Tire Minders

[kl]

Anyone have any experience with Tire Minders? They're valve caps that
indicate if the tire pressure is low, so you don't need to check as
often with a gauge. The 32PSI set is supposed to show greeen above
28PSI, yellow between 22 and 28PSI and red below 22. There's other
sets for different pressures, since I've read in a.a.subaru that a lot
of people like to keep their tire pressure about 35-36.

Are they worth $10 for four? Do they throw off the tire's balance?

TIA!

kl

 

[Cam Penner]

Anyone have any experience with Tire Minders? They're valve caps that
indicate if the tire pressure is low, so you don't need to check as
often with a gauge. The 32PSI set is supposed to show greeen above
28PSI, yellow between 22 and 28PSI and red below 22. There's other
sets for different pressures, since I've read in a.a.subaru that a lot
of people like to keep their tire pressure about 35-36.

IMO, they allow too great a range of pressures before
reading yellow or red. 2-3 PSI can make a rather large
difference in your tire life. If you find that you
regularly let your tires go lower than 28, then they can't
hurt - but I'd be checking with a gauge before then
anyways. If your target is 32, then I'd consider 30 to be
about as low as they should be allowed to get without you
catching it.

Personally, I like a little firmer in my Impreza. I target
34-35 as an "optimum" tire pressure. Lower than 32 and
they get topped up. (unless I measure on an exceptionally
cold morning)

 

[Edward Hayes]

Not accurate enough and another source for leaks. eddie
"Cam Penner"

 

[Jon]

For $10 you could get yourself a decent analog tire gauge. Those ranges are
a bit wide. I'd rather spend the $10 buying a tire gauge.

 

[null]

I saw a test of them on a car show or magazine (forget which) they're very
inaccurate. They aren't worth the money. In the report they mentioned that
they
we're off an addition 2-3psi and one indicated a good pressure reading 7psi
below rating.

I wouldn't buy them, like others said you can get a good analog guage or
even a digital pressure guage cheaper and more realible.

 

[kl]

Thanks to all for the input.

My motivation for looking at them is cold weather. I have a good dial
gauge that I got a long time ago (17 years!) that still works well and
proves that a good gauge is a good investment, as was suggested. But as
the weather gets colder, and the tires and street get dirtier from salt
& slush, naturally I tend to check the tires less often. Mixing this
with lower tire pressure due to cold weather has resulted in a few
February mornings with pressure in my tires 5 or 6 PSI low. This is
what I'm trying to protect against.

If I decide to try them despite the convincing reasons not to
(inaccuracy, wide deadband, potential leaks), I'll post how they work.
At the very least I wouldn't trust them without keeping an eye on them
for a while.

kl