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10 Tire Deflators - Drop 'Em10 Tire Deflators, No Let Downs From the September, 2008 issue of Jp By Christian Hazel Photography by Christian Hazel, Verne Simons
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If there's only one point we'd like to get across to you, it's that you need to air down for wheeling. In the world of off-roading, making it or breaking it usually comes down to simply getting your tires to hook up. And if you're not running your tire pressure low enough, there is no locker, low range gear, or amount of power that is going to help you conquer the trail. Lowering your tire pressure the appropriate amount for any given terrain is one of the single best performance modifications you can make. So with this logic in mind, we set out for the desert in the middle of 120-degree summer heat to test out a number of tire deflation products. We brought a couple of fully charged 10-pound Powertanks, 10 different types of tire deflators, a hive of angry bees, and a healthy arsenal of weapons. But that's a story for another day. Until then, here are our thoughts based on our handling and use of these deflators. Other and Notable
We weren't able to test each and every method out there. We left out the Klune-V Rapid Air Down (RAD) Valves, which replace the standard valve stem. Check them out at rimrockmtn.com. We also checked out Extreme Outback's No Loss Caps ($12/set of 4). The No Loss Caps are very nice military-spec valve stem caps that seal so well they don't require the use of a valve core to maintain air pressure. We pulled the cores just for giggles and although they hold street pressure just fine, it was very difficult to get the cap screwed on quickly enough to keep the tires at a set pressure.  What: Currie E-Z DeflatorUsing...  What: Currie E-Z DeflatorUsing It: While seemingly awkward at first, once you spend 10 seconds to figure it out, it's super simple and really user-friendly. There are three knurled knobs. Begin by spinning the middle knob clockwise to attach the deflator to the valve stem. Then spin the outer knob counterclockwise to unscrew the valve core. Pull the stem out to remove the valve core from the valve stem. Finally, pull the fat inner knob to remove pressure. The whole procedure takes a few seconds to accomplish and the tool's design traps the valve core, ensuring it won't go flying when removed. You can watch the gauge to monitor the pressure in real time as you air down. Then push the stem back in and screw the outer knob clockwise to replace the valve core.Highs: Quality, accurate gauge included; inexpensive for quality of product; fast air down timesLows: Little awkward to use first timePrice: $30 (each)Get It: Rock Jock Professional Off-Road Products, 714/982-5300, currieenterprises.com  What: Mil Spec Multi-Choice...  What: Mil Spec Multi-Choice DeflatorsUsing It: Available in the Standard and Rock Crawler series, our Rock Crawler deflators were adjustable from 2 psi to 12 psi in increments of 2 psi. Adjusting the deflators couldn't be easier. You simply push down the knob on the top and twist the indicator to the desired pressure. Then screw the deflator to the valve stem and walk away. When the sound stops, the tire is aired down. We found the units easy to use and very accurate.Highs: Large for use with gloves; easily adjustable; accurate; substantial and beefy feelingLows: Very expensive; would probably only buy one or maybe twoPrice: $100 (each)Get It: Extreme Outback Products, 707/447-7711, extremeoutback.com  What: Teraflex Air DeflatorUsing...  What: Teraflex Air DeflatorUsing It: The Teraflex Air Deflator is as dirt simple as using a rock for a hammer. There are four little deflator caps that screw into a keychain-type holder so you've always got 'em with you. Simply unscrew the deflator from the keychain pendant and screw it onto the valve stem. The deflators aren't adjustable; there's just a hole that lets the air out. By the time you've walked around the vehicle and screwed a deflator to each tire, the one you started with is pretty much ready to go. You can also put a pressure gauge on the deflators' ends so you don't need to remove them to check pressure. When your tires are at the pressure you want, remove the deflators and reassemble them on your keychain.Highs: Simple to use; convenient to carry; extremely affordable; nice, solid feelLows: Don't automatically shut off; if you get distracted or hung up you can let all the air out of your tiresPrice: $10 (set of 4)Get It: Teraflex, 801/288-2585, teraflex.biz  What: 4Air Tire Inflator/Deflator...  