Tire Air Gauge

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FirstNissan

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Hey guys, just wanted to see what all tire gauges bitogers are using. Ive got a slime electronic tire gauge, its ok, nothing great. I have some complaints though: after checking one wheel, i need to turn it off and on to check the next, this process gets annoying. Secondly, it has no bleeder valve, so if I overinflate, it becomes an annoying game. Ive always wondered about the manual air gauges, anyone got a good one thats relatively inexpensive and lasts long?
My slime gauge cost 7 bucks.
 
The Slime gauge my wife got was way off. Maybe a fluke, but she tossed it in the trash (I would have returned it). I compared it against my Craftsman digital and a pencil & dial gauge I have. All three of those are within 1 LB of each other.

I was at a Stewarts and an older lady (husband watching) was filling her tires with the free air from Stewarts, so I asked if she would like to borrow my gauge as the one on the end of the hose probably was not very accurate. She showed me her brand new Craftsman digital gauge, newer and fancier than my Craftsman gauge. Could not figure out why the husband was just watching.
 
Haven't come across one that lasts long. Seems like I have to get a new one every six to eight years.

Just got a Accutire Heavy Duty Truck Tire Gauge a few weeks ago for $9.99. No, don't have a truck just use it for cars. It's the old fashion analog, (with needle), and has the bleeder valve.

'Bout now, your thinking, "why did he get a new gauge a few weeks ago". Well, thought the previous gauge was reading a little high when I was checking the tires. So, then I used two other gauges and sure enough, mine was reading about five pounds more than the other two. So out it went.
 
FirstNissan,

I have a pencil gauge from Milton that reads in one pound (PSI) units. It reads consistently and has lasted a very long time. I gave my son a newer Milton analogue dial model a while back as a Christmas stocking stuffer. He gladly replaced his digital gauge of unknown origin. He uses it each time before riding his motorcycle.
 
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Thanks for all the replies! Im surprised to see that some of you guys are still using the pencil style, I havent used one of those in atleast 10 years. Thought those went the way of the dinosaur haha. I never had goot luck with those for some reason, the "ejector stick" would always start to get stuck.
 
Moroso 89560 Tire Pressure Gauge, Dial Type, 0-60 psi.
Buy the rubber boot for the gauge too. 2% accuracy.
About the best one you can get without going to a high-accuracy bourdon tube for a couple of hundred dollars, plus, do you really need greater accuracy? Well, if you do then get the Moroso 89562 with 0.5% accuracy.

Some people don't like it not holding the reading after the nozzle is removed from the valve stem. I find it works well for me.

It is easy to hold, easy to get onto both my car and motorcycle stems, easy to read, and easy to seal to the stem without hissing a lot of air out.
 
I have digital and pencil gauge, they are within 1 PSI of each other. Once in a while I lubricated the pencil gauge with a very thin coat of ATF. I like the pencil gauge better because it can be used to bleed the overinflated tires, also it can be read easily under the sun.
 
I have a Slime gauge too. I have not had to turn mine off and on between tires. I just check each tire. What does irritate me about the gauge is that it only reads at half pound increments. I guess that's close enough but I would feel a bit more comfortable at a lower increment. The lack of a bleeder tip is also bothersome but I always seem to have a pen or key handy to use instead.

I also have a very heavy duty truck tire gauge (pencil style)that I bought at a truck stop. The truckers were using them so I figured good enough for me. I paid $25 for it so it had better be good.

I have been eyeing one of those Craftsman gauges but my wife keeps teasing me by asking, "If you have three gauges that all read differently, which one do you trust?" I have no idea...
 
Old school here, pencil type. One low pressure for lawn & garden stuff, a bunch of medium pressure for car tires, one high pressure for some bike tires. + no batteries. - I gotta' warm them up in cold weather. Been using them for almost 40 years now, I've got a certain comfort level with them.
 
The pencil gauges that have a square piece of plastic that comes out are better than the ones that just have a flat piece of metal. My pencil gauge is gold colored and fits in a felt case. I have gone through a bunch of cars, but the gauge stays on working.
 
I have a craftsman digital tire pressure guage. You can let the air out with the guage too. My car tire need 29 PSI.. I don't know how accurate my guage is. so I just set it at 33 PSI all around.

I think digital is better. because you know all 4 tires are at the right PSI.
 
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Originally Posted By: moto94536
I think digital is better. because you know all 4 tires are at the right PSI.


I say the same thing about a mechanical gauge. Also, not batteries are needed.
smile.gif


With a digital gauge, can you easily compensate for altitude?
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Once in a while I lubricated the pencil gauge with a very thin coat of ATF.


Interesting.
Just dug up four of my old pencil gauges, one of which has the needle and used for sporting equipment. Applied some ATF on them and it smoothed them rite out. Will test them later when it stops raining.

Thanks for the info.
 
here is the reason I like digital guage. I can set 32.1, 32.5, 33 PSI for all 4 tires. It is very quick and save time.
 
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I have a no name chrome one that reads 30psi (0-50psi I believe) and just bought an ACCU GAGE (10-75psi) that reads 32psi. I got it to read spares. I liked the 20-150psi trucker gauge they had for a few bucks more at the craftsman store, but I don't want something I'll never use.
 
Most digitial tire pressure guage may be off by 2 PSI.. So we have to be smart.

If the car require 30 PSI, Use the guage and set it to 34 PSI.. so thats way you know.
 
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