Tire Pressure Gages

[Ron in BC]

I have an assortment of tire pressure gages. Every type possible, short and long traditional, digital, clamp on, analog and none of them read the same. Between the highest and lowest there's 8 psi difference.

Has anyone found one that's a higher level and carries some sort certification?

5 psi I could ignore but 8 psi is too much error.

Ron

 

[HABBERDABBER]

Go with the one you're calibrating with, eh?
I've got a bucket load of them, and use what's available. I'm sure there's a top notch one for sale, but I doubt I have it.

 

[jjdeluca]

I purchased this JACO ElitePro analog model several years ago and have been quite happy with it. It's easy to use and provides consistent readings. The description on Amazon claims that it's "performance tested, certified, & calibrated accurate within ANSI Standards (±1.5%)"

https://www.amazon.com/JACO-ElitePro-Tire-Pressure-Gauge/dp/B016R9KKCU/ref=asc_df_B016R9KKCU?mcid=e056fc9412f5311f820ba0fc9e6aa40f&hvocijid=6730640809907211486-B016R9KKCU-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6730640809907211486&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9059806&hvtargid=pla-2281435182658&psc=1

 

[GinoandLinda]

My go to gauge is a Blue Point dial face which is Snap On. It’s over 20 years old and probably should be replaced. I personally like dial face gauges with a short hose.

 

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

I purchased this JACO ElitePro analog model several years ago and have been quite happy with it. It's easy to use and provides consistent readings. The description on Amazon claims that it's "performance tested, certified, & calibrated accurate within ANSI Standards (±1.5%)"

https://www.amazon.com/JACO-ElitePro-Tire-Pressure-Gauge/dp/B016R9KKCU/ref=asc_df_B016R9KKCU?mcid=e056fc9412f5311f820ba0fc9e6aa40f&hvocijid=6730640809907211486-B016R9KKCU-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6730640809907211486&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9059806&hvtargid=pla-2281435182658&psc=1

I use the Jaco Digital. It is spot on from reading to reading and in my initial testing after purchase.

It was purchased to keep and use in my truck but it obviously works on the trailer too.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

last time I checked the dozen I'd accumulated, most were within 2-3 PSI (good enough for who its for!), and just a couple were outside that. I tossed those outliers. When I had a motorcycle where tire pressure was critical, I bought an expensive Made in USA dial gauge from a major brand, and it didn't last 6 months of traveling in my tankbag before it broke. oooops! good old 'stick gauges' were generally pretty good except the occasional one that was way off.

edit, oh yeah, I had a whole batch of noname digital gauges that were all within 1 psi of each other and the center line of all my other gauges. wish I could get some more as they've all kinda wandered off. Some other similar brand name digital gauges were all over the place, go figure.

 

[Misterfig]

I was looking for a new tire pressure gauge recently as well. Project Farm on YouTube tested a bunch of gauges a few months back and the JACO ElitePro digital came out on top. I’ve been happy with mine so far.

 

[Mike G]

You got me looking around out of curiosity. Accu-Gage brand claims to calibrate theirs. I see one on Amazon (US) for $10.

Now I probably have to watch a Project Farm video, heh. But I have to take his results with a grain of salt, since testing even two samples of each gauge doesn't prove how all of the production run will perform.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Beat me to the punch on the video. I have been using a Husky digital gage for years, and bought a two pack of the Etenwolf after watching the video, and the Husky and the Etenwolf are only a half pound apart.

Charles

 

[iamunique127]

I've always just gone with the reading off the gauge I happen to pick up. I've figured that as long as all four tires were the same they were good to go. Now you've got me wondering how much variation there will be between gauges.

I have a collection of stick gauges and dial gauges I intend to check. I've had digital gauges but have always returned them for being finicky.

 

[MrLynn]

A couple of years ago I found a '10 best' or some such review of tire-pressure gauges, and they recommended one they said was most used by auto mechanics:

Dill Dual Foot Black Pencil Tire Air Gauge 20-120 PSI, Made in USA​

Amazon.com

Previously I relied on a dial-type NAPA gauge but it didn't go high enough. The Dill seems to work consistently and seems solidly made, so I stick to it these days.

 

[Ron in BC]

Thanks for some great feedback. I'll look through it again and decide on one.

