Tyre pressure gauge calibration

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:44 pm

I have a (Halfrauds) digital tyre inflator. Been using it for a couple of years now. However, to save the hassle of plugging it in just to quickly check tyre pressures, I bought a (Halfrauds) "Industrial" Tyre Pressure Gauge.

They don't agree with each other. Or with my local petrol station. Readings on rears are:

New pressure gauge: 27psi
2 year old tyre inflator: 32psi
Shell garage pump: 29psi

??

Is there somewhere in Glasgow I could get these calibrated? I would expect the new pressure gauge to be most accurate (claims +/- 0.5psi). If that's the case, then I've been driving with my tyres at 5psi below their recommended pressures since I bought the car!

How does that affect handling? In the quick trip down to the local garage to get the above reading, the car did feel better on corners. Could be my imagination though.

Confused D

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:37 pm

Turns out the new gauge was out. Checked a couple of them and an analogue one on a tyre in Halfrauds and mine was way out compared to the rest. Got a new one and it's now only about 0.5psi out from the inflator. I'm going to go with the gauge.

Means I must have been imagining things with handling the other night . . . they were actually too high then!

D

r055 · Post by **r055** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:43 pm

dezzy,
just do what my girlfriend does and wait until the tyre treads have uneven wear

- then you can tell whether they are over inflated or under!

Cure is better than prevention...? or something like that

s333fee · Post by **s333fee** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 10:03 am

dr al · Post by **dr al** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:54 am

I've had the same problem - my two local garages are 6psi out from eachother, and my hand held guages are in between!

can't remember whether i read it here or on seloc, - but the advice was ...

go for a thrash, and then check how even the heat build up in your tyres is, it should be even right across the tyre. - if the centre's cooler - pressure too low, if the edges are cooler, pressure too high. - seems to work, but might just be my imagination!

A.

dezzy · Post by **dezzy** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 3:38 pm

Will try the heat thing. I'm sure I did read that on here before now that you mention it.

I just wouldn't trust the ones at garages. Definitely going to go with the new replacement gauge. Not sure if £10 - £20 is worth it to calibrate a gauge that only cost about £15.

Sanjøy · Post by **Sanjøy** » Thu Sep 21, 2006 4:03 pm

dr al wrote:I've had the same problem - my two local garages are 6psi out from eachother, and my hand held guages are in between!

can't remember whether i read it here or on seloc, - but the advice was ...

go for a thrash, and then check how even the heat build up in your tyres is, it should be even right across the tyre. - if the centre's cooler - pressure too low, if the edges are cooler, pressure too high. - seems to work, but might just be my imagination!

A.

Assuming a pyrometer type thingy rather than touch ?!