Tyre Pressure Gauges

[trufflehunt]

For about 30 years, up until about the time I bought my 406 in 2012..., I owned a traditional pressure gauge..
a PCL ( Pneumatic Components Ltd ) pencil type, with the sliding column that the pressure pushes out.

Then I thought.., time to go digital, so bought a £6 no brand item on eBay.
In use, I wasn't convinced about the accuracy, so thought, well, I'll try one from Halfords.

So from Halfords I bought their own brand digital, shaped like a small brick, cost around £10. ( Still a current model ).
In use, that seemed to match the pressures that the £6 no-name showed, so I reckoned they must be
reasonably accurate after all.

The cheapie lasted about a year before it started to show signs of distress, trying to get the thing switched on
became a pain, even after trying a new ( £2.50 ) battery. Eventually I binned it.

After another year or so, the Halfords one began to deteriorate, difficult to switch on, several goes required
to register a reading when applied to the tyre valve. Anyway, I persevered with it till a few weeks ago, when it
died completely.

So this time, I decided to go for a PCL digital model, on the basis that PCL is a British company, since the last 70 years,
they've made air pressure devices, have a good reputation, and the digital model had received very good reviews , in for example.
Auto Express.

So that was £10. In use, it feels clumsy in the hand, as you hold it, this almost obscures the display, and trying to get
a consistent reading seems to be hit and miss.

I'm almost at the point of returning to a good quality pencil type (PCL), I've become cheesed off with digital gauges.

Anyone else have experiences... ?

[dirtydirtydiesel]

Yup,

I'm still on my PCL pencil gauge too, mine is at least 30 years old as it was my dad's first

[caprixpack]

Still using a Dunlop pencil gauge from the 60s, its still working fine so haven't replaced it.

[rwb]

Pencil gauge here too.b

[PeterN]

I had the garage type PCL for some years but eventually water got into it and I couldn't read the scale. I replaced it with a cheapie from ebay which has lasted very well but the tyre connector has never been much good, you need several goes to get it to seal and the PSI reading which is on the inner ring has faded so you can hardly read it, difficult to read anyway so I have just replaced it with another cheapie that looks good from ebay. It has a valve connector on a stalk so you have something to get hold of an apply some pressure, it also has the PSI reading on the outer ring in black and is much easier to read. I haven't used it yet, I will let you know what its like when I have.

Peter

[PeterN]

Sorry about that.

[Welly]

I was bought one of these by my boss years ago, works very well and it gets really thrown about with other tools.

[stevewalsh]

Tyre Pressure gauges

My favourite subject, I have to admit I am OCD on tyre pressures, I have at least 6 pressure gauges and usually check all of mine on a Saturday morn if not away working.
Wife thinks I am a bit crazy
I check
2 cars, including spares
2 motorcycles
2 cycles
1 ride on mower
2 wheel barrows
And 1 sack truck.... (very OCD)

I have 2 Snap on pencil type gauges, had them for years and they live in each car, I check them occasionally against each other and against my other gauges, Analogue dial type, they always read the same, so I assume they are correct.. I recently bought 2 from Tacklife, Dial type analogue..https://www.tacklifetools.com all their stuff seems good quality, Also got welding mask and a OBD Code reader from them. Very happy with the quality

Got to go, Pressure gauges need cleaning

[Welly]

It must be the lorry driver in you, it's very sensible to keep TP's in check, I still adjust my pressures for motorway driving and fully loaded etc, it might seem OTT to some but I've never had a tyre let go at 80MPH etc etc....

Plus Steve if you ever needed that sack truck in a hurry you'll be good to go

Makes me laugh when I see amateur cyclists riding with squishy tyres; it makes it so much harder work

[stevewalsh]

Not sure when I became so obsessed with pressures and condition of tyre's, but it is not a bad thing, I also only check them early in the morn before the sun starts to increase the pressures.. Out here in the hot sunshine, they can differ by 10 psi from sun to shade... Always makes me wonder about people checking them on motorway services when they are very hot.