What infrared temp gun are folks using?

Used one of these several years back but they were not very accurate without some exact settings that had to be changed for every surface you wanted to check the temp on. Hopefully that's not the case anymore???

Black and decker makes one. Don't recall the model. 30 bucks or so. Harbor freight also carries some different makes.


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When I retired from my full time work to workcamp type work, a friend of mine gave me one. He works for Napa Auto parts, so I assume he purchased it there. Works great for us.

I picked up a local brand - won't mean much to you folks in the US. Normally retails around the $100 mark - but these are always going on sale for 50% or better off.

If you are using it to check tire or wheel bearing temps, the actual temp is irrelevant. What you are looking for is ONE wheel that is running hotter than the rest.

ILH said:

I picked up a local brand - won't mean much to you folks in the US. Normally retails around the $100 mark - but these are always going on sale for 50% or better off.

If you are using it to check tire or wheel bearing temps, the actual temp is irrelevant. What you are looking for is ONE wheel that is running hotter than the rest.

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Agreed. Consumer grade IR guns aren't terribly accurate, but all you really care about are comparative temperatures among wheels.

The lower price guns (say $30$50) have a "range factor" of 8:1. That means if you are holding the gun 8' from the wheel, it's measuring the average temperature of a circle 1' in diameter at the wheel. So for the best results get close to the wheel and point at the same place on each wheel/hub.

If you spend something north of $100 you can get a gun with a 12:1 ratio.

I have a Fluke. One of the higher end brands. The less expensive ones will do just as well for tires and bearings as you are looking for the one that is much hotter than the rest.