way I could get it on my front wheel (RSV) without having to bend the stem. The rear is a piece of cake. I have heard of some who put a 90 degree stem on the wheel and maybe that is what I will wind up doing. Don't no why I am complaining, I have only had the bike nine years and 135,000 miles.

 

[friesman]

I didnt want a permanent 90 angled extension as I have seen a guy or 2 that have had issues with them hitting the brake calipers.

 

SO I bought a valve stem extension that screws on to your valve stem then comes out at about 90 for a couple of inches. Does it ever make it easy to check air pressure. You do have to remove it and carry it around with you, but for doing the back tire on a G1 bike its almost a neccessity.

If anyone else is interested I can post more details and pics when I get home, I think it was about 10 bucks.

 

Ok here is the website all for motorcycle inflation stuff. its called a 90 degree valve extension almost at bottom of page. http://www.stopngo.com/motorcycle.asp#inflationdevices

 

Brian

Edited November 24, 2010 by friesman

[Midrsv]

What I would like to see is a tire gauge that has a 90 degree head. That way I could get it on my front wheel (RSV) without having to bend the stem. The rear is a piece of cake. I have heard of some who put a 90 degree stem on the wheel and maybe that is what I will wind up doing. Don't no why I am complaining, I have only had the bike nine years and 135,000 miles.

 

 

This is what I use..http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=p281987&leafCatId=&mmyId=

 

and it works pretty well. It also has a bleeder valve.

 

Dennis

[Sylvester]

This is what I use..http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=p281987&leafCatId=&mmyId=

 

and it works pretty well. It also has a bleeder valve.

 

Dennis

 

That is it!!! Thanks Dennis, I will order one now. Yu da man.

 

[Guest Ken8143]

This is what I use..http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=&store=&catId=&productId=p281987&leafCatId=&mmyId=

 

and it works pretty well. It also has a bleeder valve.

 

Dennis

 

Me too and I like it.

[NJSam]

I ain't as young as I used to be...but, I still like to make sure I've got the right tire pressure. I ride a first gen. MKI and the way they are setup, it's difficult to use a tire pressure gauge. So, after fighting the bike a few times (the bike won), I decided to come up with a better mouse trap. It actually works pretty good, so I thought I'd share it.

 

I took the manifold off an old discarded portable air tank to start with. It's basically a hexagonal metal pipe with several ports tapped into it. It had 4 - 1/8" NPT ports (only need 3) and a 3/8" which I capped. Add a hose with a self-locking chuck. Swap the original gauge (0-125 PSI) with a more accurate 0-60 PSI. I left the original safety (although it probably wouldn't trigger until after the gauge was gone). I set the regulator on my compressor to 60 PSI.

 

Now I can just attach the chuck to the air valve on the wheel, add or release pressure as desired, and when finished remove the air chuck. I just have to remember to release pressure from the rig when I'm finished so as to not keep pressure on the gauge.

 

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n163/coy55boy/Misc/airpressurerig.jpg

Good idea. The only problem I see with this: the amount of air from the tire required to fill the whole hose with air. Easy test: Check tire pressure 5 times, see total drop, divide by five, and you have average drop per check. Remember that number, and you'll know what TP should be after checking once. Or, shorten hose A LOT and don't worry about it. Sorry to be OCD, but bike tires typically hold 1/5 the amount of a car tire, so each check can drop the TP significantly. Peace!

Edited February 7, 2011 by NJSam

[friesman]

Good idea. The only problem I see with this: the amount of air from the tire required to fill the whole hose with air. Easy test: Check tire pressure 5 times, see total drop, divide by five, and you have average drop per check. Remember that number, and you'll know what TP should be after checking once. Or, shorten hose A LOT and don't worry about it. Sorry to be OCD, but bike tires typically hold 1/5 the amount of a car tire, so each check can drop the TP significantly. Peace!

 

But if the valve stem center is depressed because the hose end has the style of end that kinda clamps on to the stem depressing the center thingy until you remove the air hose, the whole hose and tire should equalize to the same pressure all the way throughout the apparatus as the gauge is reading everything.

