Pro Tip #1
Want an easy way to fill your air mattress? Follow along as we explain how.
What you will need:
- Drill.
- Unibit stepped drill bit.
- Valve stem -steel or rubber.
- Air compressor.
- Air mattress -or anything inflatable with a large enough cap to accommodate a valve stem.
Step 1:
Install the unibit into the drill of your choice. Carefully, drill the valve stem hole in the center of the plastic cap. You may find it useful to measure the portion of the valve stem that normally seats into the wheel and mark the appropriate corresponding step on the unibit with a Sharpie (I usually just eyeball it). This makes it easier to see when to stop drilling. Be sure to remove any plastic burrs with a razor blade or sharp knife.
Step 2:
Once the appropriate size hole has been drilled, pull the valve stem through the backside of the hole (by hand) until the base seats itself on the back of the cap. Rocking the valve while pulling on it can help to seat it. If it's being stubborn, you can lube it with a bit of soapy water -don't use pliers as you may create a hole and subsequent air leak. If you are using a steel valve stem, you can now assemble and tighten everything down making sure to place the appropriate rubber seal on either side of the hole in the plastic cap. Do not over tighten.
Step 3:
Attach the fill hose and air chuck to the air compressor. Screw the cap in place and inflate the mattress in the same manner you would a tire -using common sense not to over inflate the mattress.
That's it! Pretty simple, right? If you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you. Shoot us an email at: overlandkitted@gmail.com
As with anything, use caution when inflating anything. Do not leave the air mattress unattended while filling with air as it may explode causing injury to person or property.