float tube question?

[markgraumlich]

hello,

I have an old Buck's Bag Bullet. It has hardly been used, b/c inflating it is really difficult, at least to me.

Here is a pic of the "valve", and the attachments to inflate it. I've never had much luck with this working well.


Has anyone ever had success in easily inflating these? If not, it might just go in the garbage. It was my bro-in-laws, he hardly used it, he gave it to me years ago.


cheers,
MarkG

[ducksterman]

No experience with that one ....my old Buck's tube used truck inner tubes.

What are you using as a connector from your air source?...What is your air source?....it should go into that piece of tubing that should be securely fitted to that other black gizmo insert...at least that's how it looks to me....the insert needs to be securely held into the valve so it depresses the red X in the valve...if you are having trouble I'll bet it's because of improper opening of that red X....be sure all connections are secure and tight...and be sure that black gizmo, as I called it, is open.

OOPS...gotta edit this after looking closer at the pictures.... the "black gizmo" appears to be a spare tire stem valve ....probably your main tube is an inner tube...is this valve that's giving you trouble for the backrest? As I recall that clear plastic tube should fit over the red tube and when you apply the air pressure the valve should let in air...get a good fit into or over the plastic tube from your air source.

It may even be that the valve you show can be blown up by mouth....some are that way...

And if you're main tube is an inner tube you will need a connector as for tires.

Sorta shooting from the hip here.....

[kbproctor]

A chunk of vinyl tubing and an automotive valve stem for inflating accessories? I don't know how most of these float tubes work, but there has got to be a better way.

This looks like it would adapt to the vinyl tubing and inflate the thing much quicker than a tire pump through a valve stem.

[Normand]

i dont think the valve stem in the second foto would be of any use in the inflation of your particular tube.

i think you need an adapter to depress the + part of the valve in the first foto.

you might want to contact bucks for the answer http://www.bucksbags.com/cm_cat.asp?id=14

[CharlaineC]

this is how it is suspose to work inflation set up

force the tire valve into the plastic tubing as in the link photo them over the other addapter then when you use the tire pump the pressur will depress and inflate the tube

[bugman]

you could take the 2-way valve off a old air matress & atatch it in the place of that small tire valve...

[John Rhoades]

I have one of the earliest Bucks Bullet float tubes, or at least I think mine was one of the earliest Bullet models they sold. I think my original valve stem was somewhat different from yours, but that valve stem came unglued from the bladder this past spring, and I returned it to Bucks Bags for repair and they put a new valve stem on (at no charge) that appears more like the one you have pictured.

Since I've never had a problem inflating the bladder with either type of valve stem, I tend to think you must be either making a much bigger deal out of it than it really is (or should be) or you're obviously doing something wrong.

First, these bladders don't hold that much air, so it's not a really difficult thing to simply put the valve stem in your mouth and blow into it to inflate it. I've done that a number of times, and even when I use a pump to do the main portion of the inflating, I almost always top it off manually - particularly after I first put the tube in cold water when the air pressure contracts.

A second way to inflate them, which is my normal way, is to use a 12V inflator. - An electric pump would work just as well. I simply cup my hand around the valve stem, and blow the air from the pump into my fist, where I've made a small hole with my thumb and index finger to direct the air. These bladders don't require much air to fill them, so you don't really need a secure fitting from the pump to the valve stem to get the bladder 95% full - then top it off by blowing in it manually.

Lastly, as others have already suggested, is to simply acquire the proper type of connection to attach between the valve stem and your air pump.

If all else fails, you could call Bucks Bags. I've always had good experiences with their service - as I said they repaired mine at no charge this past year even though mine was well over 10 years old - maybe even over 15 years old.

John

[Lotech]

Don't trash it. Buck's Bags are some of the best tubes around. If you do decide to get rid of it, let me know. I'll pay shipping to my house. I'll figure out how to make it work. The problem is, I'll most likely keep it.

[webrx]

This is similar to the tubes on my pontoon, and I simply use a 12v portable coleman pump. It has an attachment that will seal relatively well around the fill stem and the pressure from the pump blows past that x shaped device. BTW, you have to depress that X device to deflate the pontoons - it is kind of a check valve if it works like the one on my bucks bag pontoon boat - a very old Bronco Pontoon.

[markgraumlich]

thanks guys,

I had previously tried sticking the black valve thing into the clear tubing, but that did not work well.

Last time I tried this, I did not have a hand-pump of the type that is typically used nowadays.

I went down and tried the hand-pump, to the clear tubing, over the valve that is attached to the float tube bladder. It worked well, even though there is some air loss in the connection to between the clear tubing and the float tube valve.

It is not the best valve ..., but I will keep it as a back up, and for my wife to use.

Thanks again!
markg