Acquired a "tire checker" this week

Status
Not open for further replies.

BRad704

Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
516
My wife's grandfather died 2 weeks ago, and we finally cleaned out his appt... he wasnt a gun person, but he did keep a "tire checker" around... and now it's mine.

This might be a stupid question, but I always thought there were some specific legal issues with them... am I remembering correctly? or is this thing ok to keep in the jeep at all times with no issues?
 
a tire checker is similar to a billy club in appearance - it is for banging on the side of semi tires to knock snow off.
 
Tire-checkers are usually used by truckers to check their truck and trailer tires for condition and proper inflation. When you bang on the tire with it you get a distinct sound. If you hit a tire and it goes "whump" instead of a proper "thud" you know there's something goofy with that tire. They look like really short billy clubs and most have 8-16oz of lead in the business end.

You can also use it to "check" the skull of an idiot who tries breaking into your truck.
 
No, it's for banging on truck tires to get a quick idea of the tire pressure. If it bounces good off the tire, the pressure's probably OK. If it doesn't bounce well, then it's worthwhile to go to the trouble of checking the tire with a proper gauge.

I have one I found in a parking lot, it's a large, solid wooden stick with a steel cap on one end. Would make a pretty effective club, for sure. There may be legal issues with them because they've been used as weapons for many years, just like tire irons. Yes, they have a legitimate use, but are also a handy and available weapon that many people have a solid reason for having in their vehicle.

I also have a much larger stick, solid oak, about 18" long and tapered from probably 1.25" to 1.5" or so. This was made for handling drill pipe in an oilfield machine shop, two guys with these sticks at each end of a rack of pipe can move a lot of pipe from one rack to another pretty quickly. It DAMN sure makes a good club! Especially when fitted with a screw eye and a wrist strap.
 
My own grandfather had a different name for these, and he had one as well... His was real wood and I don't know what ever happened to it.. but this one looks like some sort of very heavy and solid plasticy nylon material...

Rondog hit on what my concen is... the years of being used for "other" reasons... and Lord-knows stupider things have happened...
 
The right answer.

it's for banging on truck tires to get a quick idea of the tire pressure
it's a large, solid wooden stick with a steel cap on one end.
both statements are correct. I worked in the trucking industry for 30 years prior to retiring and can vouch for these answers. As to legal issues,it would depend on individual state laws.
 
Ca has something against clubs.

True life ex:

My friend is an electrician. He has a couple of HIGH voltage wire scraps in the back of his camero (glass hatch back). His camero is a hunk-o-junk beater looking thing. Traveling in not do good part of L.A.

He was pullled over for something... dont remember.... probably either speeding or incomplete stop.

Cop saw a bunch of tools and "clubs" thru the hatch back and told friend to get out of the car and open hatch back.

Cops found roughly a few 20" peices of approx 1.25" high voltage wire. Started asking why he has "clubs".

Friend says he's an electrician and just got off work (all true).... see all my tools??... tool belt?? screw drivers, wire strippers etc?

(side note, he wasnt working on high voltage stuff. He's 470v on down mostly inside new commercial building contsruction. These were just scraps he found around the job site.)

Ended up only getting a ticket for original offense.

Had he not have supporting evidence of being an electrician... he's sure more bad stuff would have happened to him.

Wooden club with-out detached tool head that fits :scrutiny:

4D maglight :D
 
Texas Penal Code

Sec. 46.01. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Club" means an instrument that is specially designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious bodily injury or death by striking a person with the instrument, and includes but is not limited to the following:

(A) blackjack;

(B) nightstick;

(C) mace;

(D) tomahawk.

Sec. 46.02. UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS. (a) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about his or her person a handgun, illegal knife, or club......

That "tire checker" between the door and seat of your Honda Civic might get a second glance in Texas. Failing an attitude test may likely acquaint you with this law. Same thing for that Louisville Slugger in the rear floorboard. (always put glove, and old spikes back there with it). Usually falls under, "you can beat the rap but not the ride"

Typically vague verbage in a lot of the Texas Penal Code.
 
A tire checker(knocker) wont get a second look from LEO (most)if it is in a truck with large tires such as those engaged interstate commerce because it has a specific use. If found in a personal vehicle such as a car or pick-up truck,where it is useless as a tire checking tool,will in all likely hood be deemed a weapon by LEO. It still boils down to state and local laws.
 
Clubs are prohibited weapons in some states. Check your state law.

A trucker's tire checker in the proper setting won't draw suspicion since it has an obvious use as a tool. Put it in a setting where it doesn't have an obvious use as a tool it will become suspicious.
 
So is a baseball bat illegal? How would a cop have a problem with that. Or carry a 24 inch oak stick.
I underatand what you are saying, but when does everything become a weapon?
 
In Ohio just about anything could get you a deadly weapon specification if you use it criminally. Case law has defined a tire iron as a deadly weapon (I believe in a crime in the Cincinatti area a few years ago).

2923.11 Weapons control definitions.
As used in sections 2923.11 to 2923.24 of the Revised Code:

(A) “Deadly weapon” means any instrument, device, or thing capable of inflicting death, and designed or specially adapted for use as a weapon, or possessed, carried, or used as a weapon.
 
I worked in a northern NJ town that had a large commercial area. Truckers came and went all hours, seven days a week. The tire thumper is a standard tool for them. there is no other easy way to check the inner tires on a tandem axle. We assumed they would have one. In thirty years, none were ever used offensively. In fact I can't remember one ever used at all in a criminal incident.

Not much different than a standard passenger car carrying a jack handle. It's not like anyone carried on their person.

A blackjack is much smaller and easily concealed and lined with lead. Striking someone in the head or other critical area can cause a serious injury or death. They were removed from most departments in the 70's. The others named.... well anything could substitute for those items.
 
Ive heard stricking someone anywhere above the shoulders is considered deadly force. Hitting someone sholders down might vary state to state. idk if you could face assault charges or attempted murder charges? Beyond that If I knew that I hadnt brocken any laws I would never give my permision for a search of my vehicle. I believe Im fully within my rights doing this. Like others have said almost anything could get you a weopons charge depending on what kinda officer is pulling you over. Id rather not go there to begin with and politely turn down the search request.
 
My brother in law is a trucker and he had a tire checker in the garage he didn't want and said I could have it if I wanted. It's not like the one pictured above, it is made of some material similar to fiberglass, is heavy and has a grip and wrist strap. In a nutshell it would make one effective club. I carried it in the back of my car but when I relocated to another state it ended up in my truck and then removed all together.

Great little took for checking tire pressue :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top