Can The Slime Heavy Duty Tire Inflator Reach 80 PSI?
Most trucks, 5th-wheel, Class C RVs, and some travel trailer tires use 80 psi tires, and larger Class A RVs use an even higher psi tire.
If you travel a lot or live full time in your RV you may have noticed that it can be a struggle to keep your RV tires fully inflated.
Related Product: Check the PSI of your Truck or RV’s tires quickly using the Tymate Tire Pressure Monitoring System (click to view on Amazon)
The kinds of tires that are on travel trailers and 5th-wheel are recommended to be kept at the full psi so you get the max sidewall strength to carry the load of the trailer.
We were on the road headed south when I noticed that the 80 PSI tires we had gotten a few months ago for our travel trailer were getting low.
I’d recently written an article talking about the best portable tire inflators (click here to view) and while the Slime 2X Heavy Duty Direct Drive Tire Inflator (click to view on Amazon) was not at the top of my list, it was the one I ended up getting because it was the most available.
In this review, I’ll go over the specifics of the Slime 2X Heavy Duty Direct Drive Tire Inflator and give you my full honest opinion and review about how it works inflating 80 psi truck and travel trailer tires.
Slime 2X Heavy Duty Direct Drive Tire Inflator
The Slime 2X Heavy Duty Direct Drive Tire Inflator is made for tires with a higher PSI than a car or small SUV.
It’s rated for heavy duty trucks, travel trailers, 5th-wheels, and most RVs. It’s the most powerful portable tire inflator Slime makes.
What You Get
Let’s start with the basics. Included with the small portable tire inflator you get a coiled 30-foot air hose with a built-in pressure gauge that reads from 0-150 psi.
The end of the hose has a screw-on Schrader valve that is compatible with your basic vehicle tire stems.
There are alligator clips that connect directly to your RV or truck batteries which is a better option than a 12V plug.
They are small but good quality and have an 8 foot power cable.
On the body of the portable tire inflator, there is a small metal handle that folds down you can use to carry the inflator around.
There are also two switches on each side near the front. One of the switches turns on a small flashlight that is built into the body of the inflator. The other switch turns on the pump.
See Also: What Do I Need To Use Hookups At An RV Park Or Campground?
Finally, the Slime 2X Heavy Duty Tire Inflator comes in a plastic storage box.
Its quality is better than expected and it’s heavy duty enough that you can place it in the back seat of your truck or in the storage compartment of an RV and stack stuff on top of it.
The box is 11.5 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 7 inches tall.
There are also 3 extra air nozzles for other inflatables like rafts and balls.
The box has foam on the inside to protect the tire inflator and there are two compartments.
One for the inflator and one for the hose.
Even after stretching the hose out, it was still easy to put everything back inside the box which is a big deal for this kind of thing.
Not all portable car accessories are easy to put back in their storage container.
Specifications
The Slime 2X Heavy Duty Direct Drive Tire Inflator runs on 12V power and is advertised to be able to inflate a regular car tire in 2 minutes.
I never got to test this feature since I used this to inflate my travel trailer tires from 70 to 80 psi so I don’t know if it’s accurate.
But when inflating to a high pressure it was pretty fast. So I wouldn’t be surprised if it would be able to inflate a smaller car tire that quickly.
If your RV or vehicle has a built in TPM (tire pressure monitor) the Slime is safe to use and will not damage the sensors.
The 30 foot coiled air hose is removable which makes packing it up and getting it out much easier.
There is a smaller black air hose that comes out of the inflator with a 1/4″ NPT female end that screws onto the green hose. It’s easy to use and doesn’t leak.
See Also: Best RV 5th-Wheel & Travel Trailer Tires Review/Buying Guide
The end of the green hose has a standard Schrader end that screws on, it should be compatible with all tires.
Slime doesn’t specify what the max PSI of this portable tire inflator is exactly. The gauge goes all the way to 150 psi but that doesn’t mean its max psi is 150.
It made it to 80 psi with no issues and didn’t sound too overworked but I can’t say it can go any higher because I haven’t been able to test it on anything higher than 80.
It does seem like it should be able to get up to at least 100 psi though.
How To Use The Slime 2X Heavy Duty Tire Inflator
The set up is fairly simple with the Slime Tire Inflator. All you have to do is pull it out of the box and connect the green air hose to the black hose that comes out of the inflator.
When you screw on the end with the pressure gauge to the tire it will let out a little bit of air while you’re screwing it on.
This is a good sign that the core in the valve is being depressed which is what you want. Keep screwing on the nozzle until the air stops coming out of the tire.
Hook the tire inflator directly to the battery of your vehicle.
