Tire Pressure Gages

I have posted when asked what tire pressures I run on the Highlander when towing. I run 41.5 psi rear and 40.0. After experimentation when I buy new tires I settle on the pressures I like. It changes with tread patterns, sidewall stability, gross weights etc. I believe that if you concentrate on the feel of the vehicle in whatever situation, you can sense some very subtle handling changes. Maybe it’s just me but it works for me and has for a lot of years. Low tires cause gas milage to drop. Over pressure tires lack designed traction and can wear tires in the center which isn’t desirable either.
Iowa Dave
 
I have posted when asked what tire pressures I run on the Highlander when towing. I run 41.5 psi rear and 40.0. After experimentation when I buy new tires I settle on the pressures I like. It changes with tread patterns, sidewall stability, gross weights etc. I believe that if you concentrate on the feel of the vehicle in whatever situation, you can sense some very subtle handling changes. Maybe it’s just me but it works for me and has for a lot of years. Low tires cause gas milage to drop. Over pressure tires lack designed traction and can wear tires in the center which isn’t desirable either. Tire rotation helps with even wear. On the Escape I rotate all five tires. It’s never a sales point with me when I read “spare has never been on the ground”
Iowa Dave
 
For those willing to pay for safety, put tire pressure monitors on your trailer much like modern cars have built-in now.

We've been happily using an older model of this product for almost four years now. I've had to change the batteries in the sensors once, and they have alerted us to high and low pressure, and overheated tires, on numerous occasions. These alerts come while driving, not spending time reading the tire pressure and temperature at every stop.
 
I typically used the stick type gauge and balance vehicle pressures. Like Ron, I typically ran low pressure in my ol'British car and adjusted by ride feel and never questioned accuracy of tire pressure gauges. Just recently getting a mountain bike I was trying to use my high pressure road bike pump with dial gauge to get to 25lb. I kept pumping with tire getting harder and hardly registering on dial gauge. I bought a digital gauge and have now found when my pump gauge notes 12lb it is 25lb at the tire valve.

I am leaning to trust the digital and furthermore it is easier to read than the increments on some analog gauges.
 
Just recently getting a mountain bike I was trying to use my high pressure road bike pump with dial gauge to get to 25lb. I
That's funny. I had the opposite problem. My new fat bike tires can be run as low as 5psi on snow and mud and I'm not sure of the accuracy of any gage when you get down to that low a pressure.

My truck has TPI but I have to scroll menus to see pressures. In practice I don't find myself doing that probably because I count on it warning me of a low tire.

I view a manual gage as more than just a manual gage. For me it's part of a package. I check the tire pressure; check tread depth and wear and remove any stones etc. stuck in the tread. Stones I remove frequently but only check tire pressures if I suspect there's a problem, other wise I don't usually check them on trips. Works for me.

Ron
 

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