Portable Tyre Pressure Gauge

Hi Roback,
I have 4 Guages, all different and vary about 6 PSI
Where do you go to get your gauge calibrated?

Not sure where you are but if you go to the Yellow Pages and find a NATA accredited test facility they will do the work for you

BUT You need to purchase a tyre pressure gauge that can be calibrated. Those commercially available from the normal accessory outlets do not provide them and they are expensive. So think about this before you act

Rema Tip Top sell this sort of equipment and are probably one of the few in Australia who do.

In my view you do not need to spend the money. Just use one gauge and apply the 300mm rule and you will more than likely be OK

Regards

RobA

Thanks for the info RobAck.
What is the 300mm rule?

The 300mm rule is best described by Joel Flemming in Alice Springs. Goto his website Direct 4WD and go to the tyres section.

Put simply it is that a tyre with a 300mm footprint, long not wide, is at about the optimal pressure. So that means you use that length as a gauge for your starting point. That says you lower your pressures to the point where the tyre is 300mm long

Interestingly enough this tends to end up, regardless of tyre, giving you starting pressures of around 26 and 18 psi, as a general rule

If you have a copy of the Leyland Brothers West to East crossing of Australia you will also see it used

Regards

RobA

I thought it might be something like that.
The tyres I use recommend the 6PSI rule and I go by that for hard surfaces.
If I use the same gauge for both measurements it is not important if it is out of calibration.
Sounds like the 300mm rule is another option for soft surfaces.
Thanks for the information Rob.

I willl second the bushranger gauge

Murray

I have had two Bushrangers.
Pressure gauges only, not deflators, except for a lump to depress the valve.
The first one worked fine for approx 20 tyre checks, 3500km and 5 weeks, and the end fell off, the second (free replacement under warranty) lasted about the same extent of work, but covered a longer distance and around 4 months, and stopped working. Both failures were in remote areas.
Neither of them suffered abuse, and lived cosily padded in the door storage pocket.
These gauges were recommended by a major 4x4 outlet and were around $35, but I won't trust them again.
I replaced mine with a needle gauge in a plastic case from Supercheap, cost $35, and works a treat, so far.
Cheers

You must have got duds then as mine has been sitting in the door pocket

mostly without the bag for over 2 years and is still as good as the day I bought

it. Only put it back in the bag last week.

Be careful as Bushmarx says to get the right thing


http://www.bushranger.com.au/3_in_1_tyregauge.php

This is probably one of the best products around at a reasonable price to - however always carry a second means of measuring pressure as well.

Thats the one I have.

Along with the TPMS havent had any tyre probs apart from two Dunlops

delaminating on the van.

The BFG's on the Cruiser havent even had a puncture in 60,000k.


Have one little crack in 1 lug that must have caught a rock or something


Also have one of those funny shaped digital $19 jobs that I dont trust very much but it sometimes agrees with the other two.

i also have the bushranger 3 in one but will not use it. It seems to be way out (at least 6psi) when compared to:
- pressure just set at at tyre dealer when they do a tyre service;
- my other 3 tyre pressure guages which although different brand and types give the exact same reading. (1 is on my air compressor in workshop, 1 is the round type similar to the bushranger dial, other is simple pencil type. they all measure the same so now dont use pencil one, just the other 2) i do have another round dial type which is different so wont use it anymore either

i was very disappointed in the bushranger. i havent even put it in my 'new' 120. originally when i bought it i thought it was such a good idea i got 2 and gave 1 as a present but i am too embarrassed by how mine is to ask him how his is. mine still looks like brand new, not a mark on it but to me its useless sitting in a cupboard which isnt how i pictured it would be!

A thought about gauges. How do you know that one is accurate and the other not.

It really is relative I would not trust a service station gauge for starters.
Secondly if you get them done at a tyre dealer how do you know his gauge is accurate.
In both cases they get used abused and knocked around all day.

If you can get a gauge calibrated by whoever does them and you have another one you like but dont use because as you say its 6lb out, well allow for that when you pump up the tyres.

My two are different but the bushranger is the same as the TPMS so I use it.
Maybe they are both out but my tyres are still running evenly after 60,000k so they cant be far wrong.

Graham - as you say "it is relative"

With that in mind seeing i have 3 guages reading exactly the same and 1 different (regarless of brand/type) why would i choose to use the 1 that is different when i can use any of the other 3 and know they are "always right" for me. i leave 1 in the car and 1 in the garage, other in garage. my tyre wear excellent also with great mileage so cannot complain.

if i choose to use the bushranger i would have to add 6psi to every use to get what i have now. sounds like too muck "work" to try remember when you are in a hurry, tired, busy or when the minds on something else.

i only mentioned my experience with the bushranger to highlight the differences that can occur in the same brand and in this case a brand i expected more of when i purchased it. it would be interesting putting it up against your bushranger for a comparison, cheers....

I didnt mean you should Was talking in generalities.