You probably know that tire pressure is an important part of safe and effective vehicle operation. Low tire pressure can negatively impact fuel economy, handling, and cornering ability. High tire pressure can also be hazardous, as it increases the risk of a blowout from accelerated speeds or sharp turns. Therefore, most drivers check their tire pressure at least once every few weeks to ensure it is where it needs to be. However, there are times when you may not have a tire gauge on hand. Perhaps you’re visiting friends or family and don’t have your own car with you; perhaps you’re traveling in another person’s car and don’t want to get them worried about safety; perhaps you’re somewhere remote where a gas station isn’t accessible right away, or perhaps you just left your gauge at home by accident after having recently checked your tire pressure. Whatever the reason, what do you do if you can’t directly measure your tire pressure? How do you check it without a gauge? This article will explain how to check tire pressure without a gauge so that no matter the circumstance, your tires remain safe and optimized for peak performance.
How To Check Tire Pressure Without Gauge
Find The Valve Stem
First, locate the valve stem on your tire. This is where you will add air to your tire. Most tires have a metal stem that is round with a valve that extends outward. The valve stem is located in the center of the tire, so it’s best to check each tire to make sure you’ve found the right one. Some tires have plastic stems instead of metal ones.
Add Air To All Tires
Once you’ve found the valve stem, add air to all of your tires. It’s best to have a tire pressure gauge with a built-in air release valve, but you can also use a tire inflator. Make sure to add the same amount of air to all of your tires. The optimal tire pressure for most vehicles is 33 PSI. It’s also important to make sure you don’t over-inflate your tires, which can lead to serious problems. Be sure to check your vehicle’s tire information placard to make sure you’re not going over the recommended PSI.
Check The Pressure With Your Eyes
Once you’ve added air to your tires, check the pressure with your eyes. Lift up each tire and look at the tread where the tire meets the ground. If the tire has less tread than it did previously, you need to add more air to the tire. Tire tread is the part of the tire that makes contact with the road. If you didn’t add any air to the tire, the part of the tire that makes contact with the road should match up with the previous parts of the tire. If the tire has more tread than it did previously, the tire pressure is too high.
Calibrate Your Eyes Using A Fraction Finder
If you’re not sure how to interpret the amount of tread you see, you can calibrate your eyes using a fraction finder. This handy tool allows you to see the exact amount of tread you have on your tire. Fraction finders are available at almost any auto parts store and range in price from $2 to $20. You can also use a quarter as a substitute. To use a fraction finder, simply place the device on your tire and slide it to the part of the tire that has the least amount of tread. Once you’ve found this part, you can see the amount of tread with your naked eye. Place the device on the other tire and compare the results. The difference in the amount of tread between the two tires will tell you the exact amount of tread in both tires.
Add More Air If Necessary
If you’ve checked the pressure with your eyes and with a fraction finder, and you still believe your tire pressure is incorrect, you can add more air to your tires. If a tire has less tread than it did previously, you can add a little air to the tire. However, if a tire has more tread than it did previously, you should add a lot of air to the tire. Be careful not to over-inflate your tires. Use a tire pressure gauge to make sure you’ve added the right amount of air to your tires. If you don’t own a tire pressure gauge, you can also use a tire inflator to accurately check your tire pressure.
Check Again With The Tire Gauge
Once you’ve added the proper amount of air to your tires, use a tire pressure gauge to check your tire pressure again. If the reading on the gauge doesn’t match the reading on your tire’s sidewall, add or remove air from your tires until the gauge reading matches the reading on the tire’s sidewall. If the reading on the gauge and the reading on the tire’s sidewall match, your tire pressure is likely correct. However, if the gauge reading is higher than the reading on the tire’s sidewall, you’ve added too much air and should remove some. If the gauge reading is lower than the reading on the tire’s sidewall, you’ve added too little air and should add more.
Record The Reading And Track Changes Over Time
Once you’ve checked the tire pressure with a gauge and know the correct reading, record it in a notebook or on your phone. If you check your tire pressure regularly, you can track any progress you make in lowering your tire pressure over time. For example, if you use the same vehicle and drive it every day, you should check your tire pressure weekly. If you use a vehicle that is only driven occasionally, you can check your tire pressure every other week. If you use different vehicles frequently, you can check your tire pressure once every two weeks.
When Should You Check Your Tire Pressure?
Before You Leave Your Home
Before you leave your home, you should check your tire pressure. If your car has air in its tires, the tires can be dangerous when they’re inflated to the proper level.
Before You Drive On The Road
Before you drive on the road, you should check your tire pressure. If your vehicle has air in its tires, the tires can be dangerous when they’re inflated to the proper level. For example, if you have a flat tire that’s low on air, driving over bumps could cause the tire to go flat again and lose air until it’s completely deflated. Also, if you don’t change the air in your car regularly enough and a wheel gets stuck while driving on a bumpy road or when driving over potholes or holes in the road, it could cause damage to the wheel and have problems later on with braking or steering.
Before You Drive On The Road When Driving On A Different Tire Size
Before you drive on different-sized roads (like smaller roads for trucks), you should check your tire pressure before leaving home or work so that you won’t have any surprises once you get out on the road. For example, if one of your wheels is larger than another wheel and doesn’t fit properly inside of your vehicle’s wheel well so that parts of it are sticking out of one side of the wheel well while other parts are sticking out from another side, then when you drive on the road and hit a pothole or bump, the tire that’s sticking out from one side could come off of the wheel at high speed causing a blowout.
Before You Drive On The Road When Driving On Different Tires
Before you drive on different-sized roads (like smaller roads for trucks), you should check your tire pressure before leaving home or work so that you won’t have any surprises once you get out on the road. For example, if one of your wheels is larger than another wheel and doesn’t fit properly inside of your vehicle’s wheel well so that parts of it are sticking out of one side of the wheel well while other parts are sticking out from another side, then when you drive on the road and hit a pothole or bump, the tire that’s sticking out from one side could come off of the wheel at high speed causing a blowout. Also, if you don’t change the air in your car regularly enough and a wheel gets stuck while driving on a bumpy road or when driving over potholes or holes in the road, it could cause damage to the wheel and have problems later on with braking or steering.
Conclusion
Once you know your tire pressure, you can use your tire pressure gauge to check the tire pressure. If the pressure is too low, you can fill the tire with air from your compressor or use a portable air canister. If the pressure is too high, you can take the air out of the tire using the compressor or an air canister. Be sure to check your tire pressure regularly to keep your tires in good shape.
