Last week, my daily driver had a flat tyre. I remove it and put the spare tyre. I took the flat tyre to a tyre Vulcanizer. After fixing the tyre leak, I asked him what pressure gauge he leaved it at. He said 40 psi. I told him that i would prefer that he reduced the pressure to 33 psi, as the factory recommended for the R15 195/65 88H. Well he maintained that the 40 psi was ok for the tire size. Because i didnt have tyre pressure guage to reduce it on my own, i let it be. I paid for the job, collected the tyre and headed to APO mechanic village to get prices of 505 parts I needed to purchase this week and send to friends in USA & New Zealand that needed the parts to keep their 505s on the road (due to unavailability of 505 parts overthere, especially in North America). I also decided to use that opportunity to purchase and have my own Tyre air pressure guage. I found two types in the market: clock type & metal pen type (one usually seen and used by our tyre vulcanizers). The pen type is of two grades: the one of N1000 & the one N600. I purchase the one of 1k because the superior quality was so glaring/obvious. I think the brand is PCL. Anyway, I got home and tested it on the tyre that was fixed that day. What i saw on the guage gave me the shock of my life. 60 psi !! This was the tyre the tyre vulcanizer said he left it at 40 psi. Luckly for me, i was still running on the spare tyre. Had it been i have mounted the tyre on the car, maybe it would have exploded. Hmm! I quickly reduced it to 33 psi.

Underinflated & overinflated tyres contribute a lot to high fuel consumption of our various vehicles. They also reduce the lifespan of our tyres. We can save a lot headache by having tyre pressure guage & checking the tyre pressures everytime those clowns touch our tyres. If you have the guage, you can be checking your tyre pressures, at least, once every week to know when to add air to the tyre(s), if need be. Maintaining the factory recommended tyre pressure would ensure the sustainability of the good fuel economy of the car & prolong the tyre's lifespan.

Get the tyre air pressure guage. 1k or N600 is not too much.

Ikenna.

This is a very important issue that motorist normally overlook but its very important. I have even gone to the extent of trying to buy a pump which will set be back by 15k. it has a gauge and one can pump the tyre to the recommended pressure.
But note the best time to check the tyre pressure is early in the morning.

nice idea! Nid 2 get mined sooner!! A frnd told me its 5k

Will definitely get one ASAP. This a very good Ikenna

Is there anything, I mean anything normal in Nigeria. Now we have to add pressure gauges to the endless list of survival devices just because no one wants to do a single honest and competent job in their lives. When we start having Chinese vulcanizers they will start to scream nationalism.

That is what they were being told to do at their various clubs and meetings , ask for 40psi you will get 55 or even above by the time your tire hit a bottle and burst you will stop at next vulcanizer and he will also do the same to you and the whole vulcanizer keeps getting daily meals!

This is a very important topic and I must say thank you bros for this topic. Pls can anyone direct me to where I can get one in Lagos around Lekki phase 1?

The digital one costs less than 5k at shoprite

have ordered for one immediately. thanks poster.

This is a critical topic that can save lives on the road, at minimum will save u lots of money especially if you drive often. Thanks Ikenna for this topic.

Op. Nice topic. This is still on the Ist page since January! If it were "Share Your Sexiest, Craziest, Funniest Or Unforgettable Experience", the thing go reach 20pages within d twinkle of an eye!! Which way guys?

Does anybody have any good recommendations for brands/models of Analog(clocklike) or digital gauges? How about information on price and accuracy?
I heard the pen type does not always give accurate reading

A vulcanizer once put 70psi on my left rear tyre on a trip from Benin to Lagos. Had to check the pressure at Ore cos I didn't like the handling and I was shocked!

So your own tyre pressure gauge is a good buy.

The digital is the most accurate.
I'll post a pic as soon as I can go to my car.
Unfortunately I cant remember how much I got it at shoprite though but it wasnt up to 5k

For the same reasons above-mentioned I got a digital guage at Shoprite (VI) last year for less than 2k.
I encourage all to have it as some of these so called vulcanisers don't know their left from their right.

Martini101: Op. Nice topic. This is still on the Ist page since January! If it were "Share Your Sexiest, Craziest, Funniest Or Unforgettable Experience", the thing go reach 20pages within d twinkle of an eye!! Which way guys?

before today it was languishing somewhere. Ikenna is very good, I will advise that you check his write ups frequently.

