Community Forums

hohenwald48 · 11-26-2019, 07:12 PM

I have 5 different tire pressure gauges +TPMS. I have stick type, dial type and digital gauges. When I check the same tire I get different readings.

Where can I get an accurate gauge?

tap4154 · 11-26-2019, 07:45 PM

I've been using this one for a while now and it seems very accurate. I don't have TPMS on my MH, but it agrees 100% with the TPMS in my Ram truck. Seems very consistent as well. The stick gauges and others I was using were all over the place.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016R9KKCU..._t1_B015HURK64

But there's many good ones out there and other folks will have good suggestions too.

petrel · 11-26-2019, 08:51 PM

I have been pleased with the Milton S986.

MSHappyCampers · 11-27-2019, 07:20 AM

I bought one from a commercial truck shop many years ago, and it's still working. I asked them which one they used in their shop.

530ktm · 11-27-2019, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hohenwald48

I have 5 different tire pressure gauges +TPMS. I have stick type, dial type and digital gauges. When I check the same tire I get different readings.

Where can I get an accurate gauge?

How different are the readings among the gauges? You will always get a pound or so variable in my opinion but more than that something is wrong. I use the large truck stick type and it is very close to others I have compared it to.

Mr_D · 11-27-2019, 07:48 AM

I bought a certified gauge at NAPA and compare my other gauges to it. Tire at a known pressure with the NAPA gauge, then check with the others. Throw away the ones that are off.

BTFT · 11-27-2019, 08:44 AM

All devices have a "tolerance", a plus or minus range of accuracy.

If you are talking about a 1-2% difference between the gauges there is nothing to worry about.

But it is important to use the same gauge all the time, otherwise you are just chasing your tail.

Further if you think about the "Cold Pressure Inflation" spec on your tires. You have to realize that the amount of air you end up adding will be determined by altitude and temperature. Don't worry about small differences.

Lastly; unless you can establish a truly accurate baseline of EXACTLY how much PSI is in any given tire the entire exercise is a Order of Magnitude problem not worth worrying about.

allenb12 · 11-27-2019, 03:36 PM

I use the Jaco referenced in post number 2.

Carnac · 11-28-2019, 12:55 AM

I like Longacre tire gages. Use a very accurate one for track days with my Corvette.

This one goes to 125 psi and is digital. Found on Amazon:

Longacre 50358 Digital Tire Gauge 0-125 PSI with Angle Chuck

Jim

IC2 · 11-28-2019, 05:52 AM

I had a decent Longacre gauge until it grew legs and disappeared. I have a JACO ElitePro Tire Pressure Gauge - 100 PSI along with my trusty 50+ year old Milton dual head 150psig truck gauge which reads the same as the JACO. I've had digital and dial. The battery in the digital always seemed to dead when needed and the mechanical dial gauges always seemed to be broken after being dropped. Any pencil gauge was never close regarless of brand.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-28-2019, 09:52 AM

A tire pressure gauge is considered to be accurate if within plus/minus 3% of a laboratory-certified instrument. That is "close enough" for tire work. However, a gauge that is accurate when new will often be substantially in error after knocking around in tool box, car glove box, etc. for a year or two. You can also get errors simply by not having perfect placement of the chuck on the tire valve (pressure loss).

That means two quality tire gauges could be 6 psi apart when used on the same 100 psi tire, one +3 and the other -3 psi.

I'd compare my gauges and discard or give away those that consistently show more than 1-2 lbs difference from the others. Since I can't throw away my TPMS, that has to be one of the standard keepers.

db7512 · 12-01-2019, 05:58 AM

Tire Minder has a digital truck style gauge that is +- 1%. Works great.

hohenwald48 · 12-01-2019, 11:49 AM

Sounds like gauge accuracy is kind of hit or miss. I think I'll find one that pretty much agrees with my TPMS and go with that. Thanks.

geotexZ71 · 12-01-2019, 09:46 PM

Find yourself a quality tire shop or catch a SnapOn tool truck. They should have a Master Gauge, which is just a fancy way of saying a yearly calibrated and certified gauge. Check everything you have against it and trash those that are way out.

For inflating from your own compressor, get a Milton S-506 inflator. These are the longest running, industry standard and are very easy to adjust into calibration and always have parts available for overhaul.

Dill brand, pencil style gauges are known to be the most accurate gauges in the industry over the long haul. These aren't your $5 pencil gauges either.

If you insist on a precise digital, then look at Longacre's mid-to-high end.

As another poster said, there's good enough for consumer tire work (different game for pros putting tires to task on the track) and in that league that original consumer digital tire pressure gauge from AccuTire cannot be beat. I have 7 of them - one in each vehicle and each trailers' kit, and all report exactly the same when tested against the Master and, more importantly, right in-line with their stated accuracy.