Duke I

So, bringing my car out of hibernation I dutifully bring it to tire shop to properly set the tire pressures (first time for me) to 31/34 -- shop is 1/2 mile away, no change in tire pressure of 29/35 during the drive. I found it impossible to set to 31/34 -- I never saw a 31 or 34, the fronts jumped from 29 to 32 so I carefully blead air and psi fell to 30, never got to 31 and I felt like a fool repeatedly leaning in and out of the car to check if I had somehow magically found the correct tire pressure. What a PITA -- thus ends my rant.

Anyhow, my questions are, do any of you use the TPMS to fill for tire pressure, or do you set it with a manual gage and let the TPMS register whatever it will? Or, am I missing the secret TPMS code somehow?

Thanks. D

chuck911

Always use a gauge.

kwikit356

I've never even tried to use the TPMS so set tire pressures, so not sure about how to do it. I have had the best luck for street driving by looking at the hot-tire pressure, bumping it up enough to estimate that when the tires are cold there will still be enough pressure, then going directly home to put the car away for the night. The next morning, before moving, I set the tires to the cold pressure I want. I just use the TPMS for checking pressure losses in general. Others may have much better ideas.

LexVan

Duke, buy a quality gauge, and use that. The TPMS is only a monitoring system. Not an absolute like a quality gauge.

chuck911

Get a good basic gauge like this one and you're set. I prefer a dial to digital- no batteries to go dead, and lets face it, way cooler. Avoid cheap pencil gauges, they're even worse than TPMS.

Duke I

Reliable friends, as usual.

Thanks. D

CSK 911 C4S

I use TMPS and it matches my pumps gauge.

The pumps PSI can set to a certain pressure and it turns off. Great for topping off tires every month.

This is a great little pump.... runs on both 110v or 12v

http://www.lowes.com/pd_146781-40883...7C1&facetInfo=

gota911

My daughter gave me the same pump for Christmas. I like the design of the pump and it is within 1 pound +/- of the TPMS and my pressure gauge.

Grunty

Its a pita that the auto parts chains like pep boys don't carry that kind of gague. They have ones that cost about the same but don't appear to be anywhere near the quality.

lunarx

+1, Longacre Guages are the best.
I like the 0-45 for the extra resolution.

chuck911

Yeah and that one is liquid filled and probably has much higher precision parts too. That's the nice thing about the mechanical gauges, you can really see what you get when you're paying more. Unlike the digital ones where next year the battery dies and you got nuthin your Longacre will be good for a lifetime.

RobC4sX51

I don't disagree w you LV (I usually like all your posts) but who says the gauge is calibrated or accurate? I always use TPMS as a starting place (after all that is what I can see everytime I start the car) & verify it w a quality pressure gauge or two! They have always been w/i 2 psi of each other which is very reasonable imho! Just saying.