[Jan Kokochak]

Today, I threw into the garbage can a $35 tire pressure guage, when I determined that it was reading 11 pounds low. So, you know how much air I had in my Goldwing tires.

I bought the guage at an auto parts store and have been using it for months.
I checked it against the digital tire pressure read out in my Tahoe and it didn't match, so I borrowed one from a neighbor and mine was waaaaayyyyyy off.

 

[Fred H.]

Go to Amazon.com and search for Accutire. They sell a $5 digital gauge that is one of the most accurate ones I have tested.

A digital gauge will always be more accurate than a mechanical one.

Accutire MS-46B Digital Key Chain Tire Gauge

 

[FRISKY]

Smartire

OR you could go to Fred's web site and study up on the Smartire system.

It is a few bucks and worth every penny. I have mine installed exactly as illustrated by the lovely and talented Mr Harmon and it is great. I will always have one of these devise's until I stop riding, which hopefully won't be anytime soon...........although I will be 62 pretty soon.

Check out Fred's info on Smartire. You will be glad you did and happier (and probably safer because your tires will always have the correct pressure) when you have it installed.

 

[cycledude]

one caution about those digital gauges, mine was about 3 years old and i thought it wasn't reading rite so i bought a new one, after doing some testing i discovered that u need to hold the gauge on the stem for about half a second to get an accurate reading, the old gauge and the new one read the same if done rite

 

[Nimo]

Today, I threw into the garbage can a $35 tire pressure guage, when I determined that it was reading 11 pounds low. So, you know how much air I had in my Goldwing tires.

Jan, I know what you mean. This afternoon I threw out a $25 guage I bought several years ago. I went to check my tires and it said I had 11lbs! I knew it couldn't be so low so I checked it with one I keep in my cage. That said 36lbs. Glad I didn't air it up with the first one checking...

 

[North Florida]

Confucius say "Man with tire gauge know how much air in tire; man with two gauges never sure".

A post stated
A digital gauge will always be more accurate than a mechanical one.
Fact is, I don't know of any gauge, digital or analog or any other kind that isn't at heart a mechanical device. Either a bourdon tube, or a stress block or whatever, it's mechanical coupled to some kind of display. As for accuracy..unless you have a calibrated test bench to check it against, you can never be sure, and, the most common movement, bourdon tube, is more accurate in the larger sizes. Geez.

Ride long and safe..and buy one you think is accurate and don't obsess about it too much.

John
ETC (SW) USN ret
The Sabre Group ret
EDS ret
'06 GL18HPNAC6

 

[richard h]

Those pencil type tire gauges will take quite a beating and still work.

Yes, they will loose their calibration and start to lie, but only by a very few pounds. It's what I choose to take on the road.

My favorite gauge is one of the dial type on a 14" hose with a 90 degree head. I have to check the calibration once in awhile. They don't take too kindly to being dropped. (I lost one that way.)

 

[William Anzik]

A digital gauge will always be more accurate than a mechanical one.

Really? I never knew if they could be trusted or not.

I have a couple dial gauges and a pen gauge and all three read about the same. Hopefully they aren't all wrong. :lol:

 

[richard h]

I don't think that you can trust any of them to be absolutely right all of the time.

I will say that I have a pencil gauge that is more than 30 years old and it is still reading correctly. Keep in mind that they don't make them like they used to.

Short of having your gauges checked professionally, without actually having a home test station with redundant gauges to test your tire pressure gauge, you can't be absolutely sure.

The next best thing is having many different gauges and checking them against each other. When one reads drastically different, it is probably the one that is lying.

 

[Teaser 1]

one caution about those digital gauges, mine was about 3 years old and i thought it wasn't reading rite so i bought a new one, after doing some testing i discovered that u need to hold the gauge on the stem for about half a second to get an accurate reading, the old gauge and the new one read the same if done rite

Yep, what he said is very true. You also have to seat it firmly at the proper angle to the valve stem to get an accurate reading. This can be tougher on the rear tire. And B.T.W.digital is the way to go. T.

 

[iwing]

Fred, looks like you need more air. Your guage reads 29 #'s! :lol:

 

[g1nomad]

I have 3 $1 gauges. I always use all three for an average.

 

[richard h]

I have 3 $1 gauges. I always use all three for an average.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Maybe some day you will step up and buy a $5 gauge? :lol:

Those one and two dollar gauges might have soft springs in them. Causing them to give an inaccurate read over a period of months or years.

I have a variety of types of gauges (and a range of prices) that I will add one every couple of years or so. It just makes me feel better to do that.

I check my gauges on a car tire at 40 PSI. I have only had one really cheap pencil gauge get out of calibration. It took about 5 years for it to lie enough to get me to throw it away.

 

[PHILBENEDICT]

Looking for a used car with teenage son. Pulled up to private owner home and the lady was out checking tires with a pencil gage. It was a Pontiac with low-profile tires (those puppies are expensive!) that I had no experience with.

During our test drive the car rode like it was on rocks, and at first I thought the low-profile tires just rode that way. I was sure the car was going to be shaken apart. Swung by my house and got my pencil gage, which pegged out immediately to 50 psi when I checked each tire. Went to the gas station and deflated all to 36 psi and after the that the car rode just fine.

Returned to the seller's house and told her what I found. Asked to see her gage, which had a severe drag when I pulled out the indicator. Suggested she replace the gage and check all tires on her other vehicles.

Just glad the tires didn't break a bead during our test drive...


Ride Safe

 

[Snowwolfe]

How can you check the calibration?

 

[richard h]

How can you check the calibration?

Have a wide variety of gauges by type and age.

Use all of them to check the pressure on a large capacity tire.

Recheck the tire with the gauge that you started the test. It should read virtually the same, providing that you have used a large enough tire. (I use a car tire inflated to 40 PSI.

If you encounter one that reads a different pressure, it is suspected to be inaccurate. If it is in error, you should consider throwing it away.

Dial gauges can be damaged by dropping. They are delicate and should be handled carefully. I don't travel with them. They are part of my garage tools.

 

[rkekeis]

Snowwolf, you can check your Gauge with a Master gauge if you can find one. I have used an Accu Gauge for many years and everytime I check it against a Master it is dead on.

 

[Dorian_Blue]

Sometimes I think too much time is spent on some fairly simple areas. But if you're into putting in the time for the research, check out the following four links in order:

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/tiregauges1.pdf
http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/tiregauges2.pdf
http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/tiregauges3.pdf
http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/technical/tiregauges4.pdf

 

[SoundOff]

Great article. Went to the Griot web site to order the MCN Best Buy and it doesn't appear on the Griot web site. Well I guess it's on to choice #2 . . .

Dan

 

[Dorian_Blue]

Great article. Went to the Griot web site to order the MCN Best Buy and it doesn't appear on the Griot web site. Well I guess it's on to choice #2 . . .

Dan

The item is actually made by Accutire. Here is a link to the same item, no longer sold with a carrying case.

http://www.amazon.com/Accutire-MS-4021B ... B00080QHMM

It works great on a tire with a 90 degree valve stem, but I found its difficult to use on the ST1300 due to the brake rotor.