@poster, nice one...I've never thought of it this way even though I know the best vulcanizer in 9ja is crap.. Pls how much is the digital pressure gauge? Pls if u can, give me details of model or brand. Thank you.

Here's the digital one available at shoprite

Thanks a lot @ikenna for d post, know dt u ve life(s) somewhere, someplace & somehow.
thanks too 4 d pic @nissparts.

Thanks a lot.

Nice Observation.
I always doubt the reading on those ancient looking Pen size guages most of them use. I prefer the clock type, but with this info that one can get digital type at shoprite, I'll like to get one.
Meanwhile, I recently bought 4 new MAXXIS Tyres of the same specs with yours, and the recommended cold pressure specified on the label is 40PSi

Ikenna351: Last week, my daily driver had a flat tyre. I remove it and put the spare tyre. I took the flat tyre to a tyre Vulcanizer. After fixing the tyre leak, I asked him what pressure gauge he leaved it at. He said 40 psi. I told him that i would prefer that he reduced the pressure to 33 psi, as the factory recommended for the R15 195/65 88H. Well he maintained that the 40 psi was ok for the tire size. Because i didnt have tyre pressure guage to reduce it on my own, i let it be. I paid for the job, collected the tyre and headed to APO mechanic village to get prices of 505 parts I needed to purchase this week and send to friends in USA & New Zealand that needed the parts to keep their 505s on the road (due to unavailability of 505 parts overthere, especially in North America). I also decided to use that opportunity to purchase and have my own Tyre air pressure guage. I found two types in the market: clock type & metal pen type (one usually seen and used by our tyre vulcanizers). The pen type is of two grades: the one of N1000 & the one N600. I purchase the one of 1k because the superior quality was so glaring/obvious. I think the brand is PCL. Anyway, I got home and tested it on the tyre that was fixed that day. What i saw on the guage gave me the shock of my life. 60 psi !! This was the tyre the tyre vulcanizer said he left it at 40 psi. Luckly for me, i was still running on the spare tyre. Had it been i have mounted the tyre on the car, maybe it would have exploded. Hmm! I quickly reduced it to 33 psi.

Underinflated & overinflated tyres contribute a lot to high fuel consumption of our various vehicles. They also reduce the lifespan of our tyres. We can save a lot headache by having tyre pressure guage & checking the tyre pressures everytime those clowns touch our tyres. If you have the guage, you can be checking your tyre pressures, at least, once every week to know when to add air to the tyre(s), if need be. Maintaining the factory recommended tyre pressure would ensure the sustainability of the good fuel economy of the car & prolong the tyre's lifespan.

Get the tyre air pressure guage. 1k or N600 is not too much.

Ikenna.

An overinflated tire won't cause your tire to explode! Overinflation of tires will generally lead to more wear and rough handling of your car. It can also reduce the effectiveness of your brakes because you will have less contact patch (the surface of the tire becomes more rounded instead of being squared).

The rough handling occurs due to the sidewalls of the tire becoming unyielding (no deflection). You will feel every single bump on the road.

In reality, you have to adjust your tire pressure based on the load your car is carrying, which is why your car manual should give you a separate tire pressure for “max load.”

Underinflation is what causes tires to explode due to the heat being generated by the tire (too much friction).

Ikenna351: Last week, my daily driver had a flat tyre. I remove it and put the spare tyre. I took the flat tyre to a tyre Vulcanizer. After fixing the tyre leak, I asked him what pressure gauge he leaved it at. He said 40 psi. I told him that i would prefer that he reduced the pressure to 33 psi, as the factory recommended for the R15 195/65 88H. Well he maintained that the 40 psi was ok for the tire size. Because i didnt have tyre pressure guage to reduce it on my own, i let it be. I paid for the job, collected the tyre and headed to APO mechanic village to get prices of 505 parts I needed to purchase this week and send to friends in USA & New Zealand that needed the parts to keep their 505s on the road (due to unavailability of 505 parts overthere, especially in North America). I also decided to use that opportunity to purchase and have my own Tyre air pressure guage. I found two types in the market: clock type & metal pen type (one usually seen and used by our tyre vulcanizers). The pen type is of two grades: the one of N1000 & the one N600. I purchase the one of 1k because the superior quality was so glaring/obvious. I think the brand is PCL. Anyway, I got home and tested it on the tyre that was fixed that day. What i saw on the guage gave me the shock of my life. 60 psi !! This was the tyre the tyre vulcanizer said he left it at 40 psi. Luckly for me, i was still running on the spare tyre. Had it been i have mounted the tyre on the car, maybe it would have exploded. Hmm! I quickly reduced it to 33 psi.

