Sparky wrote:
> Elle Navorski wrote:
>
>> Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
>>
>> I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years. I bought an
>> air
>> compressor last summer and now check my tires' pressure at least once a
>> month. I have found the pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't
>> consistently
>> fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
>>
>> I'll pay the big bucks for the right device.
>
>
> http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
>
>
sweet... but likely made in china like everything else. harbor freight
prolly has one made by the same supplier for $5 or so.

 

Sparky wrote:
> Elle Navorski wrote:
>
>> Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
>>
>> I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years. I bought an
>> air
>> compressor last summer and now check my tires' pressure at least once a
>> month. I have found the pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't
>> consistently
>> fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
>>
>> I'll pay the big bucks for the right device.
>
>
> http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog
>
>
sweet... but likely made in china like everything else. harbor freight
prolly has one made by the same supplier for $5 or so.

 

"Elle Navorski" <elle_navorski@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:S8wId.2559$r27.367@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
: Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
:
: I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years. I bought an air
: compressor last summer and now check my tires' pressure at least once a
: month. I have found the pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't
consistently
: fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
:
: I'll pay the big bucks for the right device.
:
I've been using an AccuTire digital gauge for a few years now and I'm pretty
happy with it. I think the battery is replaceable, but the original one
hasn't failed yet. I think it costs $10 or $15 at Sears, less on sale.

Paul

 

"Elle Navorski" <elle_navorski@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:S8wId.2559$r27.367@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
: Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
:
: I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years. I bought an air
: compressor last summer and now check my tires' pressure at least once a
: month. I have found the pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't
consistently
: fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
:
: I'll pay the big bucks for the right device.
:
I've been using an AccuTire digital gauge for a few years now and I'm pretty
happy with it. I think the battery is replaceable, but the original one
hasn't failed yet. I think it costs $10 or $15 at Sears, less on sale.

Paul

 

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> On Sat, 22 Jan 2005, y_p_w wrote:
>
>
>>Dial gauges are easier to read and likely more accurate.
>
>
> Nope. There is nothing inherent in dial-type construction that makes these
> gauges more accurate than stick-type gauges. There are good and bad
> examples of all kinds of tire gauges (digital, dial and stick). I use a
> very well made all-metal stick gauge which has been right on the nose both
> times I've tested its calibration against a reference standard over the
> last decade. But then, I also treat it carefully.

The Meiser Accugage dial gauge was (for me) difficult to use
incorrectly and actually measures pressure directly. However - they
do have delicate parts (like the difference between a beam and a
clicker torque wrench). If you could add/remove pressure directly,
that gauge would be able to constantly monitor and accurately report
the change. Some dial gauges also go up higher (at least 60 psi)
when a typical pencil-type gauge stops at 50. This is nice for
compact spares and bicycle tires.

> It's this one, for reference:
> http://www.machinemart.co.uk/search....pressure+gauge I've got the
> one with the right-angle head, which can be a little difficult to use
> sometimes. The inline type might be easier. Nevertheless, the differences
> are large in build quality and accuracy between this and the common
> mostly- or all-plastic stick gauges.

Of course the stick type reports pressure by how far the thing shoots
out. If it's not inserted quickly and perfectly, I've found that they
underreport pressure and leak. That's one big reason I don't like
them.

Still - I keep one in my car just in case (along with the Topeak digital
gauge).

 

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> On Sat, 22 Jan 2005, y_p_w wrote:
>
>
>>Dial gauges are easier to read and likely more accurate.
>
>
> Nope. There is nothing inherent in dial-type construction that makes these
> gauges more accurate than stick-type gauges. There are good and bad
> examples of all kinds of tire gauges (digital, dial and stick). I use a
> very well made all-metal stick gauge which has been right on the nose both
> times I've tested its calibration against a reference standard over the
> last decade. But then, I also treat it carefully.

The Meiser Accugage dial gauge was (for me) difficult to use
incorrectly and actually measures pressure directly. However - they
do have delicate parts (like the difference between a beam and a
clicker torque wrench). If you could add/remove pressure directly,
that gauge would be able to constantly monitor and accurately report
the change. Some dial gauges also go up higher (at least 60 psi)
when a typical pencil-type gauge stops at 50. This is nice for
compact spares and bicycle tires.

> It's this one, for reference:
> http://www.machinemart.co.uk/search....pressure+gauge I've got the
> one with the right-angle head, which can be a little difficult to use
> sometimes. The inline type might be easier. Nevertheless, the differences
> are large in build quality and accuracy between this and the common
> mostly- or all-plastic stick gauges.

Of course the stick type reports pressure by how far the thing shoots
out. If it's not inserted quickly and perfectly, I've found that they
underreport pressure and leak. That's one big reason I don't like
them.

