Lets Talk Tire Gagues....

[Peto]

I have a few and none of them give me confidence in their accuracy. What are most people using?

Digital?? It's my next step but I have doubts about making the leap.

The dial gauge never read the same as my TPMS ( I have questions about it's accuracy as well).

So, what's everyone using, trusting and happy with?

Blame this thread on being bored while performing annual maintenance prior to a couple long (for us) trips this summer....

 

[NH_Bulldog]

Having just tinkered with this very issue yesterday, my answer is a very enthusiastic.......I have no idea!

I aired up the tires on my trailer using my Ryobi cordless handheld compressor and I have found that if I stop when the digital gauge reaches the desired PSI, when I release the trigger, it drops back 1.5 PSI, so I filled to 81.5 PSI and the gauge read 80 static. When I disconnected, my TPMS read 80 PSI, so I know that my pump is accurate.

Next, I went to my truck and read what the TPMS said for each tire, then checked with a dial gauge and it was different by a few PSI. I filled the tires using my shop compressor and checking with the dial gauge and when I was done, the TPMS numbers were all over the place. So I went back around with my Ryobi and using the same process as I did with the trailer, set to specified pressures. Then I checked with an old school pencil gauge and got a closer reading than the dial gauge, then I checked with a digital gauge and it was close to the Ryobi, but not quite accurate. Then I checked with the TPMS and the tires read what the Ryobi was set at.

So at a minimum, I know that both the truck and trailer TPMS systems agree with my handheld air compressor more than they do with a dial gauge, pencil gauge or digital gauge. Not trying to sell you a Ryobi, but it works for me!

 

[sourdough]

LOL, tire pressure gauges - they run the gamut I guess. I've got dial, stick, digital etc. Cheap to expensive - I don't think any of them ever read what the TPMS or the TPMS systems in the vehicles read. I've picked some that I leave in the vehicles that I've more or less "calibrated" to that vehicle. I note the deviation from the TPMS system for that vehicle on that gauge and leave it with that vehicle. The ones currently in the vehicles are made by Slime and I got them at Auto Zone or somewhere like that. On my compressor traveling I have an inline gauge that gets me "close enough" for a quick air up.

 

[flybouy]

I use my on-board train horn compressor and tank. I installed a qc with a shut off valve in the bed by the tailgate. I use a hose with a valve at the end and a qc female. I attach an In-line pressure regulator and a tire valve connector to top fill tires. Set the regulater for 80 psi for the trailer and let it go. It will stop at 80 and it gives with the tpms reading. I also use a Slime digital gage that also reads the same as the tpms.

I have a collection of analog and digital gages and have found the inexpensive Slime brand to be accurate enough. It's not like you need fractions of a lb accuracy as I'm not entering a NASCAR race with the rig.

 

[Notanlines]

I use the steel truck gauge from Tractor Supply. Flybouy had it right…..this ain’t NASCAR.

 

[Gearhead]

Joes Racing digital for the win. Matches perfectly to my Ram TPMS. I never doubt it.
No it’s not NASCAR, it’s more than that.

 

[Peto]

Yeah. On board air is in my future.. I just over think this crap. Bugs me when I set them all to 65 and my tpms shows 4 different psi readings.

 

[vampress]

I’m old school. Grew up with a pencil gauge (googled that is what it’s called), have never tried a digital one. When we got the dually I got a new one from Blue Point made for duallies (push/pull version?). It seems accurate (or accurate enough when comparing to the TPMS) and I love the longer length which seems to make it easier for me to not wiggle it and let air out of the tire while trying to take a pressure reading. But, just went and looked it up - they were much cheaper 6 years ago!

 

[wiredgeorge]

I use a Slime gauge and it seems to be accurate enough and pretty much agrees with my TPMS readings. The only negative regarding the Slime gauge is that it also reads pressure in a couple of other formats so I have to be careful not to toggle to them; wish it was just PSI and that it didn't have the other formats.

 

[RollaMo]

Very hard to get a tire gauge (or multiple gauges) to all agree with each other, let alone factory TPMS.

I have used so many over the years, but last year I found this one.
Best one I've found, and very easy to use. It also stays very close to TPMS reading on my truck.

JACO ElitePro Digital Tire Pressure Gauge - Professional Accuracy - 100 PSI​

Amazon Link: Amazon.com

 

[jsb5717]

I, too, have the Jaco for filling. I also have 2 cheap digital gauges. Those three tend to match pretty well so I’m confident that I’m at least close enough for towing. However, those never match with the Truck TPMS or the TST TPMS. They’re all close but never match.