Your choice for Class C Air compressor

[WillowRun]

just picking your brains----recommendations for air compressor to carry on the road...?? Also Have mountain bikes!!!......

[Chance]

Interesting question.

I no longer carry one because I found I never used it, and it was heavy and took up too much room. When I did carry one, my portable compressor is a Craftsman with rechargeable battery -- but it's old so not the latest in technology. At 60 to 80 PSI those little compressors just take a long time to pump up a large RV tire.

My son has a Craftsman C3 battery-operated air compressor which he uses for a horse trailer parked at a barn. I've used it and it works better than mine. His is relatively small and light, plus I carry three C3 batteries and a charger with me anyway, so that would be my choice if I needed one.

For bikes, road and mountain, I use a hand pump.

[WillowRun]

Thanks for that reply--- we wondete3d if it was worth it--we have a pump for the bikes....what if you need air while on the road for the RV...just stop at the fuel areas or just call road service if a bigger issue? ....it does seem to be overkill in some ways......you can only carry so much!!

[Ag&Au]

I have a Warn portable 12v compressor that I have used to fill a totally flat truck tire in a campground. it took a few minutes, but it worked well enough that the truck could be driven to a tire repair shop. It is the SPC model in this link. I always have it with me when camping. I'd turn around if I forgot it.

ROCKCRAWLER.com - Warn Air Compressor Line

I know it would fill one our motorhome tires if it became necessary. Of course it comes with fitting for about anything you might want to inflate.

Of course the other two would work better for more money.

I would much rather fill my own tire and go to tire shop, than wait for roadside service.


Ken

[Chance]

I've been very lucky i guess that I've never had the need. I check tires before leaving and they don't deflate in 3 weeks, which is my typical longest trip. i do carry a spare tire, so if i got a nail or slow leak that would be my solution.

Most gas stations can handle 80 PSI which is maximum you would need for a Class C (excluding Super C).

[Ag&Au]

I carry one, because I want to deal with the situation at the site where it occurs. It is quite possible to drive all day and get to a camping spot in a semi remote location and awake the next AM with a flat tire. I am trying to avoid the need to carry an spare wheel/tire. I also want to avoid having to call road side service that might be who knows how far away. A portable compressor like I posted is neither big, expensive, or heavy. It has a lot of other uses besides besides flat tires. I have used mine twice to fill campground neighbors' tires, but not my own. However I have topped up bicycle tires many times. No offense, but to me its a no-brainer.

Even if you buy a much more expensive one than mine, it is still less than a spare wheel and tire and a lot less work. I also don't carry all the tire changing tools.

Ken

P.S. I have a TPMS so I can catch pressure problems before they become severe.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

I carry one, because I want to deal with the situation at the site where it occurs. It is quite possible to drive all day and get to a camping spot in a semi remote location and awake the next AM with a flat tire. I am trying to avoid the need to carry an spare wheel/tire. I also want to avoid having to call road side service that might be who knows how far away. A portable compressor like I posted is neither big, expensive, or heavy. It has a lot of other uses besides besides flat tires. I have used mine twice to fill campground neighbors' tires, but not my own. However I have topped up bicycle tires many times. No offense, but to me its a no-brainer.

Even if you buy a much more expensive one than mine, it is still less than a spare wheel and tire and a lot less work. I also don't carry all the tire changing tools.

Ken

P.S. I have a TPMS so I can catch pressure problems before they become severe.

Different opinions for different needs or different concerns.

A compressor won't do one bit of good if you have a tire failure like a blow out, separation, etc... In that case my spare tire, with a little effort, will get me going.

For my needs it's also a no-brainer, which is why I now carry a spare and leave the compressor at home.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Chance

Different opinions for different needs or different concerns.

A compressor won't do one bit of good if you have a tire failure like a blow out, separation, etc... In that case my spare tire, with a little effort, will get me going.

For my needs it's also a no-brainer, which is why I now carry a spare and leave the compressor at home.

Now we're both working with no brain The main problem I would have carrying a spare tire is that our driveway to RV parking is so steep that the rear skid guards only clear the road by about two inches when leaving/entering. I am very concerned about additional weight in the rear of the RV. As you say, to each his own.
I always carry a lot of duct tape for situations like tread separations. In any case, I said "no offense" so that means you're not allowed to take any. It's in the forum rules.

Ken

[WillowRun]

Well..many options and trains of thought...just like us here. Now it is not an option to carry a spare....but other uses at a campground,emergency air...bikes,rafts...hmmmm....will look at the links cuz it's quite a difference of opinion here! He says have one,she says its a waste of soace! Lol.....great answers so far! Cant wait to see more of the compressor wars! Lol

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by WillowRun

Well..many options and trains of thought...just like us here. Now it is not an option to carry a spare....but other uses at a campground,emergency air...bikes,rafts...hmmmm....will look at the links cuz it's quite a difference of opinion here! He says have one,she says its a waste of soace! Lol.....great answers so far! Cant wait to see more of the compressor wars! Lol

If we're having compressor wars, I'm bringing this one:

[gmc]

Well Ag&Au - that will get you the Silver and Gold metal in compressor wars... lol...

