OK this is probably a dumb question but how exactly do you use a tire thumper? (And no I'm not talking about on somebody's head.)
Do you hit the tire on the tread? On the sidewall? Does it matter? And what exactly are you looking for? The reaction of the thumper? Or are you listening for a certain sound?
How to use a tire thumper
Discussion in 'Questions To Truckers From The General Public' started by Redcoat wife, Sep 13, 2008.
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Hit the tire anywhere, but I find the tread works best for me.
Basically you are listening to the sound it makes, and feeling way it reacts in your hand. A properly inflated tire will produce a sharper >>thwack<< sound when hit, and the thumper will bounce back sharply.
If a tire is *significantly* under-inflated, the sound will be more of a dull thunk, and the thumper will not bounce back so well.
It's not a good way to tell if the tire is 10 pounds low, but should show easily if the tire is 50 pounds low - that sorta thing.User Name, smadronia, dollylama and 1 other person Thank this. -
I find that 'thumping' works best when the tires are warmed up, I use a 3 lb hammer, other uses for that as well. If it's really cold, thumping won't find a flat tire with certainty.
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i use another way to quickly check tyres that i know were up.
i push on the sidewall with my foot. doesnt produce even the degree of accuracy that a thumper does, but we arent allowed them here..
So i carry a tyre guage! -
You will know if you have plenty of air by hitting it as hard as you can until it comes back and wacks you in the head.LOL The only way I check for properly inflated tires is with a tire guage...
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I forget what the movie was , it's been a while but I saw one of those truck movies that started having the driver go around the truck thumping the tires - including the front ones .
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My hubby uses a tire pressure gauge. My tire thumper from when I drove stays in my car, and it has one purpose - protection. That's mainly what it was for when I was driving rig too. I always used a tire pressure gauge.
dollylama Thanks this. -
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I just hit the tire tread with my breaker bar or kick the sidewall with my foot. Not an accurate way to tell if tires are property inflated, but definitely will let you know if a tire is flat or near flat.
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