Ever wondered what was inside a tyre gauge? No, me neither.
But mine stopped working, so thought I'd have a look inside.
I bought this gauge at Halfords when I was a kid, for bicycles.
Ah, rather clever. The top of the brass piston has a screw holding a leather sealing washer which had worn out.
I cut a small piece of leather off the missus' handbag.... an old one... Then punched out a washer with i.d. tight on the piston stem and o.d. slightly larger than the tube bore.
After fitting the washer, it needed squashing with oil a bit and poking into the tube. But after some working in and out, it loosened up and after re-assembly, the gauge looks like it will last another 50 years...
But mine stopped working, so thought I'd have a look inside.
I bought this gauge at Halfords when I was a kid, for bicycles.
Ah, rather clever. The top of the brass piston has a screw holding a leather sealing washer which had worn out.
I cut a small piece of leather off the missus' handbag.... an old one... Then punched out a washer with i.d. tight on the piston stem and o.d. slightly larger than the tube bore.
After fitting the washer, it needed squashing with oil a bit and poking into the tube. But after some working in and out, it loosened up and after re-assembly, the gauge looks like it will last another 50 years...