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If you can stand another vent about my wars with tire people. They just seem to have it in for me.

I suspected when I had my alignment fixed a couple months ago that they might have messed with my tire fill. But my tire gauge is wacked, so last week I went to this tire place I’ve used before and asked them to check the pressures and fill to 48 psi. They insisted on writing a ticket and putting the car on the lift.

I’m looking through the garage window, sadly watching this poor guy [air hose in hand :rolleyes:] stare back and forth at the door sticker, then at the tire sidewall, then the ticket. Then he calls his boss over, and they both go stare at the door sticker, then the tire again, then the ticket. Then at me. I know what’s coming next so I prepare my big warm smile as the boss walks over. He looks like I asked them to stick dynamite in my tailpipe. He asks a lot of questions. I keep smiling but grit teeth and explain, comfort and reassure -- I’m practically patting his hand, there-there it’ll be ok. I have the wild thought the next thing he’ll want is to call my husband for permission to do this. He recites a list of warnings and makes me sign that I authorized 48 but they recommended 32.

They finally go fill the tires, and even the second mechanic goes over to watch like he’s never seen such a thing so the entire shop is holding its breath as the tire pumps up. I really wanted to go “boo” behind them. It took nearly 10 seconds per tire so I’m pretty sure they were low.

I need to find a gas station nearby with air, and a better gauge.

Here's a good source for tire gauges:

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Tire-p-1-c-266.html

Us motorcyclists tend to be very fussy about tire pressures.....

I have the Topeak and the Flaig (in different vehicles!) and both work very well, though both could use a valve stem depressor to bleed pressure down when necessary. Never trust the gauges provided on air lines at gas stations because they get banged around a lot.

A similar frustration:

I adjust tire pressure myself but I haven't been able to find a self-service pump that will go beyond 40 psi. My son's car has 44 psi tires and I'd like to get them up there but I'm now limited to 40. My own tires are still max sidewall 35 psi (and well aged) so the 40-pound pump is OK for those, until I get new tires.

All the BP stations I've used for air will go up to at least 70 psi ;) I pump it up and then let some air out to make all the tires match.

They finally go fill the tires, and even the second mechanic goes over to watch like he’s never seen such a thing so the entire shop is holding its breath as the tire pumps up. I



LOL;

This is so funny and so incredibly similar to my own experience (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showpost.php?p=22957&postcount=44) that as I was reading your post, I thought I was going through it all over again !!! :rolleyes:

Cheers;

MSantos

I got this (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1707777539.1180041181@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciaddkmldmljfcefecemldffidfni.0&vertical=SEARS&sid=I0093600100004900085&pid=00915085000) shortly after I got my Prius.

"Black & Decker Air Station Inflator (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1707777539.1180041181@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciaddkmldmljfcefecemldffidfni.0&vertical=SEARS&sid=I0093600100004900085&pid=00915085000)"

Works well and runs on AC so I don't drain my battery. If I get up the gumption I'll write a review.

And, yes, when I bought the tires for the Odyssey they thought I was nuts too when I told the how to inflate them. I've heard so much about this type of reaction that I went ahead and printed what I could on the subject and when confronted, referred them to "Exibit A".

Surprisingly the dealership didn't bat an eye when I went in for oil and rotation. I told them 50/48, and they got pretty close.

All the BP stations I've used for air will go up to at least 70 psi ;) I pump it up and then let some air out to make all the tires match.

Funny you'd recommend BP stations to Bruce Pick.
I'll have to see if ours here in CT also have high pressure.

I use my bike pump... a little more work, but no dealer hassle and I can adjust it in my garage whenever I remember to do so.

Thanks for sharing the humors story. I purchased an electric air pump from Sears and a high quality air gauge a few years ago and always take care of my own air pressure. I feel I can be more consistent this way. :flag:

If you can stand another vent about my wars with tire people. They just seem to have it in for me.

I suspected when I had my alignment fixed a couple months ago that they might have messed with my tire fill. But my tire gauge is wacked, so last week I went to this tire place I’ve used before and asked them to check the pressures and fill to 48 psi. They insisted on writing a ticket and putting the car on the lift.

