It isn’t just the matter of as flat and the size of your truck tire you need to consider.
If you go off-road, you will often reduce tire pressures. With the ability to air-down tires before off-roading, you can go over terrain that hard tire won’t survive.
Lowering tire pressures for off-roading enables your tires to mold to the shapes of the terrain. You can avoid slipping as you have a larger footprint on your tires and more grip.
Reliable portable air compressors make lowering and raising pressures easy. Besides this, if you find you have a slow puncture, you can keep your air topped up to enable you to get to a location to have your tire tended to. (Read Best Portable Air Compressor)
Why You Need a Good Portable Air Compressor for Truck Tires
Trucks are not like cars, and they cover many uses. You may be an off-roader that wants to air-down your tires for grip, or you use your truck to carry heavy loads.
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There are also the individuals who tow their campers with a truck and need to ensure they have a backup in case they get a flat.
Truck tires have much higher pressures than car tires, and inflating these can take much longer. A durable and portable pump will be essential if you find you’re stranded in the great outdoors.
Using a portable truck air compressor heavy duty can be the difference of walking miles, or you can drive to the nearest repair shop.
Top Portable Air Compressor For Truck Tires Reviews
1. EPAUTO 12V DC Portable Air Compressor Pump, Digital Tire Inflator
The portable EPAuto 12v DC Air Compressor Pump provides you with a portable digital tire inflator, which conveniently connects to your vehicle’s cigarette lighter. It operates on 12VDC from 10-15 amps and has an output capacity of 120-180 watts. The pump can be used on a range of tires for a variety of vehicles, including cars, bikes, and medium-sized trucks and SUVs. It offers a CFM of 1.06.
You have an easy to read display with PSI, KPA, BAR, and KG/CM conversions.
Pros
- Full of user-friendly features
- Auto shut-off
- Small and lightweight
- Quite in use
Cons
- Cord length only 9ft in length
- Flashlight not suitable for broad coverage
You will find the pump has a guide price of just over $30, and offers excellent value for money.
The portable air compressors come with a bright LED flashlight for use at night. You also have an automatic shut-off to stop inflation. An added feature is the automatic overheating protector in case of overload.
Unfortunately, the pump isn’t suitable for LT, HT, and large truck tires. However, it is ideal for many other uses such as inflating tires, because it comes with adapters for balls and inflatables. It delivers a max PSI of 100 and is 13.5 x 8.1 x 5.6 inches in size.
2. Viair 00088 88P Portable Air Compressor
The portable air compressor from Viair is the perfect solution for inflating the tires of your truck.
It has a maximum PSI of 120, which means it can inflate them very fast, regardless of the size of the tire. It can handle truck tires up to 33 inches, but it is advisable to check the tire size first to be sure.
It is equipped with an LED operation indicator and includes a 10-foot power cord, and a 16-foot air tube as well as a 3-piece inflation system. In use, even if your tire that requires air is at the farthest end, you can still reach it. The Viair 00088 88P connects directly to your battery and not from an unreliable cigarette lighter.
Pros
- Can handle large tires
- Battery connectors
- Fast operation
Cons
- Needs vehicle to be in operation to use
- Gets hot in use
With a guide price of just over $75, this pump is on the higher end of a budget. For anyone who needs one of the best portable air compressors for truck tires, this may be the best portable compressor to fit their needs.
3. Avid Power Tire Inflator Air Compressor, 20V Cordless Car Tire Pump with Rechargeable Li-ion Battery, 12V Car Power Adapter, Digital Pressure Gauge
The portable inflator from Avid Power differs from others as it comes with a rechargeable battery and USB charging port.
You will also find the pump equipped with a 12-volt cigarette lighter connector for added versatility.
On the easy read display, you have four pressure readings of PSI, KPA, BAR, and KG/CM2. The pump also allows you to check the screen for your inflator status and the life of your battery.
You can find multiple uses with the pump as it can be used for balls and other inflatables as well as tires. To accommodate this, you have several inflation needles. You will also find the inflator lightweight and easy to carry in the carrying bag it arrives in.
Pros
- Can be used cordless without a power cord
- Small and compact
- Multiple power input options
- Two-year warranty
Cons
- Short battery life
- Noisy when in use
With a guide price of around $60, this air pump for tires is on the upper end of anyone’s budget, yet you do have multiple options for power. It doesn’t, however, cope with too larger tires, but it does make up for this in portability.
