Credit: VIAIR
01 · LT / 35s / air-up
VIAIR 400P kit
12V clamps. 150 PSI. 33% duty at 100 PSI (40043).
Buying guide
VIAIR vs DEWALT vs GOOLOO: Best Tire Inflator for Trucks
Best tire inflator for trucks: VIAIR 400P clamps for LT/35s, DEWALT DCC020IB cordless top-off, or GOOLOO A3 jump+air. Same class as best tire inflator for a truck. Skip lighter-plug pumps.
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Who this is for
For you if: you run LT tires, 35s, or a Super Duty that airs down on the trail and you need a clamp-on 12V compressor with a real duty cycle; or you already live on DEWALT 20V MAX and want a cordless digital top-off; or you want a compact jump+air brick for a gas daily. You will match the pump to tire volume, not the badge on the door.
Skip this guide if: you want a cigarette-lighter mini pump for LT / 35s — that won’t keep up, so skip that class. Also skip if you need a twin high-CFM or EF compressor for frequent 37s (see the truck air-compressor guide). Skip if you need a diesel 6.7 jumper as the only pack ; that is the GP4000 in our jump-starter guide, not A3.
| Role | Pick | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LT tires, 35s, and air-up | VIAIR 400P (40043) | Battery clamps. 2.3 CFM free flow. Rated to 35″. |
| Cordless top-off | DEWALT DCC020IB | 20V MAX, auto-shutoff. Tool only. Not the air-up-four-35s tool. |
| Jump + air brick | GOOLOO A3 | 3000A + 150 PSI. Diesel rated only to 6.5L. Convenience, not 35s. |
| Skip | Lighter-plug mini pumps | |
Credit: DEWALT
02 · Cordless top-off
DEWALT 20V inflator
DCC020IB. 20V MAX, auto-shutoff. Tool only.
Credit: GOOLOO
03 · Jump + air brick
GOOLOO jump+air
A3. 3000A + 150 PSI. Convenience, not 35s.
The ones that matter
Duty cycle is the truck spec. VIAIR: 33% at 100 PSI. That is not 100% at 100 PSI. Official 400P (40043) is 2.30 CFM at 0 PSI, 150 PSI max working, 30A max 12V draw, 40-amp inline fuse, IP54. VIAIR’s own FAQ says duty cycle is max continuous run in one hour. The EF sibling (40143) lists 100% at 40 PSI and still 33% at 100 PSI — still not a 100%-at-100-PSI pump. Run the engine. VIAIR wants a constant 13.8V.
Power source is the other split. Battery clamps (VIAIR) pull from the truck battery. That is how you move enough air for LT volume. Cordless 20V (DEWALT DCC020IB) is a jobsite inflator that also accepts a 12V DC accessory plug and optional 110V AC adapter. The 20V pack is the truck-relevant mode. The 12V cord is a cigarette-lighter backup — DEWALT wants the vehicle socket rated at least 10A, and a LoP error means start the engine. Jump+air (GOOLOO A3) is a lithium brick with a 35 L/min pump. Official fill times are car tires (Tesla 30 to 36 PSI in about a minute; 205/55 R16 from 0 to 36 PSI in under 7 minutes). That is not a 35″ air-up chart.
PSI for LT / 35s: VIAIR 150 PSI working, recommended max tire 35″, official fill a 35×12.5 from 15 to 30 PSI in 2 min 45 sec or less. DEWALT does not publish a CFM on dewalt.com. Manual: if the item is rated above 100 PSI, max run time is 10 minutes; over-pressure fault at 163 PSI; accessories must be rated not less than 160 PSI. Cool 30 minutes before you bag it. A3 max 150 PSI on paper, 45 minutes continuous inflation per charge, “8 car tires” per charge — car, not LT E-load.
Jump+air is a different job. A3 is 3000A peak, gas to 9.0L, diesel to 6.5L. A 6.7 Power Stroke / 6.7 Cummins is past that rating. Keep the GP4000 from our jump-starter guide for diesel cranking (Shop GOOLOO GP4000). Do not make A3 the only pack in a 6.7.
Credit: VIAIR
Pick: LT tires, 35s, air-up
VIAIR 40043 compressor
For the Super Duty, the 35s, and the trail air-up.
