Tire Pressure Gauges, How to know if it reads correctly? |
|
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.
This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way. Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. |
|
Tire Pressure Gauges, How to know if it reads correctly? |
bandjoey |
Sep 8 2010, 05:30 PM
Post
#1
|
bandjoey Group: Members Posts: 4,926 Joined: 26-September 07 From: Bedford Tx Member No.: 8,156 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I have 3 pencil air gauges and one dial analog gauge. They range from 3lbs low to 8 lbs high across the 4, when checking one tire.
How can we know if a gauge is reading right? Where is the tester for the gauge? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) |
windforfun |
Sep 8 2010, 05:53 PM
Post
#2
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,787 Joined: 17-December 07 From: Blackhawk, CA Member No.: 8,476 Region Association: None |
Good question. This has been one of my issues for years. Search Google to see if there's a "standard" or calibrated air pressure guage that's commercially available. Please let us know what you find.
|
Spoke |
Sep 8 2010, 05:58 PM
Post
#3
|
Jerry Group: Members Posts: 6,978 Joined: 29-October 04 From: Allentown, PA Member No.: 3,031 Region Association: None |
I guess with any measurement equipment you purchase, there is always the question of measurement accuracy. For example, how accurate would a $3 tire gauge be? How about a $30 tire gauge? Not sure how one would go about calibrating a tire gauge.
If you believe in random population distributions, I guess you could buy like 10 $3 gauges and take the average of all ten... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) |
windforfun |
Sep 8 2010, 06:01 PM
Post
#4
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,787 Joined: 17-December 07 From: Blackhawk, CA Member No.: 8,476 Region Association: None |
With N = 10 or even 100, the average can still be off (poor accuracy).
|
SirAndy |
Sep 8 2010, 06:04 PM
Post
#5
|
Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,640 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
I have 3 pencil air gauges and one dial analog gauge. They range from 3lbs low to 8 lbs high across the 4, when checking one tire. How can we know if a gauge is reading right? Where is the tester for the gauge? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) In my experience, it doesn't really matter. Pick one gauge and go with it. You are really only interested in the differences across your 4 tires. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) If the gauge is off by a few pounds, it will be off the same for all 4 of your tires, which is not a problem at all as long as you always use the same gauge. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) Andy |
strawman |
Sep 8 2010, 06:13 PM
Post
#6
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 881 Joined: 25-January 08 From: Los Osos, CA Member No.: 8,624 Region Association: Central California |
I agree with Andy about differential between tires, with one caveat -- get a decent quality dial gauge (no less than $30) with an air-bleed valve. That will make it much easier to lower the pressures if you bump them up too high when refilling every time you gas up for daily drivers, or when bleeding off air between autocross runs.
|
1970 Neun vierzehn |
Sep 8 2010, 06:17 PM
Post
#7
|
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,199 Joined: 16-March 06 From: cincinnati, ohio Member No.: 5,727 |
I purchased a dial analog tire gauge from the "Snap-On" tool guy a few years ago. Coincedentally, it measures exactlly the same as the shop gauges that were hooked up at the Honda dealer that I worked at then.
Recently, I had my gauge checked against those in use at the Audi dealership where I now work, and once again, the readings were the same. I use that gauge for the cars, motorcycle and bicyles. The "pencil" gauges did not ever seem to be consistant with their readings, even on the same day with the same tire (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) My analog tire gauge was only $18, a most worthwhile expenditure. I'd recommend buying a decent gauge and comparing it to a trustworthy shops' gauge, someone you might have some rappor with. |
Jakeodoule |
Sep 8 2010, 06:33 PM
Post
#8
|
Member Group: Members Posts: 353 Joined: 10-October 08 From: Des Moines Iowa Member No.: 9,630 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
At bigger races, both auto or motorcycles. There is almost always a big tire supplier. They have a test station where you are free to check your gauges.
Every other time I go to an event I take my gauges and test em for accuracy. Its got a big dial gauge or digital read out that shows the pressure and a shrader valve for you to test your gauge. I would agree having all your tires the same is a key. However I think having the right pressure is just as important. Not to sure about cars, But if I was racing my roadracing motorcycle with the pressure off 4 lbs.... I would not be getting the tires to the right temp or getting em too hot. |
SirAndy |
Sep 8 2010, 08:37 PM
Post
#9
|
Resident German Group: Admin Posts: 41,640 Joined: 21-January 03 From: Oakland, Kalifornia Member No.: 179 Region Association: Northern California |
Not to sure about cars, But if I was racing my roadracing motorcycle with the pressure off 4 lbs.... I would not be getting the tires to the right temp or getting em too hot. That's why we take tire temps at the track. Way too many factors that play into this, pressure is just one of them. One pressure won't work at every track on every day. Heck, even the time of the day can influence what pressure to run. Is it sunny or shady? Rain? Morning, noon, evening? Tire temp will tell you where your pressure needs to be for that day and time and track. There is no one correct tire pressure for your car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) Andy PS: However, none of that is really important for a street car on street tires. You'll be hard-pressed to find someone who can tell the difference between 30lbs and 34lbs on a street 914 with street tires ... |
bandjoey |
Sep 8 2010, 09:27 PM
Post
#10
|
bandjoey Group: Members Posts: 4,926 Joined: 26-September 07 From: Bedford Tx Member No.: 8,156 Region Association: Southwest Region |
When I couldn't get a consistent reading, I stopped at my Discount tire store and had them check the pressure. I was running 26/28 lbs from home. They let air out of all my tires telling me I was in the low 30's on all.
My quest is to take all my gauges to the TMS Nascar in a month and find the tire booth. Good info. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) |
1970 Neun vierzehn |
Sep 10 2010, 07:07 PM
Post
#11
|
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 3,199 Joined: 16-March 06 From: cincinnati, ohio Member No.: 5,727 |
When I couldn't get a consistent reading, I stopped at my Discount tire store and had them check the pressure. I was running 26/28 lbs from home. They let air out of all my tires telling me I was in the low 30's on all. Uh, how far did you drive to the tire store, and what was the ambient temp? Tire pressures in the low 30s' sound good to me. Your tires could have warmed up to those numbers by the time you got to the tire store. |
bandjoey |
Sep 10 2010, 07:12 PM
Post
#12
|
bandjoey Group: Members Posts: 4,926 Joined: 26-September 07 From: Bedford Tx Member No.: 8,156 Region Association: Southwest Region |
About 3 miles at 40mph. I didn't think it would heat up that fast. I always check cold at home before going out.
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 16th May 2024 - 07:32 PM |
All rights reserved 914World.com © since 2002 |
914World.com is the fastest growing online 914 community! We have it all, classifieds, events, forums, vendors, parts, autocross, racing, technical articles, events calendar, newsletter, restoration, gallery, archives, history and more for your Porsche 914 ... |