Still - I keep one in my car just in case (along with the Topeak digital
gauge).

 

"Paul" <paulDONTSPAMMEmueller@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:HWAId.4266$cZ1.3120@newsread2.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
>
> "Elle Navorski" <elle_navorski@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:S8wId.2559$r27.367@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
> : Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
> :
> : I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years. I bought an
> air
> : compressor last summer and now check my tires' pressure at least once a
> : month. I have found the pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't
> consistently
> : fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
> :
> : I'll pay the big bucks for the right device.
> :
> I've been using an AccuTire digital gauge for a few years now and I'm
> pretty
> happy with it. I think the battery is replaceable, but the original one
> hasn't failed yet. I think it costs $10 or $15 at Sears, less on sale.
>
> Paul
>
I also use an AccuTire bought at Sears for $8 on sale. It works fine. My
old dial type ceased to be accurate when I dropped it, and my pencil types
never were accurate. YMMV

WW

 

"Paul" <paulDONTSPAMMEmueller@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:HWAId.4266$cZ1.3120@newsread2.news.atl.earthl ink.net...
>
> "Elle Navorski" <elle_navorski@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:S8wId.2559$r27.367@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
> : Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
> :
> : I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years. I bought an
> air
> : compressor last summer and now check my tires' pressure at least once a
> : month. I have found the pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't
> consistently
> : fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
> :
> : I'll pay the big bucks for the right device.
> :
> I've been using an AccuTire digital gauge for a few years now and I'm
> pretty
> happy with it. I think the battery is replaceable, but the original one
> hasn't failed yet. I think it costs $10 or $15 at Sears, less on sale.
>
> Paul
>
I also use an AccuTire bought at Sears for $8 on sale. It works fine. My
old dial type ceased to be accurate when I dropped it, and my pencil types
never were accurate. YMMV

WW

 

Elle Navorski wrote:
> Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?

> I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years.
> I bought an air compressor last summer and now check my
> tires' pressure at least once a month. I have found the
> pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't consistently
> fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.

Most guages now have a long recess in the chuck to let it fit more
easily over the tire valve.

All electronic tire guages are highly accurate, virtually dead-on, and
are cheap from places like AutoZone, Pep Boys, Checker/Shuck's/Kragen,
and Wal-mart.

Pencil-type guages are the most rugged, provided they're made of metal,
but some are chrome plated, and you can't always check with a magnet
because many good guages are made of brass rather than steel. Plastic
guages are prone to cracking where the chuck fits into the tube if the
chuck is pressed in rather than screwed on.

Dial guages can be as accurate as pencil guages, but when Consumer
Reports last tested guages, in 2/1993, all of the least-accurate guages
(off by +- 4 PSI average) were of the dial type, and no pencil-type
guage erred more than +- 2 PSI. The most accurate pencil-type guages
have shims at the end of their coil spring for calibration.

Some good brands of mechanical guages are Schrader, Acme (not the
Company that sold junk to Wiley E. Coyote), NAPA, Tru-Flate, and Camel.

Some tire dealers, like Discount Tire, give out OK pencil-type guages
for free.

 

Elle Navorski wrote:
> Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?

> I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years.
> I bought an air compressor last summer and now check my
> tires' pressure at least once a month. I have found the
> pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't consistently
> fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.

Most guages now have a long recess in the chuck to let it fit more
easily over the tire valve.

All electronic tire guages are highly accurate, virtually dead-on, and
are cheap from places like AutoZone, Pep Boys, Checker/Shuck's/Kragen,
and Wal-mart.

Pencil-type guages are the most rugged, provided they're made of metal,
but some are chrome plated, and you can't always check with a magnet
because many good guages are made of brass rather than steel. Plastic
guages are prone to cracking where the chuck fits into the tube if the
chuck is pressed in rather than screwed on.

Dial guages can be as accurate as pencil guages, but when Consumer
Reports last tested guages, in 2/1993, all of the least-accurate guages
(off by +- 4 PSI average) were of the dial type, and no pencil-type
guage erred more than +- 2 PSI. The most accurate pencil-type guages
have shims at the end of their coil spring for calibration.

Some good brands of mechanical guages are Schrader, Acme (not the
Company that sold junk to Wiley E. Coyote), NAPA, Tru-Flate, and Camel.

Some tire dealers, like Discount Tire, give out OK pencil-type guages
for free.

 

"y_p_w" <y_p_w@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:m_yId.2669$r27.384@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
>
>
> Dial gauges are easier to read and likely more accurate. However -
> they might lose their accuracy, especially when treated roughly. I
> once dropped an Accugage dial gauge, and the readings were consistently
> higher. I compared it to an undamamged gauge, and the readings were
> about 40 psi when it was really around 30.
>

If you take a dial guage apart it becomes obvious how to recalibrate it.
There's a
cog there, push it to the far end so that it unlaches from the gear, turn
the spring
to the next tooth, and let the cog re-engage. Repeat until it's accurate
again.

