tire gauge

[camos]

It was a long time coming but I just received the tire gauge I ordered over a month ago. I really like it and think it is worth sharing.

Why is that? Funny you should ask, I was going to make one just like it and then there it was on eBay.

What's so special?

It has a screw on connector so a ton of air is not lost every time the tire pressure is checked. One might call it 0 loss which would be close.

 

Seems to be well made, in China no less. The hose feels solid and can be bent to 180 degrees without kinking. The dial goes up to 100 psi which puts the preferred tire pressure in the middle where it is most accurate.

 

Cost = $9.32 with free shipping. That's why I did not mind the wait. It's not particularly inexpensive but about what most mid-range air gauges cost.

 

Here is a link to some pix of the gauge.

 

The guy I bought this item from is bigger-ant (eBay name). The reason I mention it is he is the only seller ever to have contacted me to see if the package had arrived. Admittedly, he did ask that I give him 5 stars. And I did. I did not link to his items for sale because they expire so if you are interested you will have to search it out on eBay.

 

Hope you find this to be of interest. I'm tickled pink.

[frankd]

Now you need to check it against a known accurate gauge. Gauges like this can have the needle installed slightly off zero, and also the span could be slightly off. The good thing about a gauge like this is that unless you drop it, it'll stay the same for a long time. Verify how accurate it is and mark you results on the gauge so you won't forget.

 

You said that it was zero loss. That isn't quite true. You may not loose any air at the connection, but the air hose and gauge itself will have some of the tire's air in them and that will be lost when you disconnect the gauge.

[camos]

Now you need to check it against a known accurate gauge. Gauges like this can have the needle installed slightly off zero, and also the span could be slightly off. The good thing about a gauge like this is that unless you drop it, it'll stay the same for a long time. Verify how accurate it is and mark you results on the gauge so you won't forget.

Quite true and always a good idea with any gauge. Of course, how does one know which gauge is accurate to begin with. Anyway, unless the gauge being used is way out I doubt that precise accuracy matters much. There is the pressure recommended in the manual and then there is the 40 psi we mostly seem to recommend using.

 

You said that it was zero loss. That isn't quite true. You may not loose any air at the connection, but the air hose and gauge itself will have some of the tire's air in them and that will be lost when you disconnect the gauge.

I did say "close" which is about as true as one can get. The amount of air in the gauge is very little. The amount of air I manage to release on a regular basis when removing the gauge connector is often large. The screw on connection on this gauge is very similar to the air hose connector on the Slime Top-Up pump I have. Using this pump is what made me want to get a gauge with a similar connector so I could check the pressure without almost guaranteeing that I would have to pump the tire up afterwards.

 

It took me a long time to find a gauge with this feature so for anyone who can see the benefits, it does exist and can be had for a reasonable price.

[camos]

Now you need to check it against a known accurate gauge.

Was going by my local tire shop and managed to remember the tire gauge. Stopped off and did a comparison with their rather expensive looking digital gauge.

 

Mine was one pound low. Not unhappy about that.

 

Not a scientific or conclusive result since who knows if their fancy looking gauge is actually accurate. If I can remember, next time I'm going by a different tire shop I'll stop off and do the comparison again.

[Peder_y2k]

You can test yours against mine that I paid a lot of money for. I've only dropped it a few dozen times. Since I paid over $20 for it 30 years ago, it must worth even more today, and therefor must be very accurate. If yours isn't accurate like mine, we can fix it with a hammer.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[camos]

Thanks for the offer Peder, next time I'm in your area I'll be sure to stop by for test comparison.

After that we can go out for another one of those delicious jalapeno burgers.

[Peder_y2k]

I'll have my hammer ready, the 5lb. one for fine adjustments to your air guage. I can loan you the hammer if needed.

 

BTW, McDonalds now has a $2 jalapeno burger called the 'Big Double Jalapeno' in their value section. I tried one and thought it worth the $2, but not more, however not as good or 'nutritious' as JB's product:rotf:

I'd have one again if ever forced to eat at a McD's. With the jalepenos, their burgers don't taste so much like dirt anymore.

 

Maybe the Canadian stores now have them also.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[camos]

My air gauge is only out a little bit so a 5 pound hammer would be overkill. I think a silver hammer would be more appropriate.

 

I only do junk food once or twice a year so the McDooDoo and JB menus will have to wait. The jalapenos were a significant upgrade though. I may never know if they make it to Canada unless I see an ad posted in their window.

 

Back on topic, I am somewhat surprised there has been so little interest in this gauge. I must be one of the few who have trouble getting the usual chuck squarely on the valve stem so there is no great whoosh of air escaping. Oh well, I guess I have more challenges than the average person.