Finding a inexpensive, accurate tire pressure gauge....

[suspectnumber961]

Good luck?

Have recently gone through 3 gauges...looking for one.

* current gauge is/was a $5 Victor dial gauge from AdvanceAP....looks like it reads 6 lbs under....several years old.

* tried a $10 Michelin digital gauge from Amazon which didn't work for long....but it did read 5-6 lbs higher than the Victor.

Amazon.com: Michelin MN-4410B Pistol Grip Gauge: Automotive

* tried an AdvanceAP digital gauge which worked once or twice before it wouldn't.

* now have a Tekton dial gauge than looks to be working real well.

Amazon.com: TEKTON by MIT 5938 Dial Tire Gauge - 100 PSI: Home Improvement

I paid $7 for mine...now they want $18.

Haven't found an ATOMIC PRESSURE GAUGE yet that uses the movement of subatomic particles to give a verifiable pressure....but it looks like my Victor has been reading 6 lbs UNDER...meaning I've been running my tires WAY HIGH.

2 questions:

* how to verify a tire gauges reading?

* what inexpensive, but accurate tire gauges are out there?

I had my heart set on a digital gauge...any good ones?

[RobertSmalls]

Some gauges are designed to be inexpensive, and others are built to last. $22 and some frustration later, you've got nothing. I'd recommend looking at some high-end gauges.

That said, my <$10 Harbor Freight tire inflator / gauge with 3" dial, which connects to my $80 Harbor Freight air compressor, has been serving me well for about two years now. I don't know if it's accurate, as I don't have anything to calibrate it against. However, it "feels" accurate. If nothing else, at least my tire pressure is consistent.

[Peter7307]

961,
Many years ago the local road assist organisation here (RACV) did a test on gauges and found one brand to be the most accurate.

Try the AA or equivalent there or online consumer reports and see what you can find.

Google gave these to me in a few seconds:
Tire Gauges quality, Halsun tire gauge | Child Car Seats

and

BRAND & MODEL PRICE OVERALL SCORE
1. Accutire MS-4000 $30.00 Excellent
2. Accutire MS-4020B $15.00 Excellent
3. Monkey Grip M8867 $10.00 Excellent
4. NAPA 90-389 $ 8.50 Excellent
5. Monkey Grip M8862 $ 3.00 Very Good
6. Pressure Inc. DT-105 $11.00 Very Good
7. AccuGauge H100X $19.00 Fair
8. Monkey Grip M8854 $ 9.00 Fair

By the way I see nothing wrong with a gauge reading consistently one way or the other. If it IS 6 lbs under is not a problem so long as it is constant you can adjust for it.
It is when it is 6 at one pressure then 3 at another then 5 at some other you can't trust the thing. Give it someone you don't like.

Peter.

[RPekka]

A recent article on a local car magazine showed that electronic meters under 20 USD are accurate, probably due to fact that they utilize a simple pressure sensor and no other even distantly moving parts.

[suspectnumber961]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Some gauges are designed to be inexpensive, and others are built to last. $22 and some frustration later, you've got nothing. I'd recommend looking at some high-end gauges.

That said, my <$10 Harbor Freight tire inflator / gauge with 3" dial, which connects to my $80 Harbor Freight air compressor, has been serving me well for about two years now. I don't know if it's accurate, as I don't have anything to calibrate it against. However, it "feels" accurate. If nothing else, at least my tire pressure is consistent.

I got refunds on all of them...so far. The Tekton lost the gasket that fits the valve stem...2xs...just barely found it last time...glued it in...so it might last now.

My old Victor felt accurate and was consistently...LOW. The gauges on air tanks and compressors are ALWAYS off?

The BIG PROBLEM is that if you are overinflating by say 4-6 PSI AND your gauge reads low by 6 PSI...and you are trying to SENSE roadholding/ride and so forth using a false reading....6 lbs over...you are fooked.

Many reviewers on Amazon don't like the digital gauges due to low batteries and unreliability in cold weather, etc.

My solution is to keep two dial gauges that mostly agree...and verify them at a tire store...I guess. Once I think I've established an accurate pressure...I might buy another Victor since they are only $5...drop it ..buy another?

This MIGHT be a decent digital gauge?

Amazon.com: Accutire MS-4021B Standard Digital Tire Gauge: Automotive

[Bill in Houston]

I have a feeling that dial-type gauges are pretty repeatable - that is to say, if you measure 30 psi on a tire, and then try again 100 times, you will get 30 every time. BUT, I don't have a good feeling about accuracy. It might measure 30 over and over, but be off by 6 psi like your Victor. I guess I am wondering how to calibrate a dial gauge. I don't mind adding or subtracting 6 psi every time, but I don't know how to calibrate it in the first place.

[Joenavy85]

I use 2 different gages that read pretty much the same +-2psi, one of these days i'll get around to building one of these for airing up my tires.

Tire pressure deflator/inflator/pressure equallizer(2 tires at the same time))

[Old Tele man]

TIP -- go for a guage with HIGH repeatability; then, simply compare the gauge's reading with a calibrated source and then simply remember the scaling difference!

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

TIP -- go for a guage with HIGH repeatability; then, simply compare the gauge's reading with a calibrated source and then simply remember the scaling difference!

Any tips on where to find a calibrated source?

[Old Mechanic]

I have several different ones and my air compressor has a regulator and a gauge. I stick with the ones that read the closest and my air inflator has a built in gauge so I can put in just enough air. I check them occasionally and adjust for the difference based on the average of several and look for old pencil gauges made in the USA.

regards
Mech