SKS Rennkompressor dissapointment
01-18-10, 04:12 PM
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SKS Rennkompressor dissapointment - No more!!
I am dissapointed when I purchase an item that turns out to be no suitable for its purpose, but I am doubly dissapointed when the item I buy has such good reputation as the SKS Rennkompressor, the mother of all real shop floor pumps.
I should specify that I am dissapointed with the pump head that came with my pump. It is the "AVACS" pump head style, meaning auto adjustable for schrader and presta valves. In the past I've been weary of this sort of pump head, always running into trouble with them. I was hesitant to purchase it but I thought that maybe SKS had figured it out. Besides, none of the local shop carried the more traditional, older style Rennkompressor heads.
I've used this pump for the past 6 months mainly to pump up to 120psi my road tires once a week, tops. And it has worked alright for that time, but it has recently started to fail. When the pressure reaches around 90 psi, I can hear air hissing out of the head. When I try to pump to 120 psi, the head cannot hold on to the valve and it comes out with the familiar sound of pressure release.
Maybe the head has premature rubber gasket wear?
Maybe, but it sure holds on to Schrader valves. The other day I tried pumping a schrader valve tube/tire using said pump. It was difficult both to position the head correctly on the valve and to remove it, to the point where I was worried I would damage the tube from so much pulling and twisting.
Summarizing, I don't like the AVACS head.
Any suggestions? Am I missing something here? Any other bad luck experiences out there?
I would like to purchase a different pump head from SKS, but I've had no luck finding the part numbers on their site (I've found the page with the parts for the main body of the pump, but not the hose).
Cheers
I should specify that I am dissapointed with the pump head that came with my pump. It is the "AVACS" pump head style, meaning auto adjustable for schrader and presta valves. In the past I've been weary of this sort of pump head, always running into trouble with them. I was hesitant to purchase it but I thought that maybe SKS had figured it out. Besides, none of the local shop carried the more traditional, older style Rennkompressor heads.
I've used this pump for the past 6 months mainly to pump up to 120psi my road tires once a week, tops. And it has worked alright for that time, but it has recently started to fail. When the pressure reaches around 90 psi, I can hear air hissing out of the head. When I try to pump to 120 psi, the head cannot hold on to the valve and it comes out with the familiar sound of pressure release.
Maybe the head has premature rubber gasket wear?
Maybe, but it sure holds on to Schrader valves. The other day I tried pumping a schrader valve tube/tire using said pump. It was difficult both to position the head correctly on the valve and to remove it, to the point where I was worried I would damage the tube from so much pulling and twisting.
Summarizing, I don't like the AVACS head.
Any suggestions? Am I missing something here? Any other bad luck experiences out there?
I would like to purchase a different pump head from SKS, but I've had no luck finding the part numbers on their site (I've found the page with the parts for the main body of the pump, but not the hose).
Cheers
Last edited by girona; 01-22-10 at 08:32 AM.
01-18-10, 04:47 PM
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Pump head problems are easily cured. Cut it off and replace it with one you like better. I would use a small hose clamp from an auto store to install a new pump head. The kind I use is small enough to slide over a finger.
I don't like using the same pump on schrader valves that I use on presta valves. Too much wear on the "O" ring.
I recently replaced the "O" ring on one of my pumps with one that I bought at a local hardware store for $0.15.
Al
I don't like using the same pump on schrader valves that I use on presta valves. Too much wear on the "O" ring.
I recently replaced the "O" ring on one of my pumps with one that I bought at a local hardware store for $0.15.
Al
01-18-10, 09:03 PM
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Shoot SKS an email and tell them about your problem. https://www.sks-germany.com/sks.php They have a new "EVA" valve head that is an improvement over the older style. They might send you one for free. I have one and it seems to work pretty well-no problems.
01-18-10, 09:16 PM
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Both my brand-new SKS floor pumps failed after just a few dozen uses. Purely because the gasket inside the head shreds so quickly. Was not hard on them either.
01-18-10, 11:58 PM
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My SKS 75th Anniversary model Renkompressor came with the old-style 'bell' chuck - which are fine. But I replaced it with the (expensive) Hirame Presta chuck. One small problem I found - it leaked at the base of the hose going into the pump-body. I screwed this down firmly by hand. No problems after this.