- Official 400P portable (40043), 12-volt. Dual battery clamps, not a lighter plug. 8 ft power cord, 25 ft 5-in-1 inflator-deflator hose with inline 100 PSI gauge, 40-amp inline fuse, I-beam sand tray, thermal overload, deluxe bag, three tips plus Presta adapter. Press-on chuck. IP54
- 2.30 CFM at 0 PSI. 150 PSI max working. 33% duty cycle at 100 PSI. Max 12V draw 30A. Net 10.40 lb. VIAIR: maximum recommended tire 35″. 35×12.5 from 15 to 30 PSI in 2 min 45 sec or less. Attach clamps, start the engine, then air up
- Confirm you are getting the VIAIR 400P with battery clamps
The catch: 33% at 100 PSI is not all-day at highway LT pressure. Inline gauge is 100 PSI. The head and hose get hot — VIAIR: do not let the hose touch the head; stow the hose out of UV and freezing. This is not a jump starter.
Credit: DEWALT
Pick: cordless top-off
DEWALT DCC020IB
For the guy already on 20V MAX who tops off tires, not airs up four 35s.
- Official DEWALT DCC020IB (tool DCC020I). High-pressure mode with digital gauge and automatic shutoff. Threaded chuck. LED. High-volume inflate and deflate for mattresses. Three power sources: 20V MAX or FLEXVOLT battery, 12V DC vehicle connector, 110V AC adapter. Battery, charger, and AC adapter sold separately. 3-year limited warranty
- Manual, not brochure CFM: items rated above 100 PSI get a 10-minute max run. Over-pressure fault (OP) at 163 PSI. 12V accessory socket must be at least 10A; LoP means start the engine or the pack is low. Cool 30 minutes before storage. This is the Amazon US volume model
- Tool only. Confirm a 20V MAX battery is in the cart if you do not already own one
The catch: no published CFM on dewalt.com. Not a clamp-on 2.3 CFM compressor. The included 12V cord is a lighter-plug backup — do not use that mode as your LT / 35s air-up plan. Flat-to-full on a big LT is slow versus VIAIR.
Credit: GOOLOO
Pick: jump + air brick
GOOLOO A3 combo
For the glovebox brick. Not the 35s compressor. Not the 6.7 jump pack.
- Official A3: 3000A peak jump + 150 PSI inflator. 12V. Gas to 9.0L, diesel to 6.5L. 35 L/min airflow. Auto-shutoff, five modes (SUV, car, bike, ball, and custom). 45 minutes continuous inflation per charge. Claims 8 car tires, or Tesla 30 to 36 PSI in about one minute. −4°F to 140°F. 18-month warranty per GOOLOO
- Kit: unit, smart jumper cable, USB-A to USB-C cable, bag, pump tube, five nozzles. USB-C 5V/2A and USB-A 5V/2.4A per GOOLOO. BOOST button for a deeply dead 12V battery. MPN JS-506. — not GP4000
- Diesel 6.5L does not cover a 6.7 Power Stroke or 6.7 Cummins on the spec sheet. For that job buy the GP4000 in our jump-starter guide. A3 is the convenience pick when you want jump plus a little air, not the air-up-35s pick
The catch: the compressor is a small lithium pump. Official times are passenger tires. Do not air down four 35s and expect this brick to put them back. Do not make it the only diesel jumper in a 6.7.
Fitment, do this
Match the pump to the tire volume, not the badge on the door.
F-150 or half-ton P-metric (275/60R20, 275/65R18, and similar). Weekly top-off: DEWALT DCC020IB on a 20V pack, or A3 if you also want a jumper in the same brick. Trail air-down on 33s/35s: VIAIR 400P. Do not buy a lighter-plug mini pump “because it is only an F-150.”
Super Duty LT (F-250/F-350 LT275/65R18, LT275/70R18, load-range E). Door-sticker PSI is higher and the carcass is bigger. VIAIR 400P is the air-up tool. Clamps on the battery, engine running, 40-amp fuse in the lead. DEWALT is a top-off if you already own the batteries — not the four-tire air-up after the beach. A3 is not this job.
35s (35×12.50 and similar). VIAIR rates the 400P to 35″ and publishes 15 to 30 PSI in 2 min 45 sec or less on a 35×12.5. That is the air-up compressor here. DEWALT and A3 do not have a 35″ fill chart.
Duals (F-350 dually, Ram 3500 dually). Inner valve access and hose reach matter. 400P hose is 25 ft. Dual-specific VIAIR RV kits are out of scope. Do not assume four inner duals from 20 PSI in one 33% duty cycle. If the valve is buried, you need a dual-foot chuck or an extension — that is not in the 40043 box.
12V clamps vs fuse vs cordless. VIAIR: clamps on the battery posts, engine running, 40-amp inline fuse, about 30A draw. Hook to the battery, not the lighter. DEWALT cordless: 20V MAX pack in the tool; optional 12V accessory plug (10A socket) or AC adapter. A3: charged lithium brick, no vehicle power needed for the pump. Keep lithium packs in the cab, not a summer toolbox.
