Forum Discussion

garmp's avatar
garmp
Explorer II
Aug 14, 2020

Tire pressure gauges

Have the typical stick type gauge, which I don't trust. So I bought one with a dial and needle. Got home to check it out and Great it works real nice. 64 lbs. Got out the old stick type and it reads 52 lbs. How do I know which is correct? But a third one and take the average?

70 Replies

  • I must be the lucky one, I have used the same stick gauge for more years then I can remember, not even sure where I got it. It matches the reading that my truck gives me on the tires almost to the psi . It also is about 3 psi different then my TST 507 readings on my fifth wheel ,so close enough for me . Matter of fact I have had it so long the numbers are wearing off.

    To the OP , some of the suggestions seem reasonable. As said I would see if that new one matches up with a tire shop. I recently had new tires replaced on my fifth wheel, and told them what I wanted for air pressure ,and that old gauge of mine was accurate with theirs. How about your truck or trailer monitoring systems any of your gauges match up with them ?
  • If as suggested above you get whatever gauge you have calibrated at the local tire shop you are good to go... just use that same gauge every time adjusting for the calibration.

    :C
  • reminds me of an old saying.

    A man with one watch always knows what time it is. A man with two is never sure.
  • Digital is the way to go. Mine matches what the Silverado says the truck tires are holding.
  • I have always wondered what the NASCAR teams use when they talk about taking out half a pound of air.
  • I have three or four digital gauges and use whichever one is closest to hand. They are all within a couple PSI so I don't concern myself about which one I grab. I usually buy one or two when they are cheap.
  • Trade in both of them and get a digital one. Acutire is one brand. Never have more than one gauge. The sliding ones must be the most inaccurate.
    Ever try to determine the correct time using two digital clocks?
  • RAS43 wrote:
    Stop by your favorite tire shop as ask them to compare their gauge vs. yours. Any good tire shop should have at least one accurate gauge.


    This.

    Beyond that, those stick gauges are INFAMOUS for being wildly inaccurate. The only thing they have going for them is they are cheap.
  • RAS43's avatar
    RAS43
    Explorer III
    Stop by your favorite tire shop as ask them to compare their gauge vs. yours. Any good tire shop should have at least one accurate gauge.

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