Almost blew my tires today.

[repete86]

I was checking my air pressure today at a gas station and was shocked to see my PSI drop to 26psi from the 46 that I had inflated them to a few weeks ago, so decided to do something about it. I start adding air, and was surprised that it was taking a while. It wasn't until I got to the last tire that I realized that somethind was rotten in the state of Denmark, so I got my own pressure guage out and did a comparison. According to the guage on the air machine, I was at about 45 psi, but my own guage read over 80! My tires are old, and it's time for new ones, but that impressed me. I was thinking for a moment of driving with the tires like that before decideing that it was a really stupid idea, and deflated them back to 46. Scary **** though that an air pressure guage could be so far off when so many people use them. Do the gas companies install bad equipment, or was this just some freak wrong reading?

[The Toecutter]

Occam's Razor postulates that the more likely explanation is that it was some freak wrong reading. This freak wrong reading is possibly a consequence of damaged or poorly maintained equipment.

[red91sit]

Do you use a digital tire pressure gauge? in my opinion, i'ts the only way to go.

On an unrelated note, my car's ride was becoming more and more bouncy as time went on and I could not figure it out what it was from.

Then one day I noticed a large bulge sticking out of the tire. On the way home I discovered the ride got smoother the faster I went, haha. Not being a rocket scientist in the common sense department, I decided the best way to save the suspension from damage, I would cruise along at 85 mph. All was fine for a while when BLAMO!! my tire blew out. I quickly pulled over on the side of the road to inspect the damage. I notice the tire has a hole in it about a foot in diameter! That's when a trooper pulls up behind me; I was sure I was getting a ticket. Luckily the trooper had even less common sense than me! he saw me with the jack on the side of the car, and told me I should stay on the other side of the car for safety.

[rh77]

Despite the pressure, the bulge is simply a broken steel belt which can wreak havoc as you experienced.

Now with the cheap-*** gas-station pumps, is it even possible to inflate a tire to a dangerous level...

...and besides that, I've heard of tires blowing out due to under-inflation, but almost never for over.

So what exactly would happen if we ran 80 psi in our tires? (I know it's a dumb question, but I need a mental picture).

RH77

[repete86]

Originally Posted by rh77

So what exactly would happen if we ran 80 psi in our tires?

...not particularly eager to find out the hard way. I assume that over 80 PSI on a car in bad need of new tires is dangerous overinflation. I was surprised that the tires could handle it as it was. That was the point where it stopped going in though. That was what made me realize that something was wrong.

[red91sit]

Originally Posted by rh77

...Now with the cheap-*** gas-station pumps, is it even possible to inflate a tire to a dangerous level...

RH77

I havne't been in the back room of too many gas stations, but the ones i have been in all have big standard duty air compressors. The one at the station I work at is a big heavy duty Craftsman one. Plenty large enough in my opinion. BTW I think most stations keep thier air tanks at extra high pressure to keep filling times down. If they only had 45 psi in them, it would take a lot longer to fill than if they kept it at 100 psi.

[Spule 4]

Originally Posted by rh77

...and besides that, I've heard of tires blowing out due to under-inflation, but almost never for over.

So what exactly would happen if we ran 80 psi in our tires? (I know it's a dumb question, but I need a mental picture).

RH77

They will blow, trust me, done it, seen it. Kind of a strange question for someone titled as a Senior Vehicle Analyst?

It is risky enough to excede the car mfgr's suggested pressure (especially in rear motored cars, not much of a problem today) due to ill handling, but don't bump much above the tire maker's for sure. Anyhow, the max tire pressure is for max load rating too, a lot of older cars, especially European wagons, would have empty and loaded ratings posted for inflation.

And for blowing out for underinflation, I have seen and done it....front right Vredestein on a Toyota at speed....the tire picked up a nail and developed a slow leak that I did not notice, I could see indications of the tire riding on the sidewall for a period of time, it happened on a long trip.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

I just rememberd a nifty gauge that a friend picked up from the bicycle shop, you screwed it on to your valve stem, then filled it thru a valve on the gauge body, so you could watch the presure rise, without having another object in your hand.

How long will a digital presure gauge stay acurite? I meen, what do they have in them that reads the presure, and how long will it last?

[repete86]

Nope, no digital one, but the one that I keep in my glove box is clsoe enough for me.

[JanGeo]

I am more concerned with how easily the steering it moving at 10,000 miles now - hope the higher pressure isn't jolting the suspension too much.

I have a couple of gauges - one digital good for up to 50psi in 0.1psi resolution and just a pistttts of air while checking the tire can drop the pressure 0.1psi. I have another one the I bought when I got my first car back in 1972 that is still within 1psi when checked with the digital gauge. The third gauge goes up to 100psi for checking the spare (60psi) and other higher pressure tires like my scooter and bikes. Then the gauges on my two air tanks and the one on my pressure regulator.

Steel belts are in the tread area only - polymer belts are in the side walls and tread areas.