<VV> Fwd: Reality check WAS Need tire pressure gage buying advice

[Bryan Blackwell]

No, it's *best* to keep an accurate gauge in the glove box of each car and compare them on a regular basis, as Matt suggested.  Then when something doesn't quite seem right you can check and see if it's the gauge or your butt that's out of whack.  If you don't want to spend the money for one for each car, at least get two so you have a way to compare them.

Yes, I'd know if the tires weren't at 30, but were at either 25 or 35.  Or 40 vs. 35, or 20 vs. 25.  That's because I have more than one gauge and I cross reference them.  Most people might not consciously notice, but if you put the tires to a set pressure based on some actual criteria for that choice they would like it better.  The original question had to do with a gauge that was becoming erratic, BTW.

I stand by my statement.  Telling people they don't need an accurate tire gauge is terrible advice.  Ask Ford if 5 psi matters (ref: Explorer rollovers).  Ask the feds, TPMS is now a mandated piece of safety equipment on new cars.  The *only* thing that keeps your car on the road are the tires, IMHO it's impossible to overstate their importance and it's worth bothering to know the actual tire pressure you are using, whatever it is.

--Bryan

On Feb 7, 2012, at 9:59 AM, Ken Pepke wrote:

> 
> Completely disagree?  Well, plus or minus 5 would be, in your example, an 'ideal' pressure of 30 PSI, a choice you may make for the rear of your Corvair.  If you set the pressure with the SAME GAUGE it would be really quite easy to get them within one or two PSI of each other with any gauge.  If, unknown to you, the gauge reading was off 5 PSI would you know the tire pressure was off by that amount?  Perhaps, but most would have no idea.  If one did notice they would, more likely, decide the tires should be at 28 or 32 PSI and adjust them to the new number.          
> 
> Ideal tire pressures are just not an exact science.  Best to keep a pencil type gauge in the glove box of each car and use only that gauge for that car.
> 
> Ken P
> Wyandotte, MI
> Worry looks around; Sorry looks back, Faith looks up.
> 
> ***************
> 
>> From: Bryan Blackwell <bryan at skiblack.com>
>> Date: February 7, 2012 9:04:49 AM EST
>> To: Ken Pepke <kenpepke at juno.com>
>> Cc: Vair Views <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
>> Subject: Re: <VV> Reality check WAS Need tire pressure gage buying advice
>> 
>> Sorry, I disagree completely - plus/minus 5 is a 10 psi swing from top to bottom, I can most certainly feel the difference on all the cars in ride and handling between 25 and 35.  Usually I find a 3 psi difference noticeable, that's about my minimum.  If it's just one tire it takes more like 5, but at that point I start wondering what's going on.  Plus or minus 1 psi is acceptable, but no more.
>> 
>> --Bryan
>> 
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