Making sure that your tires have the correct air pressure in them is a crucial step you should take before any long drive. However, let’s say you don’t have a tire pressure gauge on you while driving and worry that something could be wrong. To put your mind at ease, we’ve got a few tips for checking your tire pressure without a gauge that can be helpful in a pinch.

Check Pressure Through Touch

You don’t necessarily need a gauge to know whether your tires have the correct pressure. You can feel it yourself if you know what to look for. Think of it like checking produce at the grocery store. Using your thumb, press down on the tire’s surface to get a feel for its pressure. The ideal pressure will have a small amount of give to it but will spring back quickly. Too much give, or not enough, means your tire’s air pressure is off.

Add Weight Over the Wheels

Another easy tip for checking your tire pressure without a gauge is to put a large amount of weight over the top of the wheel from inside your vehicle. A well-inflated tire can take quite a bit of weight before it starts to deform noticeably. On the other hand, you’ll begin to see a large deformation in your tire if it’s underinflated, and you’ll be able to see it happening even before you put a ton of weight over it.

Marking a Trail

For this method, you’ll need to have ink or paint, something that will make a mark on the road. Find a flat area of road and make a small mark on your tires. Next, drive a short distance and look at the marks left behind. Tires inflated properly will leave small marks on the road, whereas underinflated tires will cause the ink or paint to smear more as the rubber spreads out from not having the correct pressure.

Use Your Eyes

If all else fails, you can see whether your tire has the proper air pressure just by looking at it. Park somewhere very flat and look at your tires. You’re looking for a noticeable bulge in the sides of your tires which means they’re underinflated. Your tire pressure is an issue if you notice a bulge larger than about 10 millimeters.

If you find that your tires aren’t up to snuff currently, come check out JSA Tires at our tire shop in Clovis. We can set you up with new tires to get you where you need to go and beyond.

Locations: Clovis, NM