Reseat Blown
Beads
If this guy
had a Power Tank at the time, this wouldn't have been such a
big problem. |
One of the greatest
uses of the Power Tank is reseating blown tire beads. If you've
ever lost a bead on the trail, you know how it can really ruin your
day (and the rest of the gang waiting on you). We've seen trucks
on the trail lose beads and not have spare wheels ready to go. In
fact, the truck in the photo (right) lost three beads in
one mud hole!
If you don't
have a high-volume air source, the two alternatives to reseat tire
beads are through the use of a winch line around the tire (not the
safest way and not very tire-friendly) or through the use of expanding,
flammable gasses like Ether, sprayed around the bit and lit on fire
(definitely not safe). We've seen photos of exploding tires sending
flames into peoples' faces and it wasn't pretty. It's very dangerous
and there is a better way!
With a Power
Tank, reseating a bead is a whole lot easier and safer. What the
tire wants is a strong rush of air to quickly inflate it and force
it outward on the rim, thus seating it. To do this with a Power
Tank, simply remove the valve stem core on the tire and hook up
the air. Setting the regulator at 120-140psi will typically blow
the tire back onto the rim. This is pretty much the same way the
tire jockeys do it at your local tire shop. It's easy and a whole
lot safer!
Run Air Tools!
This is one of the greatest things the Power Tank can do. Where
I live right now I don't have a garage and I also do not have an
adequate power supply in the house, either. Therefore, my wonderful
new air compressor I bought last year is completely useless. With
the Power Tank, I can hook up any air tool and use it just like
I would with an air compressor.
The Power Tank's
regulator will max out at 140psi, which is plenty to operate most
air tools. Using pro-quality air tools is a big plus, as well, because
they allow less unused air to escape and are more efficient. Another
bonus of using the Power Tank for air tools is that it's quiet!
Ever need to fire up your compressor at 6am on a Sunday morning?
I don't recommend it.
To use air tools,
you'll need a ball-connector quick release coupler for your hose
in order to hook up the tools. They can be had at your local home
improvement mega mart for just a few bucks.
Power Tanks
are easy to use and supply plenty of juice to run air tools! |
We used our Power Tank to put on our new Bulletproof Bumper.
|
Run Your
Air Lockers!
An
additional bonus to the Power Tank is the ability to run ARB Air
Lockers. As long as you have good plumbing to the bulkheads on your
differentials and good seals, you can supply the air through lines
from the Power Tank. You do need an additional part, called a Pressure
Relief Valve (PRV-100), which runs under twenty bucks. Simply put,
the PRV acts as a safety so you do not get too much air pressure
going to the Air Locker. It will pop open at 100psi. Again, the
Power Tank will supply air more cheaply and much more quietly than
that noisy compressor!
So
how does it all work? --->>>
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