Yep, pretty much have to MAKE anything work it seems like, ran into the same crap when I replaced my trim pump motor last week.
Meant to tell you in an early thread that they make a heavy duty hand pump that will pump up to like 200 PSI built like bicycle pump but beefed up. I had one on a van I used pulling a lot and it was way better than dragging out a compressor. It didn't take but a few pumps to get it where you wanted, even had a gauge built on it so you could watch the pressure. All I used when I was running air shocks.