Decent footpump with reliable pressure gauge?

[mike]

Since my old footpump fell to pieces, I've been using the air line at the local petrol station. But when it's out of action (or for wheelbarrow / sack barrow tyres), it would be useful to have a new footpump at home.

I've looked at Screwfix / Halfrauds / Argos and even the more expensive Michelin-branded ones seem to have mixed reviews.

I saw a cheap, halfway decent looking one last week at Aldi --- reasonably constructed but the gauge was graduated in 15 psi intervals which I guess makes it accurate to the nearest 7 psi and not much use for a typical 30 psi tyre.

Is there such a thing as a reasonably constructed footpump with accurate pressure gauge or is it a case of using the air line at the garage?

[zaax]

Before I use a pump I check the pressure with a gauge and then using the line at the petrol station and inflate it buy the requited amount. They are no usally out year on year

[John Williamson]

Cheap pump and a digital pressure gauge to check the car tyres. The other tyres you mentioned aren't *too* critical as far as pressure goes. I use a good, strong thumb, and if it makes too big a dent, put a bit mre air in.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

A good footpump will cost a lot more than an electric one.

I'd get a decent separate gauge. That can then be kept in the car and used at a garage etc as well as when pumping them up yourself.

FWIW I have a cheap jump start pack which includes a compressor. The battery will no longer start a car - but is still fine for the compressor

- or where you need a supply of 12 volts for testing things. Cost 20 quid from Lidl about 5 years ago... But the gauge on that is rubbish. ;-)

[Jules Richardson]

Hmm, not sure! Mine's got a good gauge, but there was very little reinforcement at the end of the pump body where the shaft for the plunger passes through, and it started to wear quite quickly (to the point where the pump would jam if I tried to operate it through full travel).

In the end, I found a hefty 1/8" thick washer with the right size hole to take the plunger shaft, and I cut and bolted that to the end of the pump body, which should give it a few more years of life. Maybe next time I'll try to find a pump with a good body and swap the current pump's gauge onto it...

(I've got a big portable compressor for most 'home' jobs anyway, but it's useful to have a foot-pump kicking around in the vehicles)

cheers

Jules

[Scion]

I bought a twin-barrel Michelin and took it back it was so bad. The metal construction, footplate and barrels were fine but the hose was a PITA (kept popping off) and the gauge was wildly inaccurate, and I don't mean it was a couple of PSI out, instead one press of the footpump and the gauge would read (say) 60 PSI, the next press it would read 20 PSI, the next 45PSI...

Went for the Halfords twin in the end. Had three or four of these now and they all die eventually because the riveted pivot wears out over time. But they usually last six or seven years. The gauges on these have been fairly accurate, moreover if they're out then they are consistently out i.e. you know that to get 33PSI you want the gauge to read 36PSI or summat.

[Andy Wade]

[Tim Lamb]

A thought on gauge accuracy.... pressure in the connecting pipe may be more than that in the tyre if the Schrader or whatever valve has to be opened by the applied air pressure. If the connector physically depresses the valve release, air will flow back to the pump on the return stroke necessitating a valve at the pump.

Users of forecourt airlines will know to release the air supply to get an accurate reading.

regards

>

[Andy Wade]

A thought on gauge accuracy.... pressure in the connecting pipe may be

Uh? The tyre connector holds the Schrader valve continuously open. There's always a non-return valve in a footpump.

[fred]

In article , Tim Lamb writes

It looks very like one I saw in my local motor factor. The picture on the box showed a beefy diecast valve head but on opening the box it had been cost reduce replaced by a weedy plastic one with a tiny plastic spigot connecting to the hose. After having one of those break off in my hand (with a full flat, mid winter, snow on ground and -10degs) I've searched fruitlessly for a pump with a metal head and none I've looked at, regardless of cost, appears to have one.

On accuracy, I've always assumed the built in gauges to be crap so marginally over inflate then check/adjust with a good hand held sliding pressure gauge. The one I use is a low displacement one originally intended for measuring air pressure in motorcycle forks and has a slim plastic piston that has a better than average 2mm or so per psi division.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Over inflation - although not dangerous - can lead to rapid wear in the centre of modern low profile tyres.

[dennis]

Isn't it likely to affect the stability program on some cars, just when you need it? AIUI they know what will happen when they brake a wheel, its not going to behave as expected if the tyre pressures are significantly out in either direction. My car will actually warn you if the tyre pressures are unsuitable (too low or too high) for the load in the car, so someone thinks its important.

[fred]

In article , Dave Plowman (News) writes

Second line, half way along, "then check/adjust". Is working in the meeja shortening your attention span ;-?