CRT ( Core Removal Tool ) Tire Inflator

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
I through I would share some interesting tech I have been playing around with in the tire inflation game. While there are special valve stems on the market that use the bigger core from larger industrial or agricultural tires, I was wondering how restrictive a standard Shrader valve core really was when inside a normal valve stem. The answer is A LOT!

I found one of these Core Removal Tools that I believe was originally designed to be used on tire machines in tire shops generally speaking. While we commonly see removing the core for airing down a tire, I never had really seen a device for airing UP a tire this way.

61BLRgAbO6L._AC_SL1000_.jpg

After some quick initial testing that proved there was something VERY interesting going on if you removed the core, I decided to build an 'Inflator' around this device. This was done by using the CRT chuck, a short flex hose, a Tee, a pressure gauge, a ball valve, and then a quick coupler that can be connected to the air hose.

CRT inflator.jpg

This device clips onto any normal 'car' size valve stem and allows both airing up or down. The inline gauge works quite well for monitoring tire pressure along the way without having to remove or swap anything. The liquid filled gauge I used is a little slower to respond, so I may swap that out for just a normal gauge.

Now it was time to do some testing.
I wanted to use the same tire and vehicle for all my testing, in this case, it was the 40x13.5R17 Milestar Patagonia MT Black Labels on my #LX45.
This test was run at the same pressure sweep....8 to 28psi which is my normal trail to road change.
Here are the initial results.

-Shop Air- blow through clip on chuck- Through a Jantz deflator - 8 to28psi - 75 seconds
-Shop Air - blow through clip on chuck - Through a standard core - 8to 28psi - 80 seconds
-Shop Air - CRT chuck inflator - Core removed - 8 to 28psi - 26 seconds
-Tozalazz - CRT chuck inflator - Core removed - 8 to 28psi - 115 seconds
-Puma - Blow through clip on chuck- Through a Jantz deflator - 8 to 28psi - 230 seconds
-Puma - CRT chuck inflator - Core removed - 8 to 28psi - 207 seconds
-ARB twin - clip on chuck- through core - 8 to 28psi - 210 seconds
-ARB twin - CRT chuck inflator - no core - 8 to 28psi - 160 seconds
-Shop air - LockNFlate chuck - through Jantz deflator - 8 -28psi - 70 seconds
-Puma - LockNflate chuck - Through core - 8 to 28psi - 225 seconds
-ARB Twin - LockNflate chuck - Through core - 8 to 28psi - 190 seconds

Notes:
-'Shop air' is my large 3-4hp garage compressor, 60 gallon tank regulated to 90-100psi and it will fill 2-3 tires before the compressor kicks on.

-'Tozalazz' is the new 'Napa' style twin cylinder compressor ( this was run only without the core and directly to the CRT inflator )
These are listed as 11.6cfm free flow

-'Puma' is mid size 3/4hp 12V compressor mounted in the LX45 full time with a small 1/2-3/4 gallon tank
This is rated at 2cfm at 40psi or 1.3cfm at 90psi (I would guess free flow is 4cfm)

-ARB twin is the largest compressor from ARB and is mounted in my old Willys Jeep. with a small 1/2-3/4 gallon tank
This is rated at 6.16cfm free flow and 4.7cfm at 29psi

Conclusion-

As flow increased, I saw a proportionally better decrease in air up times across all the various compressor flow rates.

My general feeling is that anything above 3-4cfm free flow would benefit from this. I was surprised how close the Puma and ARB twin was with the core still in place. I think that is a good example of the bottleneck of the core above a certain flow.

I also think that with 30-40+cfm it is possible to still use a normal small valve stem to great effect if you remove the core during the air up process.

Thoughts? Questions?
 
Last edited:

Ozarker

Pontoon Admiral
Interesting, thanks for sharing.

I've always left the core in, simply depressed it to let air out, I never messed with it airing up.

Don't know if they still make them, but I had a tire gauge that had a bypass inflator connection on it, it didn't read the pressure until you stop adding air.

th
 

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
Interesting, thanks for sharing.

I've always left the core in, simply depressed it to let air out, I never messed with it airing up.

Don't know if they still make them, but I had a tire gauge that had a bypass inflator connection on it, it didn't read the pressure until you stop adding air.

th

I actually really like being able to read the air pressure WHILE filling up. With this inflator I can open the ball valve and just watch the needle move. Unless I am using shop air, it just reads tire pressure. Once you get past a certain flow it just pegs the gauge and you have to shut the valve to read. We will see how long that takes to tweak something in the gauge....but so far it has held up.
 

msimmo

New member
Looks like there's one on amazon that's not too expensive.


Cool idea, definitely going to add it to a multi hose deflation/inflation system when i get around to making one.


Edit: not sure the link is showing up on my post but its a Milton S-443 for $30
 

86scotty

Cynic
I didn’t know these existed!

Added to my Amazon cart!

I got some of the links to post but not the Amazon one. Can you try again? Amazon links just show a blank spot on this forum lately. I've been meaning to ask if i was the only one experiencing this.
 

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
I added a few more additional tests to the original post using a different 'better' quality chuck.

717to9V0sLL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


While the chuck has a very good clamping ability and I really like the general ergonomics, I didn't notice much flow difference compared to a normal clip on chuck.....and definitely it wasn't nearly as fast as the CRT chuck.

These are the 3 lines I added above-

-Shop air - LockNFlate chuck - through Jantz deflator - 8 -28psi - 70 seconds
-Puma - LockNflate chuck - Through core - 8 to 28psi - 225 seconds
-ARB Twin - LockNflate chuck - Through core - 8 to 28psi - 190 seconds
 

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