Ted

 

"y_p_w" <y_p_w@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:m_yId.2669$r27.384@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
>
>
> Dial gauges are easier to read and likely more accurate. However -
> they might lose their accuracy, especially when treated roughly. I
> once dropped an Accugage dial gauge, and the readings were consistently
> higher. I compared it to an undamamged gauge, and the readings were
> about 40 psi when it was really around 30.
>

If you take a dial guage apart it becomes obvious how to recalibrate it.
There's a
cog there, push it to the far end so that it unlaches from the gear, turn
the spring
to the next tooth, and let the cog re-engage. Repeat until it's accurate
again.

Ted

 

do_not_spam_me@my-deja.com wrote:

> Elle Navorski wrote:
>
>>Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
>
>>I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years.
>>I bought an air compressor last summer and now check my
>>tires' pressure at least once a month. I have found the
>>pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't consistently
>>fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
>
> Most guages now have a long recess in the chuck to let it fit more
> easily over the tire valve.

The Snap-On one is like this (virtually never leaks) and is made of
brass as well.

> All electronic tire guages are highly accurate, virtually dead-on, and
> are cheap from places like AutoZone, Pep Boys, Checker/Shuck's/Kragen,
> and Wal-mart.
>
> Pencil-type guages are the most rugged, provided they're made of metal,
> but some are chrome plated, and you can't always check with a magnet
> because many good guages are made of brass rather than steel. Plastic
> guages are prone to cracking where the chuck fits into the tube if the
> chuck is pressed in rather than screwed on.
>
> Dial guages can be as accurate as pencil guages, but when Consumer
> Reports last tested guages, in 2/1993,

That's a long time ago, dude.

> all of the least-accurate guages
> (off by +- 4 PSI average) were of the dial type, and no pencil-type
> guage erred more than +- 2 PSI. The most accurate pencil-type guages
> have shims at the end of their coil spring for calibration.

But don't the stick type guages lend themselves more easily to being
misread (which can make the reading way off)?

 

do_not_spam_me@my-deja.com wrote:

> Elle Navorski wrote:
>
>>Is there a super-duper tire gauge on the market?
>
>>I have been using a pocket protector tire gauge for years.
>>I bought an air compressor last summer and now check my
>>tires' pressure at least once a month. I have found the
>>pocket gage cumbersome to use. I can't consistently
>>fit it exactly on the tire valve to get a reading.
>
> Most guages now have a long recess in the chuck to let it fit more
> easily over the tire valve.

The Snap-On one is like this (virtually never leaks) and is made of
brass as well.

> All electronic tire guages are highly accurate, virtually dead-on, and
> are cheap from places like AutoZone, Pep Boys, Checker/Shuck's/Kragen,
> and Wal-mart.
>
> Pencil-type guages are the most rugged, provided they're made of metal,
> but some are chrome plated, and you can't always check with a magnet
> because many good guages are made of brass rather than steel. Plastic
> guages are prone to cracking where the chuck fits into the tube if the
> chuck is pressed in rather than screwed on.
>
> Dial guages can be as accurate as pencil guages, but when Consumer
> Reports last tested guages, in 2/1993,

That's a long time ago, dude.

> all of the least-accurate guages
> (off by +- 4 PSI average) were of the dial type, and no pencil-type
> guage erred more than +- 2 PSI. The most accurate pencil-type guages
> have shims at the end of their coil spring for calibration.

But don't the stick type guages lend themselves more easily to being
misread (which can make the reading way off)?

 

"Daniel J. Stern" <dastern@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.58.0501221555360.7529@alumni.engin .umich.edu...
>
> Nope. There is nothing inherent in dial-type construction that makes these
> gauges more accurate than stick-type gauges. There are good and bad
> examples of all kinds of tire gauges (digital, dial and stick).

That isn't quite accurate, Daniel. The stick type gauges have a
considerable friction component which a decent Bourdon tube gauge
will not have. The friction in a stick type gauge can vary a lot with
moisture, temperature, wear, mechanical deformation, etc. The Bourdon type
has its weaknesses too, I'll admit.

I have not seen a good quality stick type gauge in a long time, and have
certainly looked for one. Paid rather dearly for a supposedly good tractor
type gauge (because it is supposed to be resistant to water which is common
in tractor tires), and it wasn't very good either.

These little cheapo stick type gauges you pick up for a few dollars at parts
stores or Walmart are about as accurate and dependable as Stari Arbat
watches.