4. HAUSBELL Portable air Compressor for Car Tires, 12V DC Air Compressor tire inflator Pump, 150 PSI with Emergency LED Flashlight for Car, Motorcycles, Bicycles, Inflatables
Hausbell has a reputation for producing affordable, value-for-money products for its users.
Their heavy-duty portable air compressor is affordable; however, the Hausbell Portable Air Compressor delivers a staggering 150-PSI air pressure limit.
It does this utilizing the 120-watt electric motor offered by this air compressor, which can be powered from 12-volt power outlets in your vehicle.
It also comes with a 9.8-foot long power cord, thus meaning it is easy to reach any vehicle tires and possibly on your trailer.
This portable air compressor also has useful features, including an integrated LED light for night use. (Read What Is A Two-Stage Snow Blower)
Like various other options, this 12-volt pump is fitted with a digital pressure gauge. In terms of the warranty, Hausbell carries a one-year warranty on the air compressor.
Pros
- High PSI capacity
- 1-year warranty
- LED light for use at night
- Long power cord
Cons
- Doesn’t offer many accessories
- On the large size
The Hausbell comes with a guide price of just over $25, and for this, you get the inclusion of auto cut-off once you reach the PSI you need.
It is also ideal for many other inflatables and cars. It is very affordable, although if you need to carry it anywhere, you may find it cumbersome as well as on the heavier side for an air pump tires compressor.
5. Ryobi P737 18-Volt ONE+ Portable Cordless Power Inflator for Tires
The Ryobi portable air compressor is perfect if you don’t have access to a power source for your air compressor because the compressor runs on battery power.
It has an easy to use a grip that makes it very light to take anywhere and will never slip from your hands.
It ships with all you need for operation, so you will not need to purchase any additional equipment, aside from the most important thing, the battery.
Pros
- Long battery life (battery not included)
- Inflates from flat
- Easy to use
Cons
- Doesn’t have a rugged construction
- Requires manual trigger control
With a guide price close to $60, it is great value for something that delivers such a high PSI off batteries. Although you need to purchase a battery for the pump, it is still a powerhouse and ideal as an emergency backup air compressor for trucks, thanks to the portability.
Portable Air Compressor for Truck Tires Buying guide
When you are looking for portable air compressors for tires, there are specific things you need to look for. Here is a quick buying guide you need when buying the best portable air compressors
Max Air Pressure
The max air pressure of a compressor represents how much it can deliver into your tires. Usually shown in a PSI rating, you can find the pumps ranging from 35 to 150 PSI.
Most car or truck tires, a maximum PSI, can be up to 45, although you can find others much higher.
Air Flow (CFM)
The CFM rating is how fast your pump can deliver a set amount of air into your tires. The higher the CFM, the better as there is less strain on your pump.
Duty Cycle
The duty cycle is the amount of time your portable compressor can run before needing a break.
Input Type
You can find many pumps now come with various power connectors. Even if they connect through the lighter socket, it still comes from your battery. Others use rechargeable batteries like other hand-powered tools.
Power Source & Power Consumption
In most instances, the power source will be the vehicle that the tire is located. General power consumption ranges from 120 watts to 240 watts, and the higher power means better performance. Besides, you can reduce your vehicle battery so that a low power option can be best.
Power Cord Length
As with anything, which uses power cords, you need to balance between too short and too long. Much of this is down to preference.
Display
You now find most air compressors have built in displays. These can have pressure, low power, and other things. Digital is far easier to read and allows you to have auto cut-off compared to analog dials.
Tire Size
You need to be sure your pump can cope with specific larger tire sizes. Not all can deal with tires up to thirty inches plus.
Lights
If you need your pump at night, it is ideal to have a built in light so you can see where you are working.
Noise
Some smaller air pumps for tires can be annoying. The body often vibrates, as cheaper models tend to make use of plastic.
Final Verdict
You can find reasons to purchase any compressor air portable option on the list as they all come with individual usage scenarios. However, in testing, the compressed air portable pump option that shone the most was the EPAUTO 12V DC Portable Air Compressor Pump, Digital Tire Inflator.
With a great night light, solid heavy-duty construction, and a decent PSI rating, it offers more than enough for many truck owners.
With an easy to read gauge and auto shut-off, any driver can inflate tires without any worry. Add in the overheat protection, and you have more features than on models costing much more.
You will have more than enough power from this, the best of the top air compressors in these reviews.
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