Tire Deflators – How They Work, How to Use Them

A tire deflator is a device that allows you to inflate or deflate your tire using air pressure. They are typically used on vehicles with large tires like trucks and buses, but they can also be found on some cars and motorcycles.

Tire deflation devices work by connecting the tire to an air compressor through a hose. The tire is inflated by releasing compressed air into it through the hose. To deflate the tire, you release this same compressed air back out of the tire until it reaches your desired PSI (Pounds per Square Inch).

When Tire Deflators Are Used

Tire Deflators can be used in many situations including:

• Tire deflation for emergency vehicle access on snowy or flooded roads
• Removing air from tires during storage periods
• Preventing tire blowouts during tire changes
• Checking tire pressure on large tires like those found in buses and trucks.

Tire Deflators can be purchased at most automotive supply stores, or through online retailers such as Amazon.com. Professional tire services will often have tire deflators available for customers to use while they are performing the service.

The tire deflator is not an adjustable tire solution, and should only be used with tires that are already inflated.

How It Works

They work by connecting the tire to an air compressor through a hose. The tire is inflated by releasing compressed air into it through the hose. To deflate the tire, you release this same compressed air back out of the tire until it reaches your desired PSI (Pounds per Square Inch).

Tire deflators can be used in two different ways: the manual method where you use your hands to squeeze the valve stem until all of the air is released from the tire; or with an automatic tire deflator using compressed air or nitrogen gas.

How to Use a Tire Deflator by Manual Method

Step one: Connect tire deflator to tire valve stem through a hose.

Step two: Turn the tire deflator on, and wait for all of the air in the tire to escape until it reaches desired PSI (Pounds per Square Inch).

Step three: Disconnect tire from tire deflation device by turning tire deflation device off, and disconnecting hose from the tire valve stem.

Step four: Flip the tire over to allow the air in the tire to escape slowly (this will take about a day).

Step five: Find out if there are any punctures on the tire by poking it with your finger or tapping it with something hard like a screwdriver.

Step six: If the tire is punctured, deflate the tire to zero PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) or remove the tire from all four tires and replace it with a new one. If a tire has no punctures, inflate the tire back up to desired PSI level using the manual method again.

How to Use an Automatic Tire Deflator

To use an automatic tire deflator, it is necessary to connect the tire deflator’s compressor hose to a tire valve stem. When you squeeze the lever on the air pump, compressed air or nitrogen gas will be released into your tire and inflate it. To release this same amount of air out of your tire until it reaches its desired PSI (Pounds per Square Inch), you simply release the lever.

Some tire deflators will only work on specific tire sizes or may not be compatible with all tire valves. For a tire deflator to work, it must have an air compressor and hose attachment that is long enough for it to reach your tire valve stem without assistance.