Do not use a lighter-plug pump on LT / 35s. The socket and fuse can’t supply the CFM those tires need, so skip that class.
Check the details on Amazon. The VIAIR 400P should say 40043 and battery clamps. DEWALT should say DCC020IB. GOOLOO should say A3 and 6.5L diesel — not GP4000.
Find your truck
These links search Amazon by truck. They are not the main buy. Make sure you land on the VIAIR 400P, DCC020IB, or A3 before you order.
Skip these
Cigarette-lighter / 12V plug mini pumps for LT tires. 150 PSI on the box is not CFM. LT275/65R18, 35s, duals, and air-down recovery need clamps and a duty cycle. Plug pumps can live on this skip list. They do not win.
No-name 150 PSI Amazon bricks. No brand, no duty cycle, no 35″ fill time, mystery lithium cells if it is also a jumper. If it is not VIAIR 400P, DEWALT DCC020IB, or GOOLOO A3, keep scrolling.
GOOLOO A3 as the only diesel jump starter. Diesel rating is 6.5L. A 6.7 is past it. Our jump-starter guide already covers GOOLOO GP4000 (diesel to 10.0L). A3 is jump+air convenience for gas or small diesel, not the 6.7 pack.
DEWALT DCC020IB on the 12V lighter cord as the LT air-up. That cord is the backup. The DEWALT job here is 20V MAX cordless top-off. Flat 35s still want VIAIR clamps.
VIAIR 88P / 92P-class lighter or tiny portables. Those are car or SUV pumps. 400P is the 35″ kit.
Buying 400P EF or 400P Automatic thinking it is this VIAIR pick. EF is 40143 (Enhanced Flow). Automatic is a shutoff sibling. The VIAIR pick is the 400P. Different part numbers — do not mix them in the cart.
FAQ
What is the best tire inflator for trucks?
Our picks: VIAIR 400P for clamp-on air-ups on LT / 35s, DEWALT DCC020IB if you already live on 20V MAX and need cordless top-offs, GOOLOO A3 when you want jump plus a little air in one brick. Same class as shoppers searching best tire inflator for a truck. Skip lighter-plug pumps.
What is the best tire inflator for a truck?
For LT tires and 35s: VIAIR 400P (40043, battery clamps). For a DEWALT 20V MAX owner who tops off PSI: DEWALT DCC020IB. For a compact jump+air brick on a gas truck: GOOLOO A3. Do not buy a lighter-plug mini pump for LT / 35s.
VIAIR 400P vs DEWALT DCC020IB?
VIAIR 400P: 12V clamps, 2.3 CFM at 0 PSI, 150 PSI working, 33% duty at 100 PSI, 35 inch rating, 15 to 30 PSI on a 35×12.5 in 2:45 or less, engine running. That is the air-up tool. DCC020IB: cordless 20V MAX (plus 12V DC / 110V AC), digital auto-shutoff, tool-only, no official CFM, 10-minute max run above 100 PSI. That is the top-off tool if you already own the batteries. Same job only on a half-ton that is a few pounds low.
Will a cigarette-lighter pump fill LT275/65R18 or 35s?
Do not count on it. The socket cannot feed a 30A compressor. VIAIR 400P is clamp-on for a reason. Use the lighter cord on the DEWALT only as a backup, engine running, 10A socket. For air-down 35s or a Super Duty LT, buy the 400P.
Can the GOOLOO A3 air up 35s?
Not as the plan. Official A3 times are passenger tires: about 1 minute 30 to 36 PSI on a Tesla, under 7 minutes 0 to 36 PSI on a 205/55 R16, 8 car tires per charge, 35 L/min. No 35 inch fill chart. Convenience pump. VIAIR 400P is the 35s compressor.
Will the A3 jump a 6.7 diesel?
GOOLOO rates A3 diesel to 6.5L. A 6.7 Power Stroke, 6.7 Cummins, or 6.6 Duramax is at or past that line. Do not make A3 the diesel jumper. Use the GP4000 (diesel to 10.0L) from our jump-starter guide. A3 is fine on paper for a gas F-150 / 5.7 Hemi class jump plus a little air.
Clamps, cordless, or lighter — which power source?
Clamps (VIAIR): truck battery, engine on, 40-amp fuse, real CFM. Cordless 20V (DEWALT): your existing pack, digital shutoff, top-offs. Lighter plug: Skip as the LT tool; DEWALT includes one as backup only. Lithium brick (A3): no vehicle power, weak compressor, extra jumper.
Last updated October 5, 2026. Author: TruckDaily.