Found this 'Tire Knocker' while browsing HF.

Ummmm...... it's a baseball bat with a light?

dad used to drive a truck...

in lieu of a tire gauge... or a weapon... it fills each role.

Truckers use it to check the inflation of their tires. They can tell from the thunk whether the pressure is right. Kind of like picking out a watermelon.

I'm sure there will be other equally plausible explanations.

for class A checking of the tires... or an equalizer livin' in oakland

don't bring a bat to a gun-fight...

my mom would just pull over and find a stick on the side of the road to beat me with.....

Night baseball anyone? All we need are some glow in the dark bases.

Works an airplanes too. I used to take the emergency pump handle to thump the tires. You can't tell if one is not inflated as the other holds it up.

Now you're gettin somewhere.....

That'd be one insanely dangerous crazy ball game

Sorry Mike. That isn't going to equalize anything in Oakland unless your having a fight with a nun and all she's packin' is a ruler.

You can actually tell if a tire is not at the proper pressure by the sound, inside duals are difficult to check with a gauge. Just to let the general public know if a tire doesn't sound right, you get the gauge out, a tire whacker is just the quick test. Most truckers are quite conscientious about checking tires as it is a pain to have a flat and it costs you time which equals money. A good set of tires on a tractor will set you back $5,000.00 so you have a vested interest in looking after them.

Ian Stott
Moncton
Canada

tell me about it! i worked at a sprinkler fab shop on 98th for 3.5 years in the early 80's