Who makes a good tire gauge?

[norry]

I have a bunch of cheesy tire gauges with obviously incorrect low readings. (i.e., well-inflated tires on a 3500 pound car reading 5psi) Got all excited when I found a John Deere tire gauge from my uncle's old shop, but it seems to have the same problem. I seem to recall they work better when they're new - does the grease inside them get more viscous, or what?

And what do you guys recommend for a good tire gauge, one that's accurate and won't have to be replaced frequently?

 

[cravej]

I have a longacre gauge that I am very happy with:
http://www.longacreracing.com/catalog/catlist.asp?catid=8

 

[fatrhino]

longacre +1, they seem to have a good range starting out with some very affordable gauges

 

[scottmlew]

I highly recommend Longacre -- great gauges and even better pre and post-sales support. I am especially a fan of the digital gauge with the angled chuck.

 

[ImportTuner]

The Longacre are excellent tire gauges, just a little on the expensive side. I got one from Griot's Garage for $59 that reads to .1 lb .. I've been real happy with it.

 

[Vinko]

Is there any good reason to confirm my prejudice that I should avoid a digital gauge and go with an analog?

I'm going to get a new one myself. And I bookmarked another discussion from here earlier, which I now can't find But I don't recall Longacre being mentioned. But I'll check it out

 

[dede2897234]

NAPA sells this excellent tire gauge: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?R=NTH903013_0006401986. I have owned this tire gauge for several years. It is very accurate and displays the reading to the tenths decimal place. It also has a user replaceable battery. I have yet to replace the original battery.

 

[duke5572]

I went to the local (mostly wholesale) auto supply place and asked them for the final word in dial-type tire gauges. For some reason I don't trust the digital kind, either...seems like more to go wrong.

He sold me a nice Milton. The gauge face and housing are kind of cheesy, but the actual air chuck and gauge mechanism are thick steel and heavy. It's made in the USA.

Here's a link to their catalog, they have a huge variety. Cheaper than Longacre, too.

https://www.miltonindustries.com/Milton_Catalog_Index.html

Here's the "simple" tire gauge page: (there are many more, these are the basics)

https://www.miltonindustries.com/uploads/Pages_50-51.pdf

I believe I have the S902.

 

[billymade]

X2 Amflo/Milton...
http://www.plews-edelmann.com/index.cfm?location_id=3790

 

[Vinko]

I went to the local (mostly wholesale) auto supply place and asked them for the final word in dial-type tire gauges. For some reason I don't trust the digital kind, either...seems like more to go wrong.

He sold me a nice Milton. The gauge face and housing are kind of cheesy, but the actual air chuck and gauge mechanism are thick steel and heavy. It's made in the USA.

Here's a link to their catalog, they have a huge variety. Cheaper than Longacre, too.

https://www.miltonindustries.com/Milton_Catalog_Index.html

Here's the "simple" tire gauge page: (there are many more, these are the basics)

https://www.miltonindustries.com/uploads/Pages_50-51.pdf

I believe I have the S902.

I've been eye-ing the Milton. But I want a nice red case with it I hope I don't give in to the S-O Truck on this one

 

[scottmlew]

Is there any good reason to confirm my prejudice that I should avoid a digital gauge and go with an analog?

I'd recommend you call the helpful folks at Longacre and ask them...they sell both styles, so in theory they shouldn't be biased one way or the other. They did a pretty good job of convincing me that digital is the way to go.

 

[911mick]

Flaig Prezision - German made

 

[alex71]

Why not just roll your own? Then you can use parts that YOU specify, so you know exactly how precise it will be. All a tire gauge is made of three parts: The pressure gauge, the chuck, and a one-way valve with a release button.

McMaster, just as an example, has several pages of pressure gauges in their catalog with every range imaginable and every level of precision (and price) imaginable.

 

[Vinko]

Flaig Prezision - German made

This sounds enticing....

http://www.flaig-praezision.de/shop.php




As does anything in the McMaster catalog that Alex mentions...

 

[Danglerb]

I have trouble getting a good seal with many gauges, but I've never had any give me a wildly wrong pressure using anything from throw away pop stick things to pretty fancy gauges. If I was measuring tire temps and setting up a race car, sure I would have a LongAcre, but anything should tell you if its +- a couple psi from 35.

Basic trouble with a digital is that you might actually believe the tire pressure is 35.3 psi because thats what the display says, when its actually 35 psi +- the error tolerance which could be .5 psi or more.

OTOH no doubt a mass produced digital pressure device of a given accuracy could be made cheaper than with a mechanical gauge.

 

[norry]

Wow, great choices here! Thanks so much, guys. I'm leaning towards the Flaig right now.

Anyone ordered from the Flaig online site? I do see a few American vendors selling a simple model (and for less than Flaig! - possibly from Flaig quoting a price inclusive of sales tax for domestic sales?) but I'd like a few of the extra bits. I'll contact them and ask if they ship to the States.

Thanks again!

 

[Spookrider]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02823001000P?vName=Automotive&cName=Accessories+for+In-store+Pick-up&sName=Air+Gauges
This the kind we use in the shop and we get 3 or 4 more month good use out of the battery. If we need a new one we wait till it go on sale which it does offten and replace them.

 

[RRmech]

Milton.....been using it for years.

Steve