In 1998, the future founders of Staun were on a ferry off the Australian coast when they observed dozens of 4WD drivers kneeling beside their tires, fiddling with wrenches, matches, and tire pressure gauges to let air out of their tires before tackling sandy stretches or corrugated tracks. One of them was Australian developer Lee Davis, who was convinced there had to be a simpler and more reliable solution.
Back then, “airing down” usually meant guessing, rechecking, wasting time, and often ending up with different tire pressures on all four wheels. After about two years of development, the first Staun Tyre Deflator was born.
What began as a simple brass contraption on a workbench in Victoria gradually evolved into Staun Tyre Deflators—now Australia’s best-known automatic tire deflators, with over 350,000 sets sold worldwide.
“I just wanted to build something I could screw on and forget about. No guesswork, no constant re-measuring, no kneeling next to the tire.”
To this day, every single Staun system continues to be manufactured in Australia, assembled by hand, and individually tested. We’ve never outsourced production and have deliberately opted for durable materials instead of cheap plastic solutions.
With the new Quickset Tyre Deflators, we wanted to make the original Staun principle even simpler and more precise. The result is an automatic tire deflation system with a built-in air pressure gauge that sets the desired tire pressure visibly and consistently—without a separate gauge and without complicated adjustments.
The application is intentionally kept simple:
Screw the Quickset onto the tire valve, set the desired pressure, and let the system do its job automatically. As soon as the set tire pressure is reached, the deflator stops on its own.
How automatic tire deflators actually work
Inside the Staun Quickset deflator is a mechanically preset valve system consisting of spring and brass components. As soon as the deflator is screwed onto the tire valve, air begins to escape from the tire in a controlled manner.
Once the preset tire pressure is reached, the system automatically closes and stops the flow of air on its own. The big advantage here is that all four tires can be deflated to the same pressure at the same time, without having to constantly measure or make adjustments. This results in more even tire pressures, less time wasted, and a much more relaxed process before hitting the trail or tackling longer sandy sections.
Since the system operates entirely mechanically, it requires neither batteries nor electronics and functions extremely reliably even in dusty, humid, salty, or hot conditions.
Especially when switching between sand, corrugated terrain, rocky trails, or road sections, this not only saves time but, above all, ensures consistent and reproducible tire pressures.
Why Proper Airing Down Is So Crucial Off-Road
Many people underestimate just how much of a difference the right tire pressure actually makes off-road.
Excessive pressure reduces the tire’s contact patch, impairs traction, and increases the strain on the vehicle, suspension, and tires. Especially on sand, corrugated tracks, or rocky terrain, this often leads to poorer ride comfort, less control, and unnecessary wear on the vehicle’s components.
Lowering tire pressure significantly increases the tire’s contact patch. The vehicle “floats” better on sand, gains traction on loose surfaces, and drives in a more controlled and comfortable manner overall.
For a long time, however, the problem was the effort involved:
Kneeling next to each tire, letting air out, measuring, adjusting, and hoping that in the end all four tires will have roughly the same pressure.
That’s exactly where Staun Deflators come in.
Our systems reduce tire pressure automatically and consistently—without constant monitoring and without unnecessary fiddling around next to the vehicle.
The new Quickset Deflators can be adjusted directly from about 0.4 to 2.1 bar (6–30 PSI) and come standard set to about 1.2 bar (18 PSI)—a range that many 4WD drivers find useful for sand, touring, and corrugated tracks.
Designed for real 4WD use.
Staun Deflators were never designed for show-and-shine vehicles, but for real-world off-road use.
That’s why we consistently rely on:
- solid brass construction instead of plastic
- corrosion-resistant materials for salt, dust, and moisture
- compact design for the glove compartment or drawer system
- individual calibration of every single deflator
- fully automatic operation without batteries
- Reproducible pressure readings with an accuracy of approximately ±0.07 bar (1 PSI)
The new Quickset Deflators further enhance this system with an integrated pressure display, allowing for even faster and more precise adjustments to various off-road setups.
“Quickset was developed for drivers who are out on the road and need to regularly adjust their tire pressure to changing terrain—quickly, precisely, and without unnecessary effort.”
What began as a small workbench solution is now used worldwide by overlanders, 4WD travelers, off-road driving instructors, and touring riders—from Fraser Island to the Simpson Desert.
And despite this growth, our core principle remains unchanged to this day: We build products designed to perform reliably in the great outdoors. Not for social media. Not for spec sheets. But for people who regularly let air out of their tires because the road eventually ends.
“I’ve used Staun deflators for over 20 years on every trip. They are simply the most reliable piece of gear in my recovery kit. Nothing else comes close to their accuracy and speed.” — David Wilson, 4WD Driver Trainer & Author
Anyone who regularly drives on sand, gravel, or trails knows how much time and energy can be wasted with traditional air-down methods. That’s exactly where the Staun Quickset Tire Deflators come in—with a system that makes adjusting tire pressure faster, more precise, and significantly less stressful.
You can find more information about the Staun Quickset Tyre Deflators and the classic Staun Deflators directly at Staun Australia.
