ATV Quad Riding Gear And Accessories - Abused

Tippmann Industrial Products Instant Air CO2 Tank
It's funny-air is all around us in huge quantities, yet compressed air is a precious commodity. Oh, what you wouldn't give for a few trillion molecules or so of air when you're miles from nowhere with a flat tire. Sure, there are CO2 cartridges, but they're expensive and it takes two to properly inflate an ATV tire. We've also reviewed compact air compressors in the past, but they can be slow to operate and aren't able to power air tools.

Enter Tippmann Industrial Products' Instant Air CO2 tank. For $119.99, you get a 20-ounce CO2 tank, a 6-foot coiled air hose with a quick disconnect, an air chuck, a blower, a pressure gauge, a waist clip, a hard-plastic carrying case and more. Carbon dioxide (or CO2) can be found at paintball shops, some sporting goods stores, hardware stores and welding supply shops. The cost for a fill-up at a Sports Authority in Los Angeles was $3.50 plus tax. According to Tippmann, one of the benefits of CO2 versus compressed air is that liquid CO2 takes up less than one percent of the space that is required by compressed air. So of course the next question that entered my mind was: "Just how many tires can I inflate with a full tank?"

To find out, I removed the valve core on our Yamaha Raptor and allowed the tire to go completely flat. Then I reinstalled the valve core and attached the hose and air chuck to the full CO2 tank. I inflated the tire to 4 psi, which is what the placard on the rear fender of the Raptor states the tire pressure should be. I was able to complete this cycle 17 times before I ran out of pressure-not bad for $3.50-and the belt clip holds the tank on your waist as you work, which is very convenient.

Being the power-hungry man that I am, the next thing I wanted to know was: "Can this thing run air tools?" To find out, I headed back to Sports Authority for another $3.50 refill. I connected my 31/48-inch-drive Matco impact wrench to the air hose and started removing and installing as many lug nuts on the Raptor as I could. Removal and installation of one lug nut with the impact wrench counted as one cycle, and the CO2 tank lasted for 25 cycles. This was pretty disappointing, but I have to admit that the second time I had the tank filled, it did seem a couple of ounces lighter than the first time. Either all this typing for ATV Rider is making me stronger, or I got shortchanged by the clerk at the store.

Although the filling error wasn't Tippmann's fault, nonetheless it is still something you should take into consideration when purchasing this unit. Also, the air chuck had a slight leak, which may have been caused by a faulty rubber O-ring. I solved the problem by using an air chuck that I had lying around the shop. Lastly, refilling could be a hassle if you live in the boonies. If you're looking for a long-lasting, cordless way to break loose nuts, then buy a cordless impact wrench. But if you want the security of being able to inflate a few tires and take off some wheels during a ride without having to drag along a bulky electric air compressor, the Instant Air is worth a look.