Tyre Compressors – a few options
Since managing tyre pressures are so critical in all off-road conditions, you need to not only be able to deflate tyre, but you must be able to re-inflate them to a higher pressure.
There are a few different options available and in this article I will focus on the products available from your local 4×4 Mega World and the mighty Fini compressor. I will add more, like the upcoming Warn Compressors as I get the information or they become available in South Africa.
Fini Flash Compressor:
This is currently the Rolls Royce of compressors and the choice of serious off roaders, but it will probably be dethroned as soon as the Warn range becomes available. It’s very reliable, but unfortunately quite big, so you need a lot of space to keep it in your vehicle. This is one of the best performing 12V compressor available to offroaders in South Africa.
Price: +/-R3500, Airflow: 166lpm
The ARB Compressor:
ARB Compressor
This is another highly respected air compressor. It’s a product that has been developed and improved over many years by one of the most respected names in the 4×4 industry. The performance is average compared to T-max and double head compressors, but it is made to last. It’s also made to be engine bay mounted, something that most compressors won’t survive due to the engine bay temperatures. An engine bay mounted compressor is really convenient, but probably a bit of an overkill if you are not using the compressor for ARB diff-locks as well.
Price: +/-R2900, Airflow: 75lpm
The BIG T-max Compressor:
T-Max Compressor
This compressor by far offers the best performance for the price. I’m not sure how long it will last, but my friend’s T-max has been working flawlessly for 2 years already. It’s great for large tyres, or if you don’t have time to waste waiting around for your tyres to inflate.
Price: R1300, Airflow 160lpm
Double head compressor:
Double Head Compressor
There are many options available in double head and they are all pretty much the same thing. If don’t have space for the double head compressor in your vehicle, this would be your next best option. It still has better performance than the expensive ARB, but at a reasonable price. These compressors are not always super reliable, but many people have used them for a few years without any hassles.
Price: +/-R950, Airflow: 110lpm
Single head compressor:
Single Head Compressor
This is an affordable small compressor, but a bit slow. Very similar in build quality and durability to the double head, but half the performance, at more than half the price. I bought one of these in 2004 when the 3 above mentioned compressors were not yet available. It completely drowned twice with my Suzuki SJ410 and it just keeps on working 6 years later. The performance is terrible compared to the rest, so unless you really cannot spend anymore or you have about half an hour to re-inflate 4 tyres, this is probably not the compressor for you.
Price: +/-R650, Airflow: 55lpm
Cheap Compressors:
Sorry to say this, but anything below the single head compressor as per above, is just junk and not meant for 4×4 use. It WILL dissapoint you and it WILL let you down. The cheaper compressors have very short duty cycles and this means it will cut out before your tyres are inflated and then you might have to wait 10 or 20 minutes before you can carry on. Because it’s pushed beyond it’s limit everytime you use it, it won’t last very long.
Air Reservoirs:
An air reservoir will add a lot of value to your compressor, as you can store a large amount of air in a tank, which will allow you to inflate your tyres faster without the need for a high performance compressor. For this it is ideal to permanently mount the compressor in the vehicle and you will also need a pressure switch and a few fittings and pipes. The reservoir can be mounted somewhere on the chassis. The most popular size for 4×4’s is a 10lt tank.
Reseating tyre myth:
Many people think you need a high performance compressor to reseat a tyre on the rim, but the fact is that with the correct skills and technique even a slow compressor can be used to reseat a tyre. This something you need to practice, but there will be an article on this sometime in the future.