- The tire pump is an air pump designed for the specific use of filling a tire with air. The tire pump comes with a nozzle that can be attached to the tire valve to inflate the tire. There are several types of tire pumps, but all work by taking in air and pushing the air back out at high pressures to inflate the tires without taking up your whole day.
- Also called a strut pump, the bike pump is primarily used to inflate the tires on bicycles. The strut pump resembles a pogo stick and is operated manually. The cylinder container of the pump works as an air tank as the rod of the pump is pulled upwards air is sucked into the container through the air intake area surrounding the base of the rod. When the rod is pushed back down, the air intake is closed off, and the only way for the air to escape is through the hose and ultimately through the nozzle at the end of the hose. Because the pump is hand operated, it's often not used for inflating vehicle tires. Strut pumps can be used to inflate car tires, but typically result in wasted time and really sore arms.
- Powered by your car's battery the electric powered pump plugs into your car's cigarette lighter, making it convenient when traveling. Working like a mini air compressor, the electric pump pulls power from the car battery to energize the pump as it pulls air in, compresses it, and then delivers the pressurized air to the car's tires. Electric pumps are good to have on hand for camping trips, when the need to inflate an air mattress arises.
- Typically found in repair shops and garages, the pneumatic tire pump is a large air compressor used primarily for the purpose of inflating vehicle tires. The pneumatic pump runs on electric power and never requires replacement tanks as it draws in and compresses the air on its own. The compressed air is delivered to the tires when triggered by the button on the nozzle of the pneumatic pump's air hose. These types of tire pumps are what you'll find at gas stations and are convenient because they can be fitted with an attachment that allow them to be used for other applications.
- Regardless of which type of tire pump you use to inflate the tires on your vehicles or bicycle, remember that overpumping can rupture the tire's inner tube and lead to unfixable flat tires. To ensure that you don't overinflate, throughout the inflation process check the tire's PSI. The correct PSI for your tires should be listed in your vehicle's owner's manual.
