Tire pressure gauge, is this right?

Odin · 02-15-2004, 03:33 PM

I bought a roadmedic tire pressure guage from autozone awhile ago. I can't find the package it came in. Does this need to be calibrated?

I just filled my tires (Yokohama 420's) up with my home air compressor (a $15 job from wherever) and they seem to be alright by the looks of it. No bulge in the back and little bulge in the front. I filled the front tires up to just shy of 35 psi (hard to tell w/ this compressor's gauge), but my new gauge is reading 8-10 psi lower. I don't want to blow my tires up. Anyone had this issue before?

Thanks.

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Karl · 02-15-2004, 03:41 PM

You can't tell by the "look" of tires whether they are properly inflated or not.
And the gauge on your compressor is probably not very accurate.
How about a cheap pen type slide gauge? Try comparing the reading of that with your new gauge.

Odin · 02-15-2004, 03:52 PM

I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

Odin · 02-15-2004, 06:50 PM

Well, the crappy compressor really was about 10psi off. Went to a gas station with a compressor w/gauge and it was much closer to my new gauge. So I've been driving around on some seriously deflated tires. I guess I like to learn the hard way.

BryanH · 02-15-2004, 08:06 PM

Go to target and buy a digital gauge by accutire. They are awesome and cheap. The pen slide type gauges get out of spec very easy.

Orson · 02-17-2004, 11:47 AM

Those pencil gauges are unfairly trashed. Consumer Reports did an extensive test of gauges a long time ago. Their finding is that the pencil gauges are just as accurate as the round dial gauges. More importantly, dropping a round dial gauge from 3 feet put every single one out of calibration. The pencil gauges had no changes in calibration due to dropping.

grindMARC · 02-17-2004, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BryanH
Go to target and buy a digital gauge by accutire. They are awesome and cheap. The pen slide type gauges get out of spec very easy.

Yeah, I paid $11 for mine and it reads in half pound increments. Great for autoxing...

leecea · 02-17-2004, 09:00 PM

Yea, I was fooled by this too. I even went out of my way to get a compressor with a digital gauge and it was still reading way too high!

Uncle Scotty · 02-18-2004, 11:27 AM

I got a digital gauge from Radiosuck. Works great...1/2 pound increments.

Charlie-III · 03-06-2004, 04:22 PM

I ngeneral, I hate the pencil type gauges.

If you use 6 different ones, you tend to get 6 different readings.

Round gauges are usually better.

BTW, I think a drop test will show that a pencil gauge "works better", why?, there are no moving parts.

Based on the above comment, I guess a $50 OBD code scanner is better than a $2000 Subaru scanner because it works better after it is dropped.

Any good tool needs to be taken care of.

I have always used dial type or digital type tire pressure gauges. I usually cross check them against each other to verify readings.

The biggest thing is to ALWAYS use the same gauge and write down the pressures you measure. Then try different pressures and see if you like the handling.

02-15-2004, 03:33 PM	#1
Odin Scooby Newbie Member#: 25428 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: East Coast Vehicle: 2005 STi	Tire pressure guage, is this right? I bought a roadmedic tire pressure guage from autozone awhile ago. I can't find the package it came in. Does this need to be calibrated? I just filled my tires (Yokohama 420's) up with my home air compressor (a $15 job from wherever) and they seem to be alright by the looks of it. No bulge in the back and little bulge in the front. I filled the front tires up to just shy of 35 psi (hard to tell w/ this compressor's gauge), but my new gauge is reading 8-10 psi lower. I don't want to blow my tires up. Anyone had this issue before? Thanks. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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02-15-2004, 03:41 PM	#2
Karl Scooby Specialist Member#: 13110 Join Date: Dec 2001 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Rhode Island	You can't tell by the "look" of tires whether they are properly inflated or not. And the gauge on your compressor is probably not very accurate. How about a cheap pen type slide gauge? Try comparing the reading of that with your new gauge.

02-15-2004, 03:52 PM	#3
Odin Scooby Newbie Member#: 25428 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: East Coast Vehicle: 2005 STi	I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

02-15-2004, 06:50 PM	#4
Odin Scooby Newbie Member#: 25428 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: East Coast Vehicle: 2005 STi	Well, the crappy compressor really was about 10psi off. Went to a gas station with a compressor w/gauge and it was much closer to my new gauge. So I've been driving around on some seriously deflated tires. I guess I like to learn the hard way.

02-15-2004, 08:06 PM	#5
BryanH Scooby Guru Member#: 993 Join Date: Feb 2000 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: nova	Go to target and buy a digital gauge by accutire. They are awesome and cheap. The pen slide type gauges get out of spec very easy.

02-17-2004, 11:47 AM	#6
Orson Scooby Specialist Member#: 25254 Join Date: Sep 2002 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Livonia, MI Vehicle: 2003 WRX wagon	Those pencil gauges are unfairly trashed. Consumer Reports did an extensive test of gauges a long time ago. Their finding is that the pencil gauges are just as accurate as the round dial gauges. More importantly, dropping a round dial gauge from 3 feet put every single one out of calibration. The pencil gauges had no changes in calibration due to dropping.

02-17-2004, 09:00 PM	#8
leecea Scooby Guru Member#: 37359 Join Date: May 2003 Vehicle: 2003 WRX	Yea, I was fooled by this too. I even went out of my way to get a compressor with a digital gauge and it was still reading way too high!

02-18-2004, 11:27 AM	#9
Uncle Scotty NASIOC Supporter Member#: 16200 Join Date: Mar 2002 Vehicle: OK Houston we have an Uncle	I got a digital gauge from Radiosuck. Works great...1/2 pound increments.

03-06-2004, 04:22 PM	#10
Charlie-III Scooby Specialist Member#: 30669 Join Date: Dec 2002 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: 07456, North NJ Vehicle: 1998 Legacy 2.5GT Silver Sleeper Wagon	I ngeneral, I hate the pencil type gauges. If you use 6 different ones, you tend to get 6 different readings. Round gauges are usually better. BTW, I think a drop test will show that a pencil gauge "works better", why?, there are no moving parts. Based on the above comment, I guess a $50 OBD code scanner is better than a $2000 Subaru scanner because it works better after it is dropped. Any good tool needs to be taken care of. I have always used dial type or digital type tire pressure gauges. I usually cross check them against each other to verify readings. The biggest thing is to ALWAYS use the same gauge and write down the pressures you measure. Then try different pressures and see if you like the handling.