Joe Blow Booster pump. Not boosting?

Have a new-ish JoeBlow Booster – the one with the built in charging chamber for tubeless inflation.

My first tubeless pump.

Have not been able to seat any tyres, ranging from a thin gravel tyre to a 26 x 2.25 and 27 x 2.3. None would pop onto the rim, even after several attempts at full pressure (11 bar / 160 PSI).

Is it a matter of more perseverence, or is it just not working as intended?

When inflating the seal is good and tyre valve cores have been removed, so it’s not air escaping or constrained by the valve, it just seems slow to release through the pump internals.

I’ve taken the head off and given it a bit of a clean – nothing obvious blocking anything.

Releasing it from fully charged to empty with no tyre attached and the release does seem to take some time – it’s not ‘bang’ and gone. It takes some time to hiss out of the chamber – at least 12 seconds of hissing.

Before I send it back, any ideas how to improve the flow rate? Or is it just a dud?

Bought it from a German site pre January so I imagine returning it will be a ball ache.

Just bumping my own post as who knows if anyone can see it?!?

Sounds like something isn’t right with yours. I bought one recently and it’s been fantastic. I haven’t even had to remove the valve cores to seat the tyres. When I first got it I charged it up and released it with nothing connected and it definitely blasts out but does do it over say 10+ seconds

Yep, something not right. Mine releasing all air in less then 3 seconds without anything attached and sub 5 with normal tyre/valve core in attached…

Cheers!
I.

As above, should be pretty much instant or as you have found it won’t work!

Thanks all. Pretty sure it’s knackered, and was probably never right from the factory.

Am going to see what can be done. I actually bought from BikeInn who are in Spain, so will see how they respond.

Ominously, I see Topeak have a UK (only) distributor, as opposed to a European one, so I suspect getting it fixed is going to involve hassle….

But appreciate the replies!

Yep it’s knackered. Mine did exactly the same. First few months were ok and then it just couldn’t seat anything. Ended up getting it replaced under warranty.

I generally find seating tubeless tyres a PITA, it was easier when rims were too narrow.

I also have the Joeblow and find the airflow restricted because it takes a circuitous path through several small holes (pic below). I increased the airflow of mine by taking it apart (PITA) and drilling out the smallest holes but it still takes way longer than 3 seconds to discharge. Perhaps Topeak changed the design at some point?

Anyway, the trick to getting tyres to seat is to make sure there is a bit of water on the rim and tyre bead to help it slide into place and give the tyre a big double slap while the air is going into it which creates an extra increase in pressure that pops the bead into place.

I have a Joe Blow Booster. How are they suppose to work? Mine takes over 10s to discharge air. It saves me a bit of arm ache but often I still need to soap the rims to get tyres to seat, especially road ones.

Should the air discharge be relatively instant? That would explain why it is wasn’t the revolution I was expecting.

If you’ve ever used an AirShot then it should be relatively instant just like that. Kind of wish I’d got one of them instead.

As said above- mine inflates with valve cores in (mostly) and will have the tyre popped on the rim in about 2-3 seconds max. If it’s not seated by then, most of the air needed to inflate has already escaped.

Sounds like it’s not working as intended.

Mine today has now failed. Originally it worked but has now degraded to letting the air slowly out over about 10-15 seconds. This was a replacement for a previous one that also failed. Reckon it’s a design flaw.