Tire pressure gague accuracy

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At the risk of driving CapriRacer and other knowledgable folks to distraction I'm curious about the accuracy of the various tire pressure gagues.

Does anyone have any solid information or links to tests and the like that would help us to know what is up with this issue?

It seems like there should be something available, but my google on this was not very revealing.
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John
 
i got a really good a couple the other day from on tract performance..made by quick car high performance..awsome guage and extremely accurate not for the average joe..these are used in the prof arena nascar nhra etc...look at their site quick car
 
I don't trust any one gage, regardless of who makes it or how much it costs (unless it's somehow self calibrating), but I do trust even cheap gages when two or three different makes/types agree within 1 lb of each other. I keep pencil type gages in the vehicles and use dial type for checking air in the tires and for checking the other gages.
 
I do what 1sttruck does
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Part of the trick has to be using the lowest scale range pratical.
When racing, I was too cheap/poor to buy a Newbow gauge (which have a 4" dial face and at the time cost over 230 pounds in the UK ! and are supplied with a certificate of accuracy to less than +-1%), so I used a relatively cheap Snap On 0-20psi bleeder gauge. (we only ever went to 19psi hot)

In the scheme of things, the raw numbers aren't as important as gauge repeatability.
 
quote:

Originally posted by ZJ JIM 96:
Here's a forum where a guy did tests. Pretty interesting:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef017dc/0


This test doesn't surprise me a bit. I stopped using mechanical gaages years ago after seeing just how inaccurate they are, and how inconsistant.

I'd use just about any $15 or $20 digital before I'd use any of the mechanical gauges I've seen...
 
I'm with 1sttruck. I once gathered up all my gauges and checked them against each other. They all read consistently with each other.

I think it was Consumer Reports that showed nearly all gauges read within a pound or two within the absolute value... even the pencil type.
 
My first post here, but don't hold that against me. Drive a car on street course track (hold multiple competition licenses), years of sports car experience, have changed oil multiple times a month to find the 'sweet spot' in viscosity vs. temp...

Sure i have multiple gauges (digital and analog). The Groits unit piqued my interest as it measures in TENTHS versus the usual HALF pound like all my other digital guages. So ponied up the $$ ($50) and have it here. They claim an accuracy of 1% and the built-in bleeder valve allows one to remove air without removing the gauge nozzle. Perhaps a bit pricey for a digital gauge, yet it has a clear large readout, bleeder, and reads in tenths of lbs. (and comes with a basic case).

Have spent more $$ on more lesser things, as have most racers, yet tire pressure is critical for the track and keeping detailed log of what works and what does not on the track.

So am i impressed with the Groits unit? Have to say yes for those serious about pressure readings. Is any guage PERFECTLY accurate? Am sure there is something out there for military (or Formula 1) use, but dare not ask what THOSE may cost.

Just my humble 2 cents.
 
A) it is much valuable to use a gauge (any gauge) and keep your tires at some pressure than completely ignoring the problem;
B) ambient air temperature influences the tire temperature.;
C) road pavement (dark fresh asphault versus old white conrete) influences tire temperature;
D) speed of travel influences tire temperature;
E) since tire temperature interacts with tire pressure, a gauge more accurate than 1.0 PSI does not help the 'average' motorist
F) For the non-average motorist, using one gauge and keeping a notebook of what that gauge says versus what a driver 'feels' from the car, delivers more predictable tuning than using a gauge with perfect accuracy and precision.
 
I've got a 17 year old Accu-Gage with a rubberized case and no release valve that is still spot on.

As long as you don't drop them, I think the bourdon tube dial types are still the most precise. And no batteries to replace.
 
Agreeing with the chap above about how digital-type gauges are more accurate than the various mechanical types.

Heard stuff, read stuff, heard some more, then read anuddah' article then another.

Made sense to me.
 
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