In the instructions, it says to not run the vehicle’s engine when using the inflator but instead have the key half turned to the accessory or “on” position.
Make sure the vehicle’s emergency brake is on and it’s in park.
When you connect the Slime Tire Inflator to the battery make sure you connect the positive wire first and then the negative one.
See Also: Top 5 Trailer Brake Controllers For Campers & RVs
At this point, you can flip the switch and the motor should turn on. Note there are two switches, one is for the flashlight on the front and the other turns it on.
Once the pressure is where you want it you can turn off the inflator. When you disconnect the Schrader nozzle from the tire a little air will be released.
To offset this you may want to inflate the tire 1-2 psi over where you want it.
Always use another tire pressure gauge to check the final pressure as the inline gauge may be a little off.
Disconnect the portable tire inflator from the battery negative side first.
Important: Do not run the Slime tire inflator for more than 10 minutes at a time. Let it cool for at least 25 minutes in between long runs so it doesn’t overheat.
Not letting any kind of small portable air compressor overheat is important for its longevity.
If the inside components get too hot they will start to wear down faster and even break. If you want your portable tire inflator to last you need to give it time to let it cool.
There is an auto shut off if it gets too hot, but it’s better to not let it get that overheated in the first place.
See Also: BougeRV CR45 Portable Fridge Freezer Reviewed For Camping/RV
My Review Of The Slime 2X Heavy Duty Tire Inflator For Truck & RV Use
I’ve used this portable tire inflator a few times now on both my RAM 2500 truck and my travel trailer with 80 psi tires.
So far its worked flawlessly and shows no signs of wear. When I first got it my travel trailer tires were at 70 psi according to my JACO pressure gauge (click to view on Amazon).
It took about 2 minutes per tire to get to 80 psi but it got there with no issues.
I did inflate the tires one bar over 80 psi so the air that was let out when I disconnected the air hose wouldn’t make the pressure go below 80.
The pressure gauge on the Slime was actually very accurate according to my Jaco tire pressure gauge. They both showed the same PSI both before and after inflating tires.
Pretty much any small portable air compressor is going to be loud and the Slime 2X Heavy Duty Tire Inflator is no exception.
It is pretty noisy and you have to yell in order to be understood by other people when it’s running.
I wouldn’t say it’s any louder than other kinds of portable tire inflators and there was no noise difference from 70 psi to 80 psi.
What I Like
- Tire Pressure Gauge Is Accurate
- Heavy Duty Storage Box
- Easy To Put Everything Away
- Long Air Hose
- Can Be Connected To Tire Before Turning On The Motor
- Uses Aligator Clips Instead Of A 12V Plug
- Can Run 10 Minutes Before Needed To Cool Down
- Does Reach At Least 80 PSI
- Fast
- Small & Portable
- Auto Overheat Shut Off
What I Don’t Like
- Power Cord Is A Little Short
- Switches Aren’t Labeled
- Max PSI Not Specified
Slime Heavy Duty Tire Inflator Troubleshooting Tips
If you’ve been running the tire inflator for a long time and it shuts off and won’t turn back on let it cool for at least 25 minutes before trying to turn it back on again to let the thermal shut off switch reset.
If the motor doesn’t start make sure the clips are connected to the battery in a clean area that is free of corrosion and dirt.
Also, make sure you are using the correct switch and not the flashlight one.
If the motor is running slower than normal make sure the inflator hasn’t gotten too hot. Also, check the vehicle’s battery to make sure there’s a good connection and that it’s at least 50% charged.
See Also: Best Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) For RV
If the inflator is running but the pressure gauge isn’t moving make sure there are no leaks anywhere in the line or the tire.
If the thermal shut off switch turns off the motor quicker then it should make sure the pump is in a cool shaded spot when it’s running.
The sun may be causing it to heat up faster than it should. Also, let it cool down in a shaded area as well.
Frequently Asked Question About The Slime Heavy Duty Tire Inflator
Is The Slime Inflator Compatible With Presta Valves?
It doesn’t come with a Presta Valve adapter but you can purchase one separately (click to view on Amazon) that will convert a Presta valve to a Schrader one which will make it compatible with this tire inflator.
Does the Slime Tire Inflator Work With Bicycles?
Yes, this inflator has no problem inflating bicycle tires and since they are small and a fairly low PSI it inflates them quickly.
Why Shouldn’t You Run The Engine When Using The Slime Tire Inflator?
The reason you don’t want to have the engine running when using the slime tire inflator is the alternator will put out an amperage that is higher than the inflator is rated for and it may destroy the compressor motor.