Tire pressure is a concern for me. I'm not too worried if my trailer pressures differ by 5 or so psi. but my little car tire pressures are only 19psi. so a large error there would be a concern. Also my 950 lb. m/c tire pressures should be accurate.

Great feedback, thanks

Ron

 

[Centex]

You got me looking around out of curiosity. Accu-Gage brand claims to calibrate theirs. I see one on Amazon (US) for $10.

Over many years I regularly checked my ~$10 digital Accu-Gage (similar to this) against the 'calibrated standard test device' made available by the Michelin race-tire vendor in our motorcycle roadracing-club paddock (I was a 20-years race official, not a racer ).

Not "absolutely accurate", but over the years that cheap, small, one-piece (no extension hose) gauge was consistently -1.0 PSI compared to that professionally maintained test device in the range of interest to me for my truck and trailer tires.

So, for me, an acceptably easy to 'mentally correct' gauge of a size that made it easy to stash in a driver's-door cubby, thereby encouraging regular checking and maintenance of my tire pressures.

Just FYI / FWIW / YMMV.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Many years ago, like 20 or so, just when digital gauges were being introduced. Consumer reports did an evaluation of tire gauges. Virtually every pencil gauge they tested was spot on, and the pick came down to angle or straight head, deflater button on the back of the head, etc. They did test the one or two digital gauges on the market and found them reasonably accurate but cost was so high compared to the simple pencil gauge that they could not recommend them.

Charles

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

My own random testing (take a bunch of gauges, compare them with each other, toss the outliers) led me to using these for quite awhile, I bought a handful of them, but of that handful, one was out of whack (and got tossed). They were around $10 each...

Amazon.com

(no longer available, sigh)

 

[Ron in BC]

I finally got around to doing some testing.

I took a flexible hose from a diesel engine compression gage and added various gages that I had on hand.

Many were off by a noticeable amount when compared to the Argon gage from my TIG welder. I know that gage is of good quality and quite accurate.

The two winners were the lever type inflator with gage and the digital gage. All 3 were very close or identical over several different pressures.

The dial type was off too much to use and the long analog type was way off.

So, for me anyway, it's the inflator type and the digital going into the truck before I head off down the highway.

Ron

 

[iamunique127]

I have a note to myself on the kitchen counter reminding me to test my tire gauges. I read it several times a day and get stumped on procedure. I don't have a known accurate standard to test it against.

If I don't come up with an better idea before I get to it I may just test them against each other, like John in Santa Cruz suggested and eliminate the outliers from my users.

 

[Iowa Dave]

I have a note to myself on the kitchen counter reminding me to test my tire gauges. I read it several times a day and get stumped on procedure. I don't have a known accurate standard to test it against.

If I don't come up with a better idea before I get to it I may just test them against each other, like John in Santa Cruz suggested and eliminate the outliers from my users.

Back in the day we relied on American Made Schrader pencil type tire testers. They were top of the line. As Genuine filling station guys you checked a lot of tires and fixed a lot of tires. You could even get a rebuild kit when your seals wore out forthe the Schrader testers. For truck tires, especially duals, we used the long ACME tester. Both were accurate.

I use an Acme that I got from Rita’s uncle who was an over the road driver for CRST. As a cordless inflator I use the Milwaukee 12 volt. The readout is accurate and reads in 1/2 pound increments. Fixing, checking, selling, buying and wearing out tires for over 60 years has given me an appreciation for accuracy and
“Feel” on the rod as conditions vary.

On vehicles I’ll soften the inflation by a few pounds when it’s snowy or icy. Helps with the traction. A regular check of pressures on Saturday morning along with the oil, coolant level
and windshield washer fluid has worked for me for many years
Iowa Dave

 

[occer]

The hard part is getting people to check their tires.
I’m betting most never do.
Unless you are out on the race track a pound one way or the other will be okay.
An accurate gauge is good, but checking them is the key.

 

[Chris Sr]

The hard part is getting people to check their tires.
I’m betting most never do.
Unless you are out on the race track a pound one way or the other will be okay.
An accurate gauge is good, but checking them is the key.

Most people have no idea how to check their tires let alone how to change one.
And sadly, they don’t want to learn.