Glad Hand Tire Inflation Unit For The Truck?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by CV66GMG3, Jun 5, 2023.

  1. CV66GMG3

    CV66GMG3 Bobtail Member

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    May 10, 2022
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    I am looking to purchase a glad hand air line to inflate my tires as needed.

    My concern is doing it safely. I have heard that tires can explode and kill or seriously injure you.

    Is there a way to set up an air line where I can clip the connector to the valve and get air into the tire with a handle/trigger control? Something I could add to the end of the glad hand air line?
     
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  3. Aoki Gahara

    Aoki Gahara Bobtail Member

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    Just check it frequently. More things to worry about than a tire exploding from a glad hand inflation set up.
     
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  4. dunchues

    dunchues Medium Load Member

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    new brunswick
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    Your truck air compressor will cut out long before you explode a tire, it's set for around 120 psi. When it makes that spit and puff of air, that's the compressor cutting off. But you will run out of patience waiting for an airline to reach a number near 100 psi, you wait and see what I mean!
     
  5. CV66GMG3

    CV66GMG3 Bobtail Member

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    Are you saying my truck compressor will not get my tires up to 100 psi?
     
  6. dunchues

    dunchues Medium Load Member

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    Technically it will reach the cut off psi. Practically it will take a long time. Even to 100lbs will be a fair while. You can't hurt anything at all, so start the engine, hook it up, and sit down with a book
     
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  7. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

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    It takes about 30 minutes to do all 18 tires to 100psi if they are at maybe 80psi. It will take about 3 or 4 minutes per tire if they are at zero. Yes you can get them to 100 psi and even higher. I would recommend a locking air chuck
     
  8. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member


    In my experience a gladhand-to-tire airhose is more trouble than it is worth. I had one in almost every OTR truck I ever drove. I only used it in very rare situations. Much better/faster to use the air hose at a truck stop, if you can find one that is not broken or being blocked while someone takes their 10 hour break at the fuel pump. If you pick up a trailer at a customer and the tire is flat, it's possible, it is flat due to a slow air leak It's much more likely that all you will do by hooking up your gladhand air hose is find out how long it takes for your truck's compressor to inflate an empty tire and see that the air leak that caused it to be flat is too big for you to keep inflated. I think in many cases I needed to drop my trailer and park closer to my trailer tandems to use it, especially now there are so many newbies that leave their trailer tandems illegally at the rear of the trailer out of laziness and "can't make me care."
     
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  9. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Yes, exactly. Your compressor can develop 120 PSI but it doesn't provide a large volume of air, so it takes minutes and minutes and minutes to increase a tire from say 75 PSI to 110 psi. Ideally you want your gladhand air hose to have a stay-put chuck so you don't have to stand there pushing/pulling it onto the tire valve stem.
     
  10. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    I aired a super single(120lb) from75(had nail in it) to 120, took about 15 minutes me holding the chuck.

    It’ll do it, but you’ll see, it’s a slow go.
     
  11. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I bought a glad hand, A good quality rubber air hose and a long air chuck that you don't have to hold onto when using it. Have quick connects on the chuck, glad hand and both ends of the hose. I rarely need it but when I do it sure is nice to have available. And I can air up a tire to 100 psi.
     
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