DIY 4 Tire Inflator/Deflator

[NotGuilty]

Well over the weekend I wanted to build a 4 tire inflator/deflator to help save time when going off-road. I know their are ton of these systems already on the market but I thought it would be fun to build it myself and save some money. The total cost for my unit was about $175.

If someone already has a CO2 system or compressor with a 1/4 FNT fitting then it can be built for approx $150. I needed a 3ft whip to connect my manifold to the compressor which cost about $15 to build because of the couplers I used.

A lot of the systems utilize a 3/8 hose vs the 1/4 for the increased volume but I felt a 25% increase in airflow wasn't worth the difference in the size and weight of the hose. I used as many couplers as I could so I wouldn't have to use the whole system when I didn't need to. For those unfamiliar with these systems they allow you to deflate all 4 tires at the same same vs bending over and deflating tires one at a time. Or you can just hook up one hose and inflate 2 tires separately. In the little testing I've done I was able to deflate a 33in tires from 38psi to 20psi in about 2 minutes. With my VIAIR 400P I can inflate it back to 38psi in just under 5 minutes. I do plan on trying out a CO2 tank this weekend.

Below is a short video I made on building your own kit. I'm no vlogger so don't judge me too harshly. I will work on demonstration video with my 400P and CO2 tank if I can get a hold of one to use.

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[4avor8ntfair]

This is cool! I don’t suppose you have a parts list handy? I’m also curious where you purchased all the parts from.

 

[NotGuilty]

This is cool! I don’t suppose you have a parts list handy? I’m also curious where you purchased all the parts from.

I don't have a parts list. I got the hoses from Harbor Freight and the air chucks from Amazon. I believe the air chucks were Haltechs. Everything else was purchased from Home Depot. When I get home I can look at the kit again and give you a better list. I did upgrade the air compressor to the ARB Twin and can fill my 35s from 16psi to 32-34psi in just under 5 minutes. I haven't tried the 400P on the 35s but I would imagine it would be 9-11 minutes.

 

[ryridesmotox]

This is cool! I don’t suppose you have a parts list handy? I’m also curious where you purchased all the parts from.

I did something similar.

Harbor freight
100feet PVC line- $25
3/8 hose repair kit (3/8 barbed to 1/4 NPT and hose clamps) x12- $2.79 ea
3 way manifold/coupler- $14
Female 1/4 QD coupler x1- $4.39
Male 1/4 QD Plug- $2.79

Home Depot
1/4 NPT Tees x 3- $9.15 ea

Amazon Haltec Schrader Valve air chuck (4 pack) P/N H-5265- $43.75 (I got a 5 pack so I can air my spare up/down at the same time).
Pnematic Slide valve- $10
milton pressure gauge (60psi)- $15.33

MOST air compressors have that weird male fitting on the output hose. Cut that off and throw one of the 3/8 barbed x 1/4 npt fittings with the female QD in there (with hose clamp).

Connect that to the 3 way manifold. On the 3 way manifold you can then attach stuff to the QDs

I have one of the Male QD plugs threaded into the sliding valve to put into the manifold. Then I have the air gauge on a male QD plug attached to the manifold. Then I have a Tee attached to the manifold with a QD plug.


After that Tee, you're going to thread in the 3/8 barbed x 1/4 npt fittings. Cut the hose to length for both front tires, and put a Tee with 3/8 barbed x 1/4 npt fittings in each port. one line off that Tee will go to the front tire, one will go to the rear tire. Each end of those will get a 3/8 barbed x 1/4 npt with a haltec fitting. Attach the lines to the valve stems via the haltec fittings.

When you want to air down you take the compressor and attach the manifold, then attach your air lines, pressure gauge, slide valve. You'll hear some air escape to fill the lines on the first tire, but as long as it doesn't keep going you're good. If the tire keeps deflating you have a leak. Once all the tires are connected open the slide valve and let the air out. When you air up, do everything the same except the valve part and just power up the compressor.
I used my setup for the first time this weekend, it was totally worth it.

 

[Blksn955.o]

Building something like this myself. Waiting on my manifold to show up to finish the build.

Are the Haltech closed pr open air chucks? I ended up going with some cheaper ones that are open and put ball values after each chuck.

Another use case is any tire monitoring system. With swings in temp it should be nice to use and quickly get all tires aired to the same psi quickly.

 

[ryridesmotox]

Building something like this myself. Waiting on my manifold to show up to finish the build.

Are the Haltech closed pr open air chucks? I ended up going with some cheaper ones that are open and put ball values after each chuck.

Another use case is any tire monitoring system. With swings in temp it should be nice to use and quickly get all tires aired to the same psi quickly.

My Haltechs are closed. I don't know if they make an open valve, never looked into that.

 

[TireFlate]

Well over the weekend I wanted to build a 4 tire inflator/deflator to help save time when going off-road. I know their are ton of these systems already on the market but I thought it would be fun to build it myself and save some money. The total cost for my unit was about $175.

If someone already has a CO2 system or compressor with a 1/4 FNT fitting then it can be built for approx $150. I needed a 3ft whip to connect my manifold to the compressor which cost about $15 to build because of the couplers I used.

A lot of the systems utilize a 3/8 hose vs the 1/4 for the increased volume but I felt a 25% increase in airflow wasn't worth the difference in the size and weight of the hose. I used as many couplers as I could so I wouldn't have to use the whole system when I didn't need to. For those unfamiliar with these systems they allow you to deflate all 4 tires at the same same vs bending over and deflating tires one at a time. Or you can just hook up one hose and inflate 2 tires separately. In the little testing I've done I was able to deflate a 33in tires from 38psi to 20psi in about 2 minutes. With my VIAIR 400P I can inflate it back to 38psi in just under 5 minutes. I do plan on trying out a CO2 tank this weekend.

Below is a short video I made on building your own kit. I'm no vlogger so don't judge me too harshly. I will work on demonstration video with my 400P and CO2 tank if I can get a hold of one to use.

I understand the desire to make your own. Check out TireFlate. Com. You can purchase the setup cheaper than what you paid for parts. Plus we sell a DIY kit for all you DIY’ers.

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