What: 4Air Tire Inflator/Deflator SystemUsing It: The 4Air (also available in a two-tire version called 2Air) comes in small (up to 90-inch wheelbase), medium (up to 110-inch wheelbase), and large (up to 130-inch wheelbase). The company sent us its top-of-the-line unit, the 4Air large system with its extreme-duty hose, optional pressure gauge, and clipless valve stem chucks (clip-on European-style chucks also shown in photo). It all came in a handy storage bag. Start by laying the hose out to each corner and connecting the chucks to the tire valve stems. Then, use the control valve on the center manifold to release air from all four tires at once. The unit will deflate or can be used to inflate all four tires to the exact same pressure. If you want the front or rears at a different pressure, disconnect those tires and keep filling/deflating the other two.Highs: Quality hose; nice quick disconnect fitting for airing up; optional gauge allows watching pressure change in real timeLows: Takes up a lot of space; expensive; setting up or putting away unit takes as long as air down time.Price: $105 (4Air Deflator); $30 (extreme-duty hose upgrade); $10 (clipless chucks); $25 (air gauge); $20 (carrying bag); Total as tested: $190Get It: 4Crawler Offroad,408/247-0422, 4crawler.com   What: Smittybilt Tire DeflatorUsing...  What: Smittybilt Tire DeflatorUsing It: Other than the following, read the Staun Tyre Deflator section and substitute the word Smittybilt for Staun. The Smittybilts would only drop down to 8 psi, unlike the 6 psi of the Stauns. And while they felt substantial and solid, they were just a half notch below the Stauns in overall perceived quality.Highs: Good construction; easily disassembled for cleaning; manual trigger; install and forget 'em until you're ready to air upLows: Difficult to set up initially; sensitive to trigger if tire pressure within a few psi of deflator's set pressurePrice: $40Get It: Smittybilt, 888/717-5797, smittybilt.com  What: Mini MonstersUsing It:...  What: Mini MonstersUsing It: Shown at the 3 o'clock position in the photo, the Mini Monster deflators install in your rims 180 degrees from your current valve stems. You drill a 7/16-inch hole in your rim, then use a 1/4-inch NPT tap before screwing them in. Once installed, the Mini Monsters allow quick deflation with the simple twist of the brass knob. Twisting counterclockwise opens the valve up and clockwise closes the valve. We highly recommend one of Advanced Air's Hands Free clip-on tire pressure gauges so you can monitor air pressure drop in real time. Then, when your tire is at the right pressure, close the valve.Highs: Super simple to operate; high-quality brass construction; when used with gauge makes monitoring pressure drop quick and easyLows: Installation requires drilling and tapping wheels Price: $25 (set of 5); $40 (Hands Free gauge); $40 (1/4-inch NPT Tap); Total as tested: $105Get It: Advanced Air Systems,209/366-2163, powertank.com  What: Trailhead Automatic...  What: Trailhead Automatic Tire DeflatorUsing It: The Trailhead deflators are 100 percent made in the USA and offer a no-questions lifetime warranty-even if you found 'em in a riverbed, the company will replace 'em with no questions asked. They're available in either 15 psi to 40 psi or 5 psi to 20 psi versions. Inside the leather carrying pouch, the kit comes with four adjustable deflators, an Allen wrench, a low pressure gauge, a laminated instruction card, and a tire deflator guide. Initial setup is pretty simple. You spin the deflators to the valve stem and use the supplied Allen wrench to adjust the pressure. Tightening the screw raises the deflation pressure and loosening it lowers the deflation pressure. On our low pressure models, one full turn of the screw equates to a 1.5 psi increase or decrease. Once the deflators are set, simply screw them onto the valve stems and forget them. You can drive the whole trail with them and then take them off for airing up.Highs: Killer warranty; good quality vs. value; setup not difficult; easy to useLows: Initial setup takes a few minutesPrice: $60 (per kit)Get It: Trailhead Automatic Tire Deflators, 800/725-0478, trailheaddeflators.com  What: Monster ValvesUsing...  What: Monster ValvesUsing It: Installation seems daunting at first, but it's not bad. You drill and tap a hole, then screw in the Monster Valve, using some quality pipe dope or at least four wraps of Teflon tape. Once installed, the Monster Valve looks like an ordinary valve stem, only jumbo-sized. We tested ours with the company's Monster Valve kit (PN MON-8200) with the Monster Chuck for fast filling. We also tested the company's Monster Ready Tire Inflator Gauge (TIG, PN 8211) that can be used with the included hands-free chuck for standard valve stems or with the Monster Chuck. Once installed, to deflate you can either unscrew the Monster Valve core just like a normal valve stem, or you can unscrew the red anodized knob to open the bleed ports, allowing quick deflation without the risk of loosing the valve core. We tried it both ways and found the bleed ports every bit as blazing fast as removing the valve core. To inflate with the optional TIG, close the valve to seal the bleed ports and fill with your compressor or Powertank hooked to the Monster Chuck. It's fast-really fast. After using the Monster Valves, we'd almost consider them mandatory for 40s or larger tires.Highs: Very high-quality components; sturdy, solid feel; incredibly fast deflation and inflation ratesLows: Installation a little scary for some; so fast they really need use of dial-type gauge hooked to stock valve stem to prevent over deflation/inflationPrice: $130 (set of 4 with Monster Chuck); $70 (TIG-60 gauge w/ standard chuck); Total as tested: $200Get It: Advanced Air Systems, 209/366-2163, powertank.com
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