tire pressure gauge maintenance
I have three good quality pressure gauges with the dual foot inlet end for checking dual wheel tires. The oldest one doesn't work at all - the air just blows out of the foot that isn't on the valve s...
Forum Discussion
I disassembled one of them:
While there are 15 parts, it really is a simple tool with no adjustments. Air enters through 2a or 2b, pushing the little rubber ball 4 to seal off the other entrance. Air pressure flows through the lower barrel 5 and the pinhole plastic end 14 into the upper barrel 6 where it pushes on the seal 9 which pushes against the spring and the scale.
The rubber parts 3a and 3b make a seal between the gauge and the tire valve stem. They look very close to some domestic tap rubbers, which might do for replacements. What can we do to keep rubber flexible?
The seal (9) that rubs the upper barrel as it pushes the spring also needs to be flexible.
There are little dents in the upper barrel, which impedes the movement of the spring and that's what killed this gauge. I put the little rubber ball in the other one and now it works very will, indicating the same pressure as my new one, which I do check with the tire shop occasionally.
Maintenance would mostly be cleaning the spring and upper barrel and oiling them. I used a light silicone oil, which seems to work very well. Careful opening the inlets to the lower barrel; it is very easy to lose the little rubber ball which I probably did. Lucky I had a spare.
While there are 15 parts, it really is a simple tool with no adjustments. Air enters through 2a or 2b, pushing the little rubber ball 4 to seal off the other entrance. Air pressure flows through the lower barrel 5 and the pinhole plastic end 14 into the upper barrel 6 where it pushes on the seal 9 which pushes against the spring and the scale.
The rubber parts 3a and 3b make a seal between the gauge and the tire valve stem. They look very close to some domestic tap rubbers, which might do for replacements. What can we do to keep rubber flexible?
The seal (9) that rubs the upper barrel as it pushes the spring also needs to be flexible.
There are little dents in the upper barrel, which impedes the movement of the spring and that's what killed this gauge. I put the little rubber ball in the other one and now it works very will, indicating the same pressure as my new one, which I do check with the tire shop occasionally.
Maintenance would mostly be cleaning the spring and upper barrel and oiling them. I used a light silicone oil, which seems to work very well. Careful opening the inlets to the lower barrel; it is very easy to lose the little rubber ball which I probably did. Lucky I had a spare.
