I just noticed that my (fairly new) analog dial tire pressure gauge resets to 6, not 0. So I don’t know whether or not to trust the readings. The readings have been high, but then again the outside temperatures are increasing.
So Q1: How do I reset the gauge
Or better yet Q2: How do I calibrate the gauge?
Is the gauge so expensive it wouldn’t be worth replacing, just for peace of mind?
I would try to take it back where you bought it for an exchange. If that doesn’t work, I would just buy a new one, but not the same brand and model.
By the way, what are the brand and model? If someone is going to tell how to reset or recalibrate it, he or she will need to know the brand and model.
Well, it’s a couple of years old, so they won’t take it back. All it says is “slime”. Nothing else written anywhere (except the calibration marks, of course), not even “Made in China.”
There are 2 phillips screws on the back, but I wouldn’t know what to do even if I were able to open it up.
Buying another one, even a different brand, even at <$10 won’t give me peace of mind if I expect it to die quickly. :^(
I don’t know if it can be calibrated, but, if not, I’d suggest getting another, dial-type. Don’t worry about it dying quickly. They usually don’t. I had one for years and replaced it only because I left it somewhere and lost it. My new one is years older than yours now and still good.
I suspect you just got a bad one, just luck. If your new one also has problems soon, then you might be doing something improper with it. If it doesn’t then just account it to chance.
Those “slime” brand tire gauges are cheap and are sold at Walmart. I would just replace it with a more reliable brand, which can be found at a decent tire store or online. Accugage is a good brand.
Check out this one sold by Tom and Ray for $22.95 http://www.shamelesscommerce.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=GAUGE Personally, I prefer something like this http://www.jcwhitney.com/tire-dial-gauge-2-to-60psi/p2004008.jcwx
Lift up the floor mats inside your car and stick your hands down any seams you see in the seats. Pull out some loose change and guy buy another gauge.
If you want to get serious and get a decent dial gauge you’ll need more than the loose change (more like $10). I have a good one that I leave in the garage - I use it to check up on two cheap pencil gauges - one that lives in each car.
how accurate are these gauges anyway? If your gauge “zeros” at six lbs then just calculate pressure as if its zero…want 32 ibs in tire…then reading is 38… I bought a $22 gauge from brookstone over 20 years ago…still works.
Yup. My dial-type gauge from Brookstone is also about 20 years old, and it also works very well.
The brand of the OP’s gauge is “Slime”?
And he is surprised that it no longer works properly?