# Tire Pressure Guage



## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

Ok guys, I have a dilemma: I bought a new tire pressure guage, a digital one. Then inflated the trailer tires to 50 lb. As a check against the digital guage, I brought home a fairly expensive one from work (not digital) and it reads 53-54 lb. Then I grabbed two others I have and the old expensive one read 49 lb. and the old cheap one read 52 lb. I have been hoping that digital equals precise but perhps not.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?


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## j1mfrog (Jun 6, 2004)

Sit back.

Relax.

Have a beer.

Keep the easiest one to use in the glove box.

But that's just me.


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## hurricaneplumber (Apr 12, 2004)

Walter,

Digital doesn't always mean better, you can buy a cheap digital that is not calibrated very well.

I use a tire pressure gauge just as that, a gauge. If all tires read the same, that is good, regardless if different gauges are off by a few. There is a +/- accuracy to any gauge.

I would just keep the expensive one from work, problem solved.

And ditto j1mfrog!

Good luck

Kevin


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Hyewalt brings up a very good point. I have cross checked my gauges also, and have found as much as a 10 psi difference. That can mean a lot of heat build up in the those bias tires, if it's 10 in the wrong direction, and overinflation in the other direction.

Do tire gauges have the ability to be recalibrated on a periodic basis, and if so, where would you have it done?

Tim


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## hurricaneplumber (Apr 12, 2004)

Tim,
I would think that most gauges are not re-calibratable unless they are high end ones or digital that could be programmed. Maybe someone in a racing area could provide more information as to what they do. Most gauges are so cheap they are probably designed as throwaway types. The Accutire gauge looks interesting, see below....

""The recommended tire inflation pressure that vehicle manufacturers provide reflects the proper psi when a tire is cold. The term cold does not relate to the outside temperature. Rather, a cold tire is one that has not been driven on for at least three hours. When you drive, your tires get warmer, causing the air pressure within them to increase. Therefore, to get an accurate tire pressure reading, you must measure tire pressure when the tires are cold or compensate for the extra pressure in warm tires."""

Some interesting reading
""I only drive my RV a couple times a year; do I still need to check the tire air pressure? 
Yes. Tires, even in good condition and unused, can lose between 1-2 psi per month. Inflation pressure should be checked at least once per month, before each trip, and each morning you drive during a trip.

How a tire pressure gauge works

How do I check and maintain my tire air pressure? 
Air pressure enables a tire to support the load - so proper inflation is critical. Check your vehicle's certification label for the recommended tire inflation pressure. Inflation pressures should be checked when tires are "cold"; as heat generated during driving temporarily increases air pressure above recommended cold inflation pressure.
Never "bleed" air from a hot tire, as this could result in dangerous underinflation. Since gas stations air pressure gauges may be inaccurate, RV owners should always carry a dual-head inflation gauge, calibrated up to 120 psi."""

Consumer Reports tire gauges When all the tests were done, three digital gauges had performed flawlessly
Accutire gauge


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## kjp1969 (Apr 25, 2004)

I've had 2 of the "ultimate tire gauge" at http://racerpartswholesale.com/. It's guaranteed accurate +-1 1/2 % and is pretty cheap. Plus, you can buy replacement parts if you need to. Its got a bleeder valve, so you can lower air pressure quickly and without removing the gauge.

As for recalibration, if it's within 4lbs or so, I'd say don't worry about it. You're really just making sure your tires don't get grossly low or have a leak.

Kevin P.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

I have a digital, and cross check with a cheapie. They seem to be pretty close in measurement.


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

That's what I thought.



> Inflation pressure should be checked at least once per month, before each trip, and each morning you drive during a trip.


Just for trivial interest, we check the tires on the fire trucks everyday. Granted, they are not RV's, but it does show when a valve stem is leaking, or if an errant nail or screw ended up where it shouldn't be.

Tim


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## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

Thanks guys and I think Jim is right!

I found an Acutire guage at work today. We've had it for years and I always thought it was probably accurate. It was within .5 lb. of the digital I bought at Harbor Freight. So, I going to use it.

Walter


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