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March 07 Update

This info is completely outdated now but I will still include it since it still gets plenty of readers.  There is plenty to choose from now very similar to the one described below and larger ranging from $50 from auto accessory stores like Repco, Super Cheap Auto etc.

Pumps similar in appearance and performance to those you used to pay $500-600 five or six years ago are now available for $50-60, if you are concerned with durability, buy two, you will still be miles in front.  I recently saw a large double piston one for $139 that looked almost identical to one selling for $1300 a few years ago.

As for my Hurricane 3 described below, 8 years later, it is still functioning perfectly.


Like a lot of spares and tools we carry, a tyre pump has to potential to save us a lot of grief or worse, but it's of no use whatsoever if it fails on the day or isn't up to to the task.

We have just replaced our supermarket type 12V tyre pump (it was given to me, I didn't buy it).   I felt sure the cheap and nasty thing would fail when it was needed most.   Also, despite the fact that it is claimed to pump to 120 psi, it would take 10 minutes or so to reach 15 psi and unable to re-seat a tyre bead due to the abysmally low air volume, but what could you expect for a $50 pump.    It was one of those things in a plastic enclosure with a fake finned appearance with a tiny motor inside coupled to the compressor via a flimsy plastic gear train.    A bicycle pump would have been as quick.

A few years back, before I was converted to diesel, I used to use an engine pump (you remove one spark plug and screw the hose/air inlet valve fitting into the spark plug hole - I haven't seen one of those for years).   The air pressure and volume was unbeatable but, of course, no good with a diesel engine.

For a while I had looked at 'real' 12V pumps, ones able to inflate a 265x16 tyre to 40 psi in a couple of minutes or so like my old engine pump, but not being what you would call a hard core 4wd driver and never ever driving on the beach, couldn't bring myself to parting with $400-$500 (you can spend $1400).  I made do carrying two spares.

But at a recent caravan and 4x4 show I came across such a pump (going by the advertised specifications) for a price, depending on vendor, between $199 and $299.   The pump, called a Hurricane 3, is shown on the right.   Country of manufacture - unknown.

It looked the part, has a 2 year warranty, is sold by well known reputable suppliers, so after a short haggle I took a chance and parted with $175.

A quick peek inside revealed a die cast alloy piston / conrod assembly running on a sealed ball bearing coupled directly to the motor shaft and with a Teflon piston ring on the "wobble" piston running in a hard anodised extruded aluminium bore which is surrounded by a separate finned alloy casing.

The incoming air passes through a small foam filter which is not as easy to clean as it could be but that shouldn't be a problem if it is used as a portable unit and permanently mounted in a tool/fishing box (rather than as a permanent fixture in a dusty engine bay).

Aesthetically a couple of  corners have been cut compared with pumps selling at double the price, but nothing that would affect its operation or durability.    It appears to be quite solid and well constructed and considerably better than the purchase price would would suggest which would explain why some vendors as asking for and getting up to $300.

The motor draws exactly what is claimed, a maximum of 15A @ 12V, and has a self resetting over temperature cutout.

Performance data from the suppliers giving air volume Vs pressure shows this pump actually out performs a well known USA made pump selling here for around $400 and not too far behind another selling over $500.

It also marginally out performs the highly regarded and more expensive ABR pump (on extrapolated data supplied by both suppliers - 0.91 CFM @ 29 PSI Vs 0.84 CFM @ 29 PSI).

PSI CFM 0 1.12 20 .98 40 .82 60 .70 80 .60

The table on the left are the claimed figures for the Hurricane 3 which I have not verified but have no reason to doubt.

After using it a couple of times, I am very pleased with the performance, it has turned out to be even better than I had hoped.  It inflates my 195R14LT caravan tyres from 0 to 50psi in under 4 minutes.   Even the gauge agreed with my VDO dial type tyre gauge.

It is available from TJM and no doubt others.

To get yourself out of trouble, a $25 tubeless tyre repair kit is a good investment and if you want to cover all possibilities, a good easy to use tyre bead breaker (such as the Aust made R&R Bead Breaker) should be high on your shopping list.

I have just come across a comparison test of 12V air compressors in a national 4x4 magazine.   Besides giving the advertised data, they actually put them to the test by inflating a 265/70/16 tyre from 20psi for one minute and measuring the pressure increase. 

The result for the Hurricane 3 is the figure I measured since their test did not include this brand.     I believe this is a good real world test.

If you want to read the complete article, it appeared in Overland 4WD Aug 2000 Pg 62-68.
Overland 4WD is one of Australia's best and most informative 4x4 magazines. 

The Repco chain of automotive stores is now selling  two compressors that appear to me to be from the same manufacturer as the Hurricane described above.  If they are not, they are excellent copies, even the names are similar.

One is the Cyclone for $99-00 and the other the Tornado for $69-00. I haven't had the opportunity to pull either of them apart, but I would be surprised if the construction and quality is any different from the Hurricane. Definitely worth a look.