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After nearly 10 years and countless hours of operation, this air compressor just refuses to die.
- Has well and truly gone the distance
- Coiled hose can easily reach all tyres, and possibly some trailers
- Handy built-in gauge…
- … but the gauge isn’t terribly accurate these days
- The carry bag didn’t last long
- I want a new one, but it just won’t die
I like new and shiny things as much as the next person, and have been waiting patiently for my opportunity to get a new air compressor.
It’s a crucial piece of equipment for four-wheel driving, and it’s nice to have something fresh and quality to use when you’re out in the bush (or on the beach).
But I don’t want to just go out and buy one willy-nilly. I need to wait for the current unit to run it’s natural course and expire before I can replace it.
My current go-to compressor isn’t terribly fancy, and feels a bit outdated these days. It’s an Ironman 4X4 Flo-Max, which has since been replaced by a new ‘Air Champ’ line of units, which looks to be similar but updated.
Some specs of our Flomax include 160 litres of air per minute, 150psi of maximum pressure and a 60mm cylinder. It also had a three-year warranty, which we have outstripped three times over.
It’s looking much more haggard these days, the flimsy bag it came in didn’t last long, and the base plate rattled off somewhere along the line.
And since the bag went, the compressor tends to be unceremoniously thrown into whatever tub or boot is nearby. Part of me is waiting for this compressor to cark it, so I haven’t been caring for it particularly well.
But connect the alligator clips up to the battery and flick the switch, and this unit vibrates into life faithfully, time after time.
It’s been running for 10 years now, and I can’t see it dying any time soon.
The coiled hose has plenty of reach, screws onto the Schraeder valve at the tyre, and a gauge allows you to keep an eye on pressures. Although, the readouts don’t seem to be as accurate as they once were.
Performance is fine without feeling overly fast, and the Flo-Max soldiers through four 33-inch tyres from 14psi up to 40psi without any complaints. It’s quite hot at the end of it, but the handle is designed to avoid scalding your hands when you throw it back into the car. It’s impossible to remove the hose when it’s so hot, so I just leave it attached.
Considering it cost $242 back in 2014 or 2015 (I can’t quite remember when I got it), and has been used on dozens of vehicles and countless trips short and long, I am very impressed with with the durability and longevity of the Ironman Flo Max air compressor.
Rating: 4/5
The post Tested gear: Ironman 4X4 air compressor review appeared first on Drive.
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