Tire Pressure GAuGE

Airing down is crucial to increase traction off-road. There are many options for this, so it comes down to preference and budget.

Any pen-sized pressure gauge is great to keep in the glove box. I like having a full pen length, as they are a bit more accurate at low PSI and will not self retract, therefore making it easier to dial in the PSI you want

Screw on caps that will slowly air down as you start wheeling. This can be great, as airing down can take some time - with this method, you can walk away and not have to wait by your jeep.

An “EZ” air down tool can be a nice mix of precision and speed. It works by taking out the valve stem in a secure way to get air out as fast as possible. A built in gauge makes taking a PSI reading easy.

Monster valves! Adding a second valve stem lets you air down with a wide open valve stem and check the PSI as is drops. These help airing down and back up again as they let air pass at a faster rate and keeping a gauge on will let you get an accurate reading without having to stop to check PSI once getting close. This is an ideal set up and is worth the investment. You get a quality tire gauge as well as a fast way to air up and down.

Air up

After airing down you will need to air up. Driving at 10 PSI is a fast way to need new tires.

• Air compressor

  • Portable compressor in a bag. Two alligator clamps to connect to a battery. This is great if you have multiple vehicles needing a compressor. Biggest risk factor is forgetting it at home.

  • Installed air compressor in the jeep not to move and always connected to the battery is a solid way to ensure you always have one. It also opens up the door to mounting air chucks at the front and back of the vehicle, or maybe even an air tank to run tools.

  • York compressor that runs off the engine. Running a compressor off the engine can lead to some of the fastest air up times and won’t slow down due to over heating.

• Power tank

  • Using CO2 in a tank, you essentially have compressed air to fill tires, This means that you are not relying on the vehicle’s battery or engine to operate. This gives mobility to take your air anywhere. The down side is that you can run out of CO2. Depending on tank size and tire size, the number of fills can vary. so it’s important to map your needs.

D-Rings and soft shackles

You would never get stuck, of course, but the knucklehead behind you will. Before we get into the strap to pull them out, you need a way to attach it to yourself.

These are nothing fancy, but they work. Because they are hard to break and can last a life time, it’s hard to not pick up a couple for your rig. Most aftermarket bumpers come with shackle mounts, so it’s easy to buy them, put them on, and forget about it until they are needed. Just make sure they are a little past hand tight, as they tend to wobble loose on the road.