SKS will repair/replace their pumps without a problem - they believe in keeping their reputation at the top of the proverbial list. So I certainly hope you've contacted them. I'm certain they'd make it right. These pumps are a lifetime-investment. And they do realize this. Contact them - I wouldn't be surprised if they replaced it on the spot.
Hirame chuck:
https://www.benscycle.net/index.php?m...4?disp_order=4
The pump and chuck:
SKS will repair/replace their pumps without a problem - they believe in keeping their reputation at the top of the proverbial list. So I certainly hope you've contacted them. I'm certain they'd make it right. These pumps are a lifetime-investment. And they do realize this. Contact them - I wouldn't be surprised if they replaced it on the spot.
Hirame chuck:
https://www.benscycle.net/index.php?m...4?disp_order=4
The pump and chuck:
01-18-10, 11:59 PM
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I bought one at an REI scratch & dent sale for $7. I too was dissappointed in the head. Called SKS in IL? maybe and they sent me out a new head and handfull of gaskets N/C.
01-22-10, 10:01 AM
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The new pump head is here. It took only 2 days for delivery from Germany to Spain.
For reference:
Old style pump head (AVACS):
New style multivalve head:
For reference:
Old style pump head (AVACS):
New style multivalve head:
01-23-10, 11:24 AM
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I am dissapointed when I purchase an item that turns out to be no suitable for its purpose, but I am doubly dissapointed when the item I buy has such good reputation as the SKS Rennkompressor, the mother of all real shop floor pumps.
I should specify that I am dissapointed with the pump head that came with my pump. It is the "AVACS" pump head style, meaning auto adjustable for schrader and presta valves. In the past I've been weary of this sort of pump head, always running into trouble with them. I was hesitant to purchase it but I thought that maybe SKS had figured it out. Besides, none of the local shop carried the more traditional, older style Rennkompressor heads.
I've used this pump for the past 6 months mainly to pump up to 120psi my road tires once a week, tops. And it has worked alright for that time, but it has recently started to fail. When the pressure reaches around 90 psi, I can hear air hissing out of the head. When I try to pump to 120 psi, the head cannot hold on to the valve and it comes out with the familiar sound of pressure release.
Maybe the head has premature rubber gasket wear?
Maybe, but it sure holds on to Schrader valves. The other day I tried pumping a schrader valve tube/tire using said pump. It was difficult both to position the head correctly on the valve and to remove it, to the point where I was worried I would damage the tube from so much pulling and twisting.
Summarizing, I don't like the AVACS head.
Any suggestions? Am I missing something here? Any other bad luck experiences out there?
I would like to purchase a different pump head from SKS, but I've had no luck finding the part numbers on their site (I've found the page with the parts for the main body of the pump, but not the hose).
Cheers
I should specify that I am dissapointed with the pump head that came with my pump. It is the "AVACS" pump head style, meaning auto adjustable for schrader and presta valves. In the past I've been weary of this sort of pump head, always running into trouble with them. I was hesitant to purchase it but I thought that maybe SKS had figured it out. Besides, none of the local shop carried the more traditional, older style Rennkompressor heads.
I've used this pump for the past 6 months mainly to pump up to 120psi my road tires once a week, tops. And it has worked alright for that time, but it has recently started to fail. When the pressure reaches around 90 psi, I can hear air hissing out of the head. When I try to pump to 120 psi, the head cannot hold on to the valve and it comes out with the familiar sound of pressure release.
Maybe the head has premature rubber gasket wear?
Maybe, but it sure holds on to Schrader valves. The other day I tried pumping a schrader valve tube/tire using said pump. It was difficult both to position the head correctly on the valve and to remove it, to the point where I was worried I would damage the tube from so much pulling and twisting.
Summarizing, I don't like the AVACS head.
Any suggestions? Am I missing something here? Any other bad luck experiences out there?
I would like to purchase a different pump head from SKS, but I've had no luck finding the part numbers on their site (I've found the page with the parts for the main body of the pump, but not the hose).
Cheers
No more dissapointment for me. Quite the opposite actually. Very impressed with SKS great customer service.