I picked up a small 'hot dog' style compressor - and mounted it in the battery/hydraulic bay... Didn't use a bit of 'normal' storage space - and have it on board for anything needed... So far been used mostly for bicycles... but nice to know its there if needed.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by gmc

Well Ag&Au - that will get you the Silver and Gold metal in compressor wars... lol...

I picked up a small 'hot dog' style compressor - and mounted it in the battery/hydraulic bay... Didn't use a bit of 'normal' storage space - and have it on board for anything needed... So far been used mostly for bicycles... but nice to know its there if needed.

How is your compressor powered? 12V DC or 120 VAC ( or maybe even LPG)??

Ken

[gmc]

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

How is your compressor powered? 12V DC or 120 VAC ( or maybe even LPG)??

Ken

120AC... but I can always start the genny if needed...
3 gallon... but I got it at a flea market for about $35..
https://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Haus.../dp/B002O15NRS

I replaced two of the rubber feet with rubber washers and bolt passing thru... with two holes drilled in the metal floor of the utility compartment.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by gmc

120AC... but I can always start the genny if needed...
3 gallon... but I got it at a flea market for about $35..
https://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Haus.../dp/B002O15NRS

I replaced two of the rubber feet with rubber washers and bolt passing thru... with two holes drilled in the metal floor of the utility compartment.

Nice little compressor..

Ken

[Mr Sunshine]

We carry a small AC compressor with a 2 gallon tank. It would be slow, but would probably get the coach tire up enough to get to a shop. I have used it on a tow car tire a couple of times. If I needed the space I might leave it at home. Have had RVs for many, many years and have never yet needed a spare. (Knock, knock, knock on wood!)

In all of my vehicles is a plug kit and pliers. They are not the ideal tool for every occasion, but might stop that psssssssst. Before plug kits were available, I once had a spike go thru the tread of a car tire, and out the sidewall! Plugs would have been handy that day!

[Kev]

Viair 4047 400P RV

Kev

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Mr Sunshine

We carry a small AC compressor with a 2 gallon tank. It would be slow, but would probably get the coach tire up enough to get to a shop. I have used it on a tow car tire a couple of times. If I needed the space I might leave it at home. Have had RVs for many, many years and have never yet needed a spare. (Knock, knock, knock on wood!)

In all of my vehicles is a plug kit and pliers. They are not the ideal tool for every occasion, but might stop that psssssssst. Before plug kits were available, I once had a spike go thru the tread of a car tire, and out the sidewall! Plugs would have been handy that day!

We definitely needed a spare when our travel trailers had Good Year marathon ST tires. However, After we changed our last TT (Airstream 31D) over to 16" Michelin LT's we had zero problem. By coincidence those Michelins were identical in every way to the ones that came on our new Four Winds. That gives me confidence.

Ken

[JamieGeek]

Had a blowout in our 5th wheel. It was just a matter of time: The tires were old.

It is a similar story that you hear all the time of trailers with flats: Driving along and someone passing us honks and points to the back of our trailer. I pull over and take a look, sure enough a tire is shredded. Didn't do much damage to the camper other than leaving some black marks. While I was putting the spare on a police officer stopped by to see if we were doing ok. He pointed us to a nearby tire shop so I could get the spare replaced (we were still a good 3 hours from home and I didn't want to continue without a decent spare).

The tires served us well for a long time before the blowout so I just replaced them with the same tire (Maxxis). The guys at Discount Tire were originally skeptical when I was ordering them; trying to sell me something they had in stock. When they came in, however, I got a few comments from the installers about how good those tires were LOL.

[Chance]

My only RV tire failure was a Firestone tread separation many years ago on a rented Class C. Air wasn't an issue. Fortunately we had a crappy spare but no tools. I decided that day I would not travel without a usable spare. Someday if I get to where I can't change a tire myself I may reconsider, but for now I want to be in control.

I tend to think of RV like a car. I don't carry air compressor in cars either, although I understand why some do. The battery operated Craftsman I mentioned takes very little space and weighs very little.

On my van I'm pushing my luck big time with tire's that are 10 years old. They have 70,000 miles on them and lots of tread left, but I hate buying new ones if replacing van soon. Problem is I keep taking long trips -- from Florida to Canada and Florida to Maine in last year. Plus two round trips to Texas.

[Forest Grump]

I second the Viair. I have one in my jeep to air up after airing down for off road. I bought a larger capacity Viair for the motorhome. I use it to air up the RV tires and to inflate our inflatable Saturn pontoon boat.

Viair pumps are very popular with the jeep off-road crowd.