 

At least thats the way i think it.....am I wrong?

 

Brian

[NJSam]

Absolutely right, which is what I'm saying. The air from the tire has to fill the hose and gauge until equalized, and when you disconnect, the tire doesn't get the air back, so it's that much lower each time you check. BTW, the center thingy is called a Shrader Valve, and they can go bad and start to leak. A little soapy water around the whole valve area will show any leaks. Not trying to be a know-it-all, it just hit me as soon as I saw the pic that you would lose a lot of air each time you checked the tire. TP's on bikes are crucial for a number of reasons. Enjoy the upcoming riding season!

[friesman]

Absolutely right, which is what I'm saying. The air from the tire has to fill the hose and gauge until equalized, and when you disconnect, the tire doesn't get the air back, so it's that much lower each time you check. BTW, the center thingy is called a Shrader Valve, and they can go bad and start to leak. A little soapy water around the whole valve area will show any leaks. Not trying to be a know-it-all, it just hit me as soon as I saw the pic that you would lose a lot of air each time you checked the tire. TP's on bikes are crucial for a number of reasons. Enjoy the upcoming riding season!

 

hey no worries no ones a know it all here, we are all here trying to figger stuff out and have a bit of fun in the process.

i would hook gauge apparatus to the tires schrader valve first and leave it there and the guage would show the pressure in the tire, then I would use the air compressor and inflate the tire thru the schrader valve on the pipe assy under the gauge to the pressure I want. When I released the end of the compressor from the apparatus the tire and apparatus would all inflate to the same pressure and equalize. when i got the pressure i got on the gauge i would release the end of the hose attached to the schrader valve.

Its a lot like the setup that a lot of the gas stations use and the gauge I have recently purchased from Princess Auto, and mine seems to be exactly right when the tire and gauge assy are disconnected from the compressor.

 

Brian

[SilvrT]

What I would like to see is a tire gauge that has a 90 degree head. That way I could get it on my front wheel (RSV) without having to bend the stem. The rear is a piece of cake. I have heard of some who put a 90 degree stem on the wheel and maybe that is what I will wind up doing. Don't no why I am complaining, I have only had the bike nine years and 135,000 miles.

 

 

Here's a digital one that I use....

 

http://www.canadiantire.ca/search/search_results.jsp;jsessionid=NQGTpJJzNy1Sn1YRJX5LvmLWHWrbmg1dJl1TxXrXz5t7P2QDFXCJ!-264220395?bmForm=form_endeca_search&bmFormID=1297138740946&bmUID=1297138740946&bmIsForm=true&bmPrevTemplate=%2Fhome.jsp&bmHidden=OMNITURE_FROM&OMNITURE_FROM=Search&bmHidden=event26&event26=true&bmText=quick_search_term&quick_search_term=motorcycle+tire+gauge&bmSubmit=quick_search&bmHidden=FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672077

 

if the above doesn't work... try THIS LINK

[flb_78]

Around $10 at most of your auto parts stores.

 

[friesman]

Around $10 at most of your auto parts stores.

 

 

Yeah i have one of those too, but you cant inflate the tire thru it like you can with this other rig.

 

Brian

[NJSam]

hey no worries no ones a know it all here, we are all here trying to figger stuff out and have a bit of fun in the process.

i would hook gauge apparatus to the tires schrader valve first and leave it there and the guage would show the pressure in the tire, then I would use the air compressor and inflate the tire thru the schrader valve on the pipe assy under the gauge to the pressure I want. When I released the end of the compressor from the apparatus the tire and apparatus would all inflate to the same pressure and equalize. when i got the pressure i got on the gauge i would release the end of the hose attached to the schrader valve.

Its a lot like the setup that a lot of the gas stations use and the gauge I have recently purchased from Princess Auto, and mine seems to be exactly right when the tire and gauge assy are disconnected from the compressor.

 

Brian

 

I just noticed the other shrader on your apparatus. Yes, that will work nicely. Excellent idea! I may make one myself. Thanks for the idea. Happy trails!