# Tire thingys, do they work?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906 "2002-10-04T23:06:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/1 "2002-10-04T23:06:43Z")
[Tire Thingys](http://www.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=gadget394.htm&url=http://www.ajprindle.com/index.jhtml?product=10295) I was looking at these, and the seem like a nice idea but I have a few concerns. First off, it seems that if the plastic bulb at the end were to break or if they were to loosen, all the air would rush out of your tire. Second, they come in 32psi and 36psi. What about all the other tire pressures. I don’t remember my tire pressure off the top of my head, but I know it is one psi off of one of the two listed (that is it’s either 31,33,35 or 37, 33 I think). Would I just get the 32 psi? Has anyone here tried them?? Do they work? Do they last? (even in cold winters?) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/2 "2002-10-04T23:38:39Z")
“Days” of fiddling with my tire guage? WTF? It takes me about 3 minutes, a couple of times a month, to properly check my tire pressure. But if you like these thingies, sure, get the one that’s just _below_ your preferred pressure. But check your pressure (with a good guage) at least once a month anyway. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/3 "2002-10-04T23:41:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*“Days” of fiddling with my tire guage? WTF? It takes me about 3 minutes, a couple of times a month, to properly check my tire pressure. > But if you like these thingies, sure, get the one that’s just _below_ your preferred pressure. > But check your pressure (with a good guage) at least once a month anyway. > Peace, > mangeorge \*\* Well I try to do that anyways, but I figured it would be nice to just look down and be able to see if the thing was green or red. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/4 "2002-10-05T00:17:45Z")
Sorry, **Joey P** , I didn’t mean to give the impression that they were a bad idea. Actually I can see where they would be pretty cool. Like if you were traveling, for example. If they work, and if you remember to look at them. I was simply grousing at the site, which said that you never had to check tire pressure again. Think how many people rely on their idiot lights, and never check their oil level with the dipstick. (Me, all to often. :)) mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/5 "2002-10-05T01:17:14Z")
I’m sure they work, although who knows how accurate they are. But that’s not what I’m wondering. I’m wondering just how long they would last before someone stole them. So in effect, the answer to your questions is `NO` because they just got ripped off! DOH! ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/6 "2002-10-05T02:25:57Z")
Years ago, I seem vaguely recall seeing something like this, but with an actual numbered gauge rather than color coded. No idea if they’re currently available. Googling on “tire pressure gauges valve” turned up these items similar to yours in a wider range of pressures: [ACCUPRESSURE Safety Caps](http://www.gs-27.com/family.asp?fam_id=ZACP&CAT=AUTO&UPSCAT=XAUT?source=gg) on sale for $12.95 - such a deal! 🙂 This one was a sponsored link. [Tire Minder](http://www.garage-toys.com/tireminder.html) And I think voltaire has hit upon a significant problem. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/7 "2002-10-05T04:10:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rowrrbazzle \* > \*\*Years ago, I seem vaguely recall seeing something like this, but with an actual numbered gauge rather than color coded. No idea if they’re currently available. > \*\* Yes, those are common on 18-wheelers and big trucks. I have a rather dim memory of them as well, but I believe they were in the middle of the hub of the wheel itself. If I remember correctly, they were also weighted so that the guage itself would turn but always stay right-side up at a stop. I don’t know much about big-rigs, so I could be wrong, but I think those were for counting the miles (or maybe just turns) a tire had taken. So maybe you’re remembering those, but I don’t believe they were for tire pressure. But what do I know?!? Anybody? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/8 "2002-10-05T04:49:16Z")
I was told that those thingies on the hub are wheel weight scales, used to balance trailer weight. Sound’s fishy to me, though. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![SumLurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@SumLurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SumLurker)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/9 "2002-10-05T04:55:33Z")
The thingies on the hub of big rig wheels are to record the mileage on the trailer, exactly like the odometer inside the cab of the truck records the mileage of the truck. Hi btw! First post! _wheeee_ ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/10 "2002-10-05T07:33:39Z")
Welcome Sam the Lurker. I own a set of these things. Yes, they work for me. I’ve had them 3 months, park it outside and kids haven’t stolen them yet. ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/11 "2002-10-05T08:03:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > **"Days" of fiddling with my tire guage? WTF? It takes me about 3 minutes, a couple of times a month, to properly check my tire pressure.** Not days as in the amount of time you spend fiddling with them, more in the ‘when I got my wooden leg, my termite stomping days were over’. Definition [8](http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=days). I don’t see why they wouldn’t work, to answer the thread title. Not like it’s a huge expediture if they don’t, either. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/12 "2002-10-05T11:50:31Z")
Actually, there is such a thing as inside-the-tire pressure guage. Damned if I can find the link now, but it mounts on the rim inside the tire and send a signal to a receiver so that if you are, for example, hauling a large pull-behind through the Rockies (a relative was looking for them for just this reason) you can tell at a glance whether the pressure is all right. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/13 "2002-10-05T12:00:05Z")
[Here one is](http://www.ambromley.co.uk/tyre-pressure-monitor.html), but it’s not the one I was looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/14 "2002-10-05T14:11:42Z")
I remember seeing something in a magazine years and years ago. It was a very small air compressor (really small, like the size of a spool of thread) that would sit in the center of your tire. It worked like the odometers on trucks work, off the rotation of the tire. But it could inflate your tire at a rate of 1psi/7miles maybe (or 12 miles, whatever, that’s not important right now). While wasn’t made to fix a flat or anything, it would help with slow leaks. But now that I think about it, it may also have the downfall of hiding a bigger problem, like a nail in a tire. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tire-thingys-do-they-work/130906/15 "2002-10-05T14:22:49Z")
In spending a couple of mins looking around I can’t find a cite for that air compressor. Has anyone else heard of these? I think I saw it in a magazine at the dentist. Don’t remember which one it was. Hmmmmm