Tire pressure guages

Davidg · 07-13-2015, 04:46 AM

Hello everyone. I'm fairly new to this great forum, but have been lurking a while. I have a question that I haven't seen addressed concerning tire pressure guages. I have several manual guages. (Chrome tube with a sliding scale inside it). Have used these type guages forever. Just found that my guages all read different, and my "go to guage" reading low by 20+ pounds.
This has become more significant because I've experienced several sidewall blowouts the last few months. (Whole 'nuther story)
So, after this discovery, I bought a digital pressure guage from Walmart, and had to go back and put air back in all the tires on truck and fifth wheel before our trip today. (Picking up our new Silverback 29RE)
That's the back story.

Question is; what kind of tire pressure guage does everyone use, and how do you know it's accurate?

Thanks for any and all replies. Seems to be a great forum.

David

SYE · 07-13-2015, 05:35 AM

I use one like this that I put a tire check on. I calibrate it by using a Fluke Air pressure calibrator. I did the initial cal about 14 years ago, i just recheck it every spring and it has been good

McMaster-Carr

purduepete97 · 07-13-2015, 06:07 AM

DavidG - really good question and one I've been meaning to ask.

SYE - your link goes to a whole page of gauges - I'm not smart enough to know which one you are using. Does it have a model number?

Looking forward to other replies as I am sure I need to upgrade from the $2 variety as well.

Brian

SYE · 07-13-2015, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purduepete97

DavidG - really good question and one I've been meaning to ask.

SYE - your link goes to a whole page of gauges - I'm not smart enough to know which one you are using. Does it have a model number?

Looking forward to other replies as I am sure I need to upgrade from the $2 variety as well.

Brian

4089K64

SYE · 07-13-2015, 06:12 AM

then I put one of these on the 1/4 inch inlet

McMaster-Carr
6146A23

RSchleder · 07-13-2015, 06:18 AM

I also use the metal gauge with the extending portion that tells me the tire pressure. I agree with you on the variance on this type of tool. I probably had 6-8 of these gauges that I'd picked up over the years at car shows, swap meets, etc. I threw them all away. My current gauge came from NAPA, is all heavy duty metal, cost about $40, is about 3-4 times larger than the "give aways" and has proven to be extremely accurate. I know this because it always agrees with the heavy duty gauge built into my inflation tool on my large compressor. I have never used a high quality digital gauge, however, the cheap ones have proven very in-accurate in my experience.

purduepete97 · 07-13-2015, 06:35 AM

Thanks SYE!

SYE · 07-13-2015, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSchleder

I also use the metal gauge with the extending portion that tells me the tire pressure. I agree with you on the variance on this type of tool. I probably had 6-8 of these gauges that I'd picked up over the years at car shows, swap meets, etc. I threw them all away. My current gauge came from NAPA, is all heavy duty metal, cost about $40, is about 3-4 times larger than the "give aways" and has proven to be extremely accurate. I know this because it always agrees with the heavy duty gauge built into my inflation tool on my large compressor. I have never used a high quality digital gauge, however, the cheap ones have proven very in-accurate in my experience.

Agreed, the cheap ones are garbage, I was actually looking at them at the Pilot/Flyin J over the weekend, and yes they were expensive.

DocGTO · 07-13-2015, 06:41 AM

I race cars as a hobby so I'm aware of how gauges can be crap.... I use a certified racing gauge for most of my equipment. They can run $45 and up but they last for a long time and the ones I use have a glow in the dark face so you can easily read it in low light. Longacre is one of the brands I use. These are the entry level gauges and they are still are accurate +\- 1.5lbs at 100lbs. Not bad for under $50. They have units in the $300-400 range if you need insane accurate. Lol.

http://www.longacreracing.com/produc...ith+Foot+Valve

Or if you like digital

http://www.longacreracing.com/produc...uge++0-100+psi

mcnabbwr · 07-13-2015, 06:42 AM

I use a Milton gauge to verify what my TST pressure monitoring system is showing. This analog gauge has been very accurate. I also use a cheaper digital gauge I picked up at a local auto parts store for quick checks, and it's within a pound of my good one.

Amazon.com: Milton S986 Service Gauge - Straight Foot Dual Head Chuck: Automotive

Jim34RL · 07-13-2015, 08:40 AM

I purchased a digital air pressure gage that will read to within +/- 2 psi from NAPA for under $35.00. I use this to air the camper tires and TV when towing. I have checked this gage against my three air compressors and they all read within 2 psi of each other.

Davidg · 07-13-2015, 08:03 PM

Mr Mcnabbwr, my "go to" guage has been the Milton S986....until I found it reading 15-20 PSIg low. I would hate to think that my old faithful Milton is the reason for my chinabomb tires going off.....especially when I've always been diligent about tire pressure. But if I've had 60 psi when I thought i had 80.....well....that could be a problem.

Thanks for all the ideas...including a few options I hadn't thought of

Davidg · 07-29-2015, 10:35 AM

I stopped by the local NAPA store the other day. Took a close look at their digital gauge. It was marked at $25, but when I went to pay for it, turned out it was on sale for $15. I wish it had a "hold" feature on it that would hold the last reading. You have to be looking at it straight on when taking a reading, otherwise you just can't read the numbers.

Certainly not a deal breaker,....it is just not as convenient as a gauge that holds the reading.

schrederman · 07-30-2015, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davidg

I stopped by the local NAPA store the other day. Took a close look at their digital gauge. It was marked at $25, but when I went to pay for it, turned out it was on sale for $15. I wish it had a "hold" feature on it that would hold the last reading. You have to be looking at it straight on when taking a reading, otherwise you just can't read the numbers.

Certainly not a deal breaker,....it is just not as convenient as a gauge that holds the reading.

I have one of these I got a couple of months ago. I have access to a calibrated source and this digital gauge is accurate to .1 psi, so far. I had to pay full price for mine....

... I agree that it would be nice to be able to hold the reading. It can be hard for old eyes to see in the sunlight...

You may also like: