A Blog Page for reviews of Cycle Products and accessories.
Do you Have a Cycling related product you would like reviewed?
Then feel free to contact us on Twitter @TDF79. Facebook Harlow Cycle Page. Instagram Harlow Cycle.
2019 The Year of the Bike! This a No Fee Paid Blog
A make it yourself idea for a shock pump to get your Tubeless tires back on the rim.
Not a new idea, so I honestly cannot take credit for this, it’s thanks to the wonders of YouTube video’s, If you have been reading my Tubeless Tire and Sealant reviews you will know about the garden sprayer conversion, that idea did work, but I wanted something more permanent to have, rather than keep swapping and changing the Lance which I had to do on the garden sprayer…. I explored what was available on the market, I came about a Booster Pump on the Tredz website, and read a few reviews for the Beto CJA0001S Tubeless Air Tank Inflater at £39.99, ideal for the workshop due to its size, or should I go for the Airshot Tubeless Inflation System at £49.00 which is more portable, after reading as many reviews as I could decided it was the Beto for me, so I placed a order on the Tredz website and waited for a few days for deliver, then waited a few weeks, then a couple of months, and in the waiting period decided to see how easy it was to make a Air vessel my self, and it was YouTube direction I headed to..
Since then I have received a email saying out of stock and no idea when it will be back in, and that has now convinced me I need to make one!
Items needed for the Boost Pump Project.
1x Used Fire Extinguisher.
1x Tubeless Bike Valve
1x Mtr of hose.
1x Pump head.
I remembered I had a Co2 fire extinguisher under my stair cupboard, On closer inspection I noticed the date!
In a way, it has done me a bit of a favour, I knew I had a fire extinguisher in the house, I just didn’t realise it was so old! 1989 was the first maintenance dated on it!.
A Classic Fire Extinguisher.
I decided to use the Chub and buy a new one to replace it.
Next thing to do was to empty it…
Be very carful how you go about emptying a old fire extinguisher, in this case make sure not to handle the funnel.
That’s Cold!
Make a mark where the tubeless valve will be installed when the Coldness has gone, mark it with a permanent marker if you have one.
When I was 100% sure it was empty, I removed the nozzle, put it to one side.
At first I thought it would be a easy conversion, all I had to do was find a plumbing Connector to attach and use a reducer for the tubing to fit to.. or so I planned.
Nozzle removed, a adjustable spanner to remove the head unit.
Use a spanner or adjustable spanner to remove head.
Slide the unit out, lay it to one side.
For the moment I have kept the long tube on, if needed I can remove it later.
Head removed.
Ideally use a centre punch to help the drill bit start off when drilling.
I used a couple of drill bits to make the hole, a step up in size.
Start small, work up in size to the tubeless valve width.
Nice and steady start to drill.
Once the size was large enough I hovers out any sharp metal that was inside the fire extinguisher.
Safety held in the vice.
Valve ready to be fitted.
I found a bit of tubing that fitted the inside of the valve perfectly, held it in place, my idea was to pass the tube through the drilled hole and hook the valve up and into the drilled hole.
Perfect fit.
With the tube poking out I simply fitted it into the valve to pull it through.
Obviously remove all the screw rings and valve it self,, You could tie a piece of string, or a bit of wire to the valve to be able to pull it through the hole you drilled. .
With the tube still in place I then passed the small sealing ring and added a small rubber washer under the securing nut, once all fitted together simply pulled the tube out.
All tightened up.
Refit the valve.
I gathered the pieces together for the completion of the project.
My idea was to simply fit the new colour and add a reducer to fit the hose to, but unfortunately that idea didn’t work out as the thread was not a compatible thread!
The idea is to connect a hose from the head to the head.
With the thread problem making the process a bit more complicated, I had to think of another idea, so the funnel I removed earlier was unbolted and I cut the remaining pipe to leave a section so I could then simply fit the hose to.
Enough was left to me fit the tube to it.
Hose fitted and secured with a small Jubilee Clip.
Refit the head unit and tighten.
Time to attach the valve head and test, I pumped it up to 40, then to 50, 60, 70 psi, and up-to 100 psi, had a small leak around the valve, so gave it a bit more of a tightened turn on the nut and gave it another test pump.
I had to remove the valve and use a small bit of pipe tape around the thread to get the valve to seal, that did the trick as after the test it held the air pressure no trouble.
Hose I had bought was a bit too flexible…
Looks like a very professional Air Tank.
Bang!A new tube is needed,.
Tank it self holds the pressure, I just need to do a bit of Upcycling and find a old Track Pump hose to use, or just buy one from Amazon for £8.00! I prefer the Reuse idea.
Not sure if I’ll be giving it a rub down and a spray paint…
Pressure is good, when I get a new hose I’ll take it up more as a test for pressure.
After a call out on Social Media for a Old or Broken track pump, and a few of my Cycling groups, Liam got back to me in Harlow Cycling Club to say he had a old track pump I can have, so after a quick chat and a time for pickup, it was all arranged. So thank you Liam for saving the planet on a truck delivery.
I removed the pipe I had fitted.
As the pipe was a older pipe, it was not as flexible as the new one, so I was not able to use the fitting that was originally on the fire extinguisher, so I had to change the Connector.
New Copper reducer fitted.
I gave it a quick test, all was good, but have not changed a tubeless tire as yet.
Made a little hook to place the head in so it makes it look neater.
Check out the video that shows how easy it is to use..
Air Tank… DIY.
Please Feel Free to Support Our Sponsors Adverts.
Thank You.
Foot Note This is not a Paid Advertisement for Harlow Cycle Page.