Best air down methods?

I am assuming the best option for airing down is simply to use a traditional tire gauge and check it periodically but I have seen some other stuff out there. Wondering what everyone uses and if it’s worth the $ to get a quicker or easier method.

 

Deflators work well
Staun cost but work, last, and are accurate
Yes quicker
Yes for me with the money

 

I use the ARB deflation kit. Works super well. Can get from 42psi to 25psi in about ~45 seconds for a 34in tire with 17in rim


Edit: Link for curious https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/arb-e-z-deflator-kit-brass-arb505/_/R-BHWQ-ARB505

 

+1 the ARB deflator

 

Got some Staun knock-offs on eBay. Got each set at 15psi. They do the job and are fairly consistent. If I want lower, I do it manually.

Put all four on and walk away.

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/253004118449

 

There are 4 primary ways to air down.

1) use a conventional stick-type tire gauge and push on the valve stem. Free, but you'll grow a beard while deflating.

2) "staun" style tire deflators. Come in a set of 4. You screw them on all 4 tires and walk away. Can even (technically) drive with them on, but not recommended.

3) The ARB style deflator that removes the valve stem. Quicker per tire than the deflators, but you need to baby sit it, and can only do 1 at a time.

4) A system of air hoses, valve stem clamps, pressure regulators, and valves integrated into either on-board-air or portable-air. Set up correctly, you can set the pressure you want with a regulator, connect all tires and walk away. This system is only advantageous because it is the same system you can use to air back up, but it is not any faster than the stauns deflators. If anything, it is slower because of the hose management. You can easily adjust the pressure to whatever you want, unlike the Stauns.

I have a set of "brand x" Stauns knockoffs from Amazon, and so far they've worked great. They can take several minutes, but there's usually enough other things to keep you occupied at the trailhead that it doesn't really matter. By the time I've pounded my 1st or 2nd beer, they're usually done (kidding).

 

Staun deflaters. Set up and forget about them. Same psi every time.

 

I used to just press the pin of each valve stem with the back of a pressure checker but it took forever to let enough air out. I got the ARB deflator and I love it, I use it all the time. I have my copilot remove all valve stem caps ahead of me then follow me and put them back on to make it go quicker.

 

Big fan of the ARB inflator tool as well. Used it for the first time on trails last week each time we got to the forest roads we would be traveling down to our camp spot. I also would emphasize practicing with it before out on the trails just to get used to the process.

One could argue just as important, is airing back up so I wanted to give some input on the arb compressor portable kit. My wife and I share it between my Tacoma and her 4Runner. I am able to air up from 20 PSI to 39PSI in about 2 1/2 minutes per tire running a 275/70/17 on the Tacoma. I also paired the kit with the ARB digital inflator and am very happy.

 

2 weeks ago I bought my first deflator kit - https://powertank.com/collections/tire-deflators/products/thd-8100

I was a little skeptical but when I went camping last week, I went ahead and put them on. Now I didn't drive with them while airing down, as suggested, but as soon as I had the last valve stem uncovered and the deflator screwed on, the first tire was nearly done.

I run Falken Wildpeak E range tires at 42psi and normally air down to 20psi (set by my deflator) and it's fast as hell.

I'll never deflate each tire individually the way I used to in the past.

 

I have the ARB kit, it’s ok. Obviously it works. I’m going to switch to JT Brooks since I find myself less inclined to use the ARB than I’d like. After borrowing s friends JT Brooks I’d say they’re 100% worth it.

 

get a valve core puller for a couple bucks. pull the core, count, check pressure every now and then till you get where you want to be. put core back in. go to next tire, pull core, count to the same count as the tire you just did, put core back in. you'll be pretty close, can get exact if you want with the guage. Usually takes me about 45 seconds or so per tire for a 37 going from 25 lbs to 8 lbs.

I usually get the valve cap ones, you dont even need to get out any tools

$8 Slime 22052 Valve Core Remover and Valve Cap

https://www.amazon.com/Slime-22052-Valve-Core-Remover/dp/B003ASFUZE

 

I've been using these Trailhead deflators for 6 years now and still love them. They're a bit cheaper than the Staun brand and come with a couple extra items.

https://www.trailheaddeflators.com/product.html

_DSC0077 by Brent Prater, on Flickr

 

Those things even work on a prerunner???

they're that quick eh? That's nice.

I've got the $30 versions from Amazon (Staun style - Boulder Tools or something). They work well enough, but they do take a little while (don't think I've bothered to ever time it, but I'm guessing 5 minutes or so to go from 35 to 18. Plenty of time to pound a couple beers before hitting the trail.

Those tube style (power tank) ones sound enticing, but $60-$100 to let air out of my tires is a little steep, imo, but I may look into some knockoffs at some point if my current ones ever bite the dust.

 

Taking the right lines and going faster than the guy in a 4x4 usually gets things done!

They're pretty quick which was surprised; I got them for the convenience factor.

They're not actually made by Power Tank but instead by Trailhead as posted by the member above your post.

 

I use these. Work great. $10 shipped.

https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/202800042947

 

When in doubt, throttle out.

Yeah, saw the trailheads, from Amazon they're like $60 (assuming they're not counterfeit, lol).

This type wasn't around (that I knew of) when I got mine, otherwise I might have considered them. Although my threshold seems to be ~$30 for tire deflators, lol.

 

*Spends +$4k on suspension mods, can't spend an extra $30 on tire deflators*

 

×2 on Stauns

 

Maybe when I make the switch to OEM air, I'll get the nicer deflators, but right now I just can't justify the extra cost when I'm using aftermarket air.