Underinflated & overinflated tyres contribute a lot to high fuel consumption of our various vehicles. They also reduce the lifespan of our tyres. We can save a lot headache by having tyre pressure guage & checking the tyre pressures everytime those clowns touch our tyres. If you have the guage, you can be checking your tyre pressures, at least, once every week to know when to add air to the tyre(s), if need be. Maintaining the factory recommended tyre pressure would ensure the sustainability of the good fuel economy of the car & prolong the tyre's lifespan.

Get the tyre air pressure guage. 1k or N600 is not too much.

Ikenna.

I've had this same experience. Went to inflate my tire at one malnourished michellin dealer in Gombe during my NYSC. After doing the job I noticed that what the guy was posing to be a gauge was a spanner, but because I was in "volatile territory" i no fit shout! I drove jejely to a better well equipped authentic michelin dealer. Guess what? my front tires were over 50PSI and i was going to do a 13hr journey the next day down to the east!
A good personal gauge is a handy tool.

Wallie:

An overinflated tire won't cause your tire to explode! Overinflation of tires will generally lead to more wear and rough handling of your car. It can also reduce the effectiveness of your brakes because you will have less contact patch (the surface of the tire becomes more rounded instead of being squared).

The rough handling occurs due to the sidewalls of the tire becoming unyielding (no deflection). You will feel every single bump on the road.

In reality, you have to adjust your tire pressure based on the load your car is carrying, which is why your car manual should give you a separate tire pressure for “max load.”

Underinflation is what causes tires to explode due to the heat being generated by the tire (too much friction).

I dont understand the logic here. Every inflatable device has the maximum amount of pressure it can contain above which a rupture becomes inevitable at some point. Are you saying that if a tire rated "44psi max" is pumped to 80psi that it doesn't stand an increased chance of exploding I think physics supports this

cecegorz: Nice Observation.
I always doubt the reading on those ancient looking Pen size guages most of them use. I prefer the clock type, but with this info that one can get digital type at shoprite, I'll like to get one.
Meanwhile, I recently bought 4 new MAXXIS Tyres of the same specs with yours, and the recommended cold pressure specified on the label is 40PSi

I think that what tires bear on their sidewalls is the maximum pressure you should not exceed when inflating the tire and not necessarily the recommended pressure for driving. The recommended tire pressure for your vehicle will be written in your car's manual and the sticker by the door frame. Eg for a 2003 accord LX its 30psi front and 29 psi back.

@Zylla. No doubt dat d guy{ikenna} is good. Meanwhile i wasnt referin to him but my fellow Nairalanders dat comment on less important topics like d one i quoted above. Thanks.

Piyke:

I dont understand the logic here. Every inflatable device has the maximum amount of pressure it can contain above which a rupture becomes inevitable at some point. Are you saying that if a tire rated "44psi max" is pumped to 80psi that it doesn't stand an increased chance of exploding I think physics supports this

At some point, the tire will explode when overinflated and will probably happen while the vulcanizer is still pumping air into it. Plus, you will visually see the deformity in the tire when grossly overinflated before it comes close to exploding.

There is overinflation and there's gross negligence. My comment was directed to overinflation. For example, your vehicle recommends 32 psi with normal load but you overinflate to 40psi.

What an info! I will like to hear what SIENA has to say to this.

Piyke:

I think that what tires bear on their sidewalls is the maximum pressure you should not exceed when inflating the tire and not necessarily the recommended pressure for driving. The recommended tire pressure for your vehicle will be written in your car's manual and the sticker by the door frame. Eg for a 2003 accord LX its 30psi front and 29 psi back.

Correct!

Over-inflated tyres can burst if it hits a pot hole apart from affecting the balancing of the car. Under-inflated tyres are likely to worn out quickly and are at increased risk of punctures.
A tyre pressure guage is a necessity. It could prevent unnecessary road traffic accidents and its complications.

See what happens from overinflation.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3_PMhBa_-c


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsKGYtAo3cw