What happened to the gas station air suppplies that a I liked.

Whatever happened to the gas station air outlets where there was a red box on a thick post with a crank on the side that let you set the air pressure in big numbers, and it rang as the air went in and stopped ringing when the tire was at the indicated pressure?

Do they still have these. I couldnt' find one.

One or two of my tires needed air. Paid 1.50 last week at a fancy one that took credit cards and beeped when the pressure one chooses is reached. Nothing came out. Convenience store gave me back my 1.50. 3 days later, device has "Out of Order" sign on it. Today no sign but a guy just starting to vacuum his car. Went to another station, no controls on the device, just a slot for 4 quarters and one of those nozzles that tell the pressure on a brass rod that pops out of the valve when you stop squeezing the lever. Cloudy day, won't be able to see what it says, don't like having to stop over and over to see what the pressure is, go to next station. Same device. 3 more stations, all have the same device.

Back to the first station, no one ahead of me Put in 1.50, set the dial to 40. Do a little bit and the dial keeps going back to 32, the default (doesn't beep when it does that). Set it to 40, still don't hear air going into the tire, don't see tire firming up.

Finally go home and do it with a Black & Decker pump, that I got used. Took 10 or 15 minutes but at least it worked.

Reply to
micky
Loading thread data ...

They've been gone for 40 years or so. The nice thing stations did for customers is now a money stream. I have a little compressor if needed.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

+1

I haven't seen one of those since the 70s either. Probably are some somewhere, at some mom and pop gas station. I agree they were easier to use than the crap things out there now. Many of the ones I've tried to use, the air chuck is so old and worn out, the rubber sealing ring gone, that you can't use it anyway. I have an AC compressor I use here, for the most part.

Reply to
trader_4

Pull into any Discount tire center and they'll air 'em up for free

Reply to
ChairMan

Thanks for the tip. I just checked and it is only an 83 mile round trip to the nearest one.

formatting link

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I know at least two gas stations with free air around here. I can't remember if the third needs a quarter or not. 40 years ago most gas stations were also garages and had large compressors for their own use.

I've got a Harbor Freight pancake compressor. So far I've only had to rework it a little after the regulator blew out. With three bikes, a car, and a pickup it comes in handy.

Reply to
rbowman

" That's inflation for ya ! "

formatting link
John T.

Reply to
hubops

That's foolish thinking. I have no intentions of ever purchasing tires from Discount Tires but needed air one day in my tire which had a slow leak. I asked if they had a hose I could use to which their reply was to pull in, we'll check them all at no cost even after I offered to pay. If they offered for free, I'll take I'll take advantage of it. I purchase my tires from Costco.

Reply to
Meanie

On the East Coast, the Sheetz chain has free air. I don't trust their gauges of course. I have a good quality one that clamps on the tire and makes a better connection.

And on occasion I'll use a bicycle pump. It takes longer but works fine.

Reply to
TimR

Belle Tire also has free air but they have a pump outside the store for anyone to pull up, set the air pressure and pump their tires.

Reply to
Meanie

Just discovered Belle Tire is only in three states. Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

Reply to
Meanie

I have one too. Also we carry the small compressors that work off the battery in our cars. HF unit is not that great as you cannot rely on its pressure gauge. The only good use I had out of it was pumping up a snow thrower tire that needed to be resealed on the rim and small units did not supply enough air fast enough to seal it.

Reply to
invalid unparseable

It's a pain with my current car. The spare is bolted in to the wheel well with the valve underneath, against the body of the car so you basically have to take the tire out to check it. And the jack and tools are in what is the inside of the spare when its on the wheel too, so you have to take them out too.

Reply to
Rod Speed

micky wrote: "The fancy one that I tried first and last took credit cards, had a"

Seriously - a CREDIT CARD SLOT - for a tire air pump?!

This 21st century SUCKS.

Reply to
thekmanrocks

Not if you don’t bother with coins anymore.

And you don’t swipe the card in the slot anymore, you wave it at the machine, dinosaur.

Reply to
Rod Speed

Rod Speed:

My point was, tire air should be FREE, let alone require a credit card to turn on the machine.

Reply to
thekmanrocks

Used to be, if you needed a phone number you just dialed "information" and they gave it to you for free too. Many other things like that too.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote

OK, ours, Australia, are in fact all free. Not sure if that is a legal requirement or what. Google is no help on that so likely it isnt a legal requirement.

Reply to
Rod Speed

I got Sheetz and another free air chain. Sheets work if the hose is OK. The other has some really awful machines that can't make up their mind and slow.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

Rod Speed wrote: "OK, ours, Australia, are in fact all free. Not sure if"

Legal requirement - for tire air to be free? Not sure about that, but just for a second Rod:

Take a breath... Notice that air is all around us.

It SHOULD be free - in our lungs and in our tires!

Reply to
thekmanrocks

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.