Can't pump with my Topeak floor pump

[chero]

I would appreciate any advice. My Topeak JoeBlow™ floor pump intermittantly fails to open my Schrader valve stem valves. In other words, when pulling up on the handle, no rush of air pressurizes the pump hose, and the pressure gauge continues to read zero. No amount of fiddling helps (angle, degree to which I push it down, tightening or loosening the knurled tip). Next day it works fine. Most of the time it doesn't. I took it to the shop where I bought it, and neither they or I could reproduce the problem, it worked fine. They exchanged it anyway (nice) but the new one does the same thing.

Am I missing something, or is there a defect in the pump? Has anyone else experienced this or heard of it? Grateful for any help,

Chero

 

[StartTday]

Even though the gauge reads zero, pump once and the read-out will display correctly. Happens to me all the time on my road bike, it'll read zero, then one pump, and it jumps to about 100psi.

I wouldnt call it a defect.

 

[chero]

Even though the gauge reads zero, pump once and the read-out will display correctly. Happens to me all the time on my road bike, it'll read zero, then one pump, and it jumps to about 100psi.

I wouldnt call it a defect.

Thanks StartTday, but my pump is doing something different than you describe. The Schrader valve is not opening, and when I pump, I just am pressurizing the pump hose, and no air is going into the tube. A few pumps and the gauge will read 80-100 psi, but nothing is going into the tube. I know that because when I check the tube with a separate gauge, if it started at 40 psi, it ends up at 40 psi despite my pumping and the high pressure I achieve on the pump gauge. So something is wrong, either with the pump head, or with how I am doing it. Has anyone else had this problem with Topeak pumps?

Chero

 

[cheapie]

no offense but i assume you've tried other tubes to make sure it's the pump?

 

[chero]

no offense but i assume you've tried other tubes to make sure it's the pump?

Cheapie,
No offence taken. Yes, I have had the same problem with several tubes.

Chero

 

[shannons dad]

I have the same model pump and never have any trouble with it. Have you checked the hose for blockages?

 

[chero]

I have the same model pump and never have any trouble with it. Have you checked the hose for blockages?

Good thought, I will try to check. But, against this is the fact that it happens with two of these pumps, and the fact that the problem is intermittent (sometimes it works fine). Neither of those absolutely rules out a blockage though.

Chero

 

[badkarma]

Good thought, I will try to check. But, against this is the fact that it happens with two of these pumps, and the fact that the problem is intermittent (sometimes it works fine). Neither of those absolutely rules out a blockage though.

Chero

I also have the same pump, and I have never had any issues with it. Are you flipping the switch to the correct side? I mean, if you are pumping a schrader valve, are you flipping the switch towards the "P"?

 

[Alphamoose]

I also have the same pump, and I have never had any issues with it. Are you flipping the switch to the correct side? I mean, if you are pumping a schrader valve, are you flipping the switch towards the "P"?

I've had the exact same problem with my Joe Blow Pro, which I assume uses the same pump head. I called Topeak about it, and they basically said that the pump was primarily designed for Presta valves, but that loosening the knurled ring on the outside of the pump head might help.

 

[chero]

I've had the exact same problem with my Joe Blow Pro, which I assume uses the same pump head. I called Topeak about it, and they basically said that the pump was primarily designed for Presta valves, but that loosening the knurled ring on the outside of the pump head might help.

Thanks Alphamoose! Loosening the knurled ring did help a bit, though it still works properly only occasionally with a Schrader valve.
In response to badkarma's post, this pump head doesn't have any switch from Presta to Schrader, and this is perhaps the problem! It is nice not to have to flip a switch, but perhaps the design is too clever by half, and has traded "convenience" for functionality.
For my bike I can get Presta tubes from now on. But, I also bought the pump thinking I could use if for my car, riding mower, etc., so I am disappointed to hear the company knows that it doesn't work that well for Schrader, but doesn't disclose that. And, although I appreciated my shop (Performance) being willing to swap the pump for me, I am diappointed that 0/3 staff I consulted knew what Alphamoose knew. One told me "no, don't touch that knurled knob!"
This is otherwise a high quality pump, but those who need it to work for Schrader, be warned, it can be a real pain!

Thanks to various posters for helping me out.

Chero

 

[badkarma]

Thanks Alphamoose! Loosening the knurled ring did help a bit, though it still works properly only occasionally with a Schrader valve.
In response to badkarma's post, this pump head doesn't have any switch from Presta to Schrader, and this is perhaps the problem! It is nice not to have to flip a switch, but perhaps the design is too clever by half, and has traded "convenience" for functionality.
For my bike I can get Presta tubes from now on. But, I also bought the pump thinking I could use if for my car, riding mower, etc., so I am disappointed to hear the company knows that it doesn't work that well for Schrader, but doesn't disclose that. And, although I appreciated my shop (Performance) being willing to swap the pump for me, I am diappointed that 0/3 staff I consulted knew what Alphamoose knew. One told me "no, don't touch that knurled knob!"
This is otherwise a high quality pump, but those who need it to work for Schrader, be warned, it can be a real pain!

Thanks to various posters for helping me out.

Chero

That's strange, I have the Topeak JoeBlow and on the headunit, there are two holes (on opposite sides), one for presta and the other for schrader. So if I'm using a presta, I'll use the hole on the P side of the headunit, then I'll flip the switch the opposite way and I've never had any issues with it.

 

[chero]

That's strange, I have the Topeak JoeBlow and on the headunit, there are two holes (on opposite sides), one for presta and the other for schrader. So if I'm using a presta, I'll use the hole on the P side of the headunit, then I'll flip the switch the opposite way and I've never had any issues with it.

Mine only has one hole. I just called Topeak myself and they say there is more than one JoeBlow model, one is called Pro, and there are others (not even sure which one mine is), but that is presumably why ours are different.

More importantly, I got some additional advice from someone with more savvy than me, to whom I could actually show the pump head. He figured it out: the metal post in the head activates the valve by pushing in on it when you pull the lever up. BUT, if you have the stem seated TOO FAR into the head, the widened part of the post that is grabbed by the lever gets behind the lever and the lever cannot catch it to push it forward, so the valve doesn't open. Now that I know what is what, I refrain from pushing the stem in too far, and everything works perfectly, ...every time.

The Topeak technical support person did not know this. I quizzed him after I knew the answer, and he advised the same thing he advised alphamoose: loosen the knurled tip for a Schrader. (That actually has some merit, but wasn't the problem here.) I asked him if it was possible to push the stem in too far. He said "nope". ......Wrong.

Bottom line: good pump but not idiotproof (not enough to handle this one), and poor help from technical service and bikeshop staff.

Chero