I’m looking through the garage window, sadly watching this poor guy [air hose in hand :rolleyes:] stare back and forth at the door sticker, then at the tire sidewall, then the ticket. Then he calls his boss over, and they both go stare at the door sticker, then the tire again, then the ticket. Then at me. I know what’s coming next so I prepare my big warm smile as the boss walks over. He looks like I asked them to stick dynamite in my tailpipe. He asks a lot of questions. I keep smiling but grit teeth and explain, comfort and reassure -- I’m practically patting his hand, there-there it’ll be ok. I have the wild thought the next thing he’ll want is to call my husband for permission to do this. He recites a list of warnings and makes me sign that I authorized 48 but they recommended 32.

They finally go fill the tires, and even the second mechanic goes over to watch like he’s never seen such a thing so the entire shop is holding its breath as the tire pumps up. I really wanted to go “boo” behind them. It took nearly 10 seconds per tire so I’m pretty sure they were low.

I need to find a gas station nearby with air, and a better gauge.

I use my bike pump... a little more work, but no dealer hassle and I can adjust it in my garage whenever I remember to do so.

Me, too! In fact, I just topped up the tires a couple of hours ago. :)

I've got mine at 50 all around -- they lost just 2#s over the course of 5 weeks or so. Not bad.

seriously eye down ur local tool shop, i got my DIGITAL GAUGE for 10 bucks ... 20 bucks off... DIGITAL OR don't give a flying **** about them pressures....

analong wears and tears too much to even give me a slight CLUE of what's going on in there.

a tool every hypermiler should not live without


i used to like air compressors, but they kept dying on me... because taking them from 30 psi to 50 would blow the motor out go figure! rated to 100 psi my ass!

so now digital gauge with gas station air pump... fills soooo much faster! free too! although some gas stations started charging 25 cents grr!

i don't drive agressive enough to get the tires warmed up b4 hitting the gas station, so my tires are still "cold" in fact they'll stay cold for awhile with the way im driving.

Hi All:

___I searched and searched and searched but could not find it. There is a pic of a guy diffusing a bomb in a full bomb squad suit. Behind him a buddy in the same protective clothing is sneaking up behind with a paper bag blown up and ready to pop it between his hands. You have to see the pic as it describes what I would have loved to see Tarabell do to these yahoo’s :D I will try and find it tomorrow as I remember receiving it from a guy at work …

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Phil -- I've gone through 2 digital gauges now, they just go blank after a couple months. Probably cheap junk. I think I'd like to try the dial type next time, but a good one.

MSantos -- It is getting to be a regular routine now for us, isn't it? :rolleyes:

Thanks for the link Lightfoot. I like the plain look of that accu-gauge, but your rec for the Flaig may convince me to go for it.

Now a compressor or pump....I don't know.... that's still a little far on the dark side for me. Well you never know...

link to xcel's picture

http://www.resonant.org/node/313?PHPSESSID=9308422c7c958bd2f2f0e893987950ce

you *searched* for this? ;)

DAS

http://www.resonant.org/node/313?PHPSESSID=9308422c7c958bd2f2f0e893987950ce


That is too funny. :D

Randall sent me a great tip -- this is the perfect gauge.
http://www.getagauge.com/ItemDetail.cfm?ModelNo=EZ-AIR

Hi All:

___I searched and searched and searched but could not find it. There is a pic of a guy diffusing a bomb in a full bomb squad suit. Behind him a buddy in the same protective clothing is sneaking up behind with a paper bag blown up and ready to pop it between his hands. You have to see the pic as it describes what I would have loved to see Tarabell do to these yahoo’s :D I will try and find it tomorrow as I remember receiving it from a guy at work …

Wayne,

You freak me out sometimes because we are just too similar in some ways. :)

I also tried like hell to find that same picture the day this thread started but the one place I could locate that still hosts it was having some server-side issues. That I couldn't find it kept me from posting in this thread. hehe