How do you get consistent tyre pressures?

[sleepin]

Hi all,

Just wondering how each of you manages to get consistent tyre pressures. I have three guages at home, one on the compressor, one I paid $40 for that I use when out in the 4wd and a cheap $10 one that came with a set of Micheline tyres about twenty years ago. Then there's the servo ??? 

All of them read a different amount. Now, I know what your going to say, stick to one and find the best reading based on feel and mileage.

BUT, I don't mind changing tyre brands as a bit of an experiment at times and I don't mind changing pressure a bit depending on load, weather and the road I'll be on (freeway, sweepers, dirt etc.)

SO....  who has the best solution for getting an accurate tyre pressure measurement?     

[saaz]

I use a digital guage and a pencil one. They both give the same readings. The compressor ones I just use to get a ballpark pressure then do a final adjustment.  The newer service station ones with digital adjusted pressure don't seem too bad, but I alwyas check myself anyway. Comparing a number of guages will give an idea of how accurate they might be. The $40 one might be the best - I can look it up if Choice tested it.

Choice did a test and the Lion LA062A (dial), SCA PLU 130237 (dial - another SCA one was not that accurtate) and Lion LA062D1(pencil) were 100% accurate for the the most common pressures.  Many of the rest were within 1 or 2 PSI.  The good ones were all less that $15.

[alans1100]

I bought one of these late last year for about $8 delivered.





From here

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/solar-powered-digital-tire-pressure-gauge-with-depth-measurer-and-flashlight-2623

I took the guage down to my local Tyrepower dealer when I had my rear tyre done  a few days before xmas and compared it to their calibrated guage. My new gauge showed it to be about -0.5 out and it's within what the packaging says (+/- 1 psi accuracy).

[Brock]

Most mechanical gauges are built to an accuracy of 3% tolerance of the full scale value. IE:- a gauge that reads to 140PSI, will have an accuracy of +/- 4.2 psi, so there could be a difference of 4.4PSI between your gauges, but they are all classed as being in tolerance. For anyone in WA, I can test their gauges for them, as I work in a CAL lab with pressure testing facilities.

[saaz]

The mechanical guages I mentioned were spot on accurate in the 20 to 60 psi range when tested by Choice.  Some of the others varied by around 1 psi under or over.  Whether the guages marked under the same name are still as accurate is a question, as manufacturers can vary from batch to batch.  Choice tested in the 10 to 60 psi range, and the DR AIR TG9, SCA PLU165142 and SLIME 2016-6 were the ones that were not up to it.  All the others were within 1 psi or so.

[Diesel]

Hi Sleepin - I have a couple of interesting links for you to read about - basically accurate pressures are academic - CONSISTENCY is better. As you know - 5 gauges will give 5 different readings as to what the tyre pressure is - and the outside temperature makes a difference to the air pressure in your COLD tyre. Of course this all changes if you ride the bike to the servo and put air into a RUNNING TEMP tyre too.

I use a medium quality gauge, and get it to read 42psi front and 44psi rear on MY PR2/PR3 BEFORE I leave my garage. I have the rebound and preload settings wound up high. I live in Qld and have mainly twisty and normal country roads around me, and NEVER ride to preserve my tyres or fuel. This is on a ST1300.

I have found that if MY gauge reads 42/44psi - I get great handling, and fantastic tyre life - 26,500km from front PR2 (still going) and 23,000km from rear PR3 - so be CONSISTENT.

More reading here......
http://ozstoc.com/index.php?topic=77.0

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Diesel

[Brock]

The important thing is to use one gauge, find the pressure that works for you, stick to that gauge and take the reading at the same time.IE: before you head out, or at the local servo before airing up. Its important to use the same conditions each time. Dont readjust the pressures after a 2 hr ride, as the next morning the pressures will be way down.

[Nh478m]

I got fed up of getting different readings from the various ways we have of checking the pressures. Final decision which seems to work is to stick with one and regardless of what the gauge actually says, if the bike feels and rides right then the pressures are right. We just now use the TPMS readout! To top up accurately (to trending, not absolute, figures) I overfill the tyre slightly then slip the sensor head onto the valve and bleed air until the TPMS readout gives me around the 42psi mark +/- 1.

The readout is checked very often while riding, for both Ps and Ts F & R. This is especially so after the UK technical head for Avon told me some home truths about their Storms I and II destroying themselves if you let them get to Ps and Ts that are not at all extreme especially in somewhere which enjoys your general climate.

Current rubber are original Bridgestone 020s F & R. After using only Avons on the old bike, these are a revelation. Quiet, smooth and giving a very planted feel to both wheels. Going to stick with them I think.

Sorry for the ramble!

PJ