If the inflator motor doesn’t seem to be running at full speed make sure your vehicle’s battery is charged over 50%, you can unhook the inflator and run the engine for a while to recharge the battery if needed.
Is There A Replacement For The Air Hose?
Slime doesn’t have a direct replacement air hose but you can get a standard air compressor hose with a 1/4″ NPT fitting like this one (click to view on Amazon).
It has the same screw on ends as the Slime tire inflator and it comes with a Schrader nozzle.
Can I Get An Extension Air Hose For The Slime Tire Inflator?
Slime doesn’t sell an extension air hose for its tire inflators but if you get this air compressor hose (click to view on Amazon) and this 1/4 female coupling (click to view on Amazon) you will be able to add an extension between the tire inflator and the main air hose.
Can I Hook This Up To My Travel Trailer’s 12V Battery?
Yes, the Slime tire inflator can be hooked up to any 12V battery.
Just make sure the battery doesn’t fall below 50% when you are using it.
If you have two 6V batteries wired in series make sure you hook the tire inflator to the same posts that your RV load wires are hooked to so you get the 12V output.
See Also: Best 12V Lithium Batteries For RV Use + How To Charge
Can I Use A Compressed Air Gun With This?
No, you cannot. There is no pressurized air tank on the Slime tire inflator.
It’s made to put out the air as it’s made and doesn’t store any kind of pressurized air. Which means you can’t use a tire inflator to blow air.
You can get a portable air tank like this (click to view on Amazon) and fill it with the Slime Tire Inflator and use that to blow air with an air nozzle.
Note that the air tank I linked to has a max psi of 125. The Slime may not be able to get that high but it should be able to get to at least 100 psi.
If you fill it with the Slime tire inflator make sure you don’t run it for longer than 10 minutes at a time without a 25 minute break.
When the pressure starts to get high it may need more breaks in order to not overheat.
Can I Use The Slime Heavy Duty Tire Inflator With A 12V Plug/Cigarette Plug?
No. Most 12V plugs or cigarette lighters in vehicles don’t put out enough amperage to run high powered motors like the one on the Slime Tire Inflator.
You need at least 15 amps and most 12V plugs only put out up to 10. That’s why you want to get a tire inflator with alligator clips instead of a 12V plug.
Have any more questions about the Slime 2X Heavy Duty Direct Drive Tire Inflator? Leave a comment below.
Thank you for saying that this unit has two switches. The switches are not labeled and the instructions do not mention that there are two switches. I was stumped because I set it up and only the LED would turn on. Doh! I didn’t see the second switch. Hopefully others can learn from my mistake.
Thanks Michael! I’m glad the review was helpful.
So you’ve checked/adjusted the tire pressure on the tires pre-trip and then you go boondocking for 4 or 5 days. Do you check your tires before leaving camp to head home or next stop? I’m sure you do, but at what point will you break out the compressor to fill the tires? Down 1 lb, 3, 5lbs? I was down 3.5lbs on one tire and did not top it off. Wondering if this is a bad practice?
Hi AZNick,
I’ve added checking the tire pressure to my list of things to do while packing up and getting ready to move to the next campsite. We usually leave in the morning so it’s the perfect time to check the psi.
Filling up the tires depends on the distance I’m going to be traveling next and the conditions. I normally top off my travel trailer tires when they get around 5-10 below 80 psi.
Thank you Jenni, just back from 5 beautiful days near Bryce Canyon, Utah boondocking at Tom’s Best Spring Rd. When leaving yesterday before traveling back to Phoenix, I checked trailer tires and they were both down 2 lbs. I didn’t fill them, but not sure I would have anyway, as like you, we like to leave pretty early and the noise from the air compressor is enough to wake the dead. How do you two handle that? We have a ‘quiet’ generator and I’m still very conscious of the noise they put out. So much so, I haven’t been able to try out the new Sboly coffee pot, so I don’t anger the campers nearby. Thank goodness for WAKA instant.
I don’t think I would have filled them up at just 2 lbs either and I agree, it is hard to use noisy camping equipment when camping around others. Usually, there’s someone nearby running a generator either late at night or early in the morning. When that happens I usually take the chance to pull out the tire inflator to top off the tires.
As far as using a generator myself I normally just follow regular campground rules. I don’t run it after 10 pm and I don’t start it up until after 7 or 8 depending on how close people are.
If you really wake up early and need some silent electricity to run your coffee maker you could get a portable power station that has enough watts to run the coffee maker. We normally save enough power after the sun goes down so we can run ours in the morning without having to use the generator.
You can check out this review to see some good options. It’s not a must have but power stations are a simple way to get electricity without having to run a generator.