Tire Pressure Monitors, worth it?

I would like to thank you all for the info and suggestions!

I bought a used lq horse trailer late fall and just got done ordering five tires for it and tires for the used diesel needed to pull it, and other related items. When my pocket book is done recovering from the shock from the extra activity, I will invest in one.

Again, thank you.

guidry wrote:
They pay for themselves if they prevent just one blowout. Mine went off when two tires separated (Stock tires on 5th wheel and only 6 months old) and rubbed on to each other. Pressure was fine when we left the day before. TST alarm went off and allowed me to get off freeway before the tires blew and defintately would have damaged the fenders and underside of the RV. YES, they are worth every penny!

I AGREE and they have saved me MAJOR $$$$ twice so far when I had tire failures. Was able to pull over before things exploded and did major damage to trailer wheel area, etc.

Like insurance, it's only needed when needed and without it is fool hardy IMO.

Larry

Like chicken soup they can not hurt.

However, if they give the same false readings that the ones on my TV do, I would probably chuck them.

I have been driving since the 1960's and never had them until they came standard on my last two vehicles. Still it is always handy to know when a tire looses pressure.

Does anyone make aftermarket TPMS with internal sensor stems like OEM?

austex wrote:

bobndot wrote:

Hector Bravo wrote:
Am I correct that I'd want to replace my rubber stems with metal before adding pressure monitoring? I was told rubber stems might not take the additional forces if the screw-on monitors.

I was thinking about this too. I don't know the answer but I would be concerned about corrosion. Combining dissimilar metals is my thought, causing corrosion. Premature wear or malfunction ?

I would think any two metals that come in contact with each other should be the same metal.
All I can find on the topic is OEM monitors where dissimilar metals can be an issue. IM not sure about after market items.

tire monitor migraines

Metal stems I used have rubber gaskets at the rim, so no galvanic potential; at the sensor, threads are brass(sensor) to chrome-plated brass(valve), so minimal galvanic potential.

ok , thank you .

Hector Bravo wrote:
Am I correct that I'd want to replace my rubber stems with metal before adding pressure monitoring? I was told rubber stems might not take the additional forces if the screw-on monitors.

We're using T-valves from Hawkshead. The only complaint I have about TPMS is that they aren't exactly plug and play and you have to thoroughly read the manual more than once and have to go around unscrewing sensors to reset them. Not sure if they are all like that but I am guessing yes. Maybe the very latest ones are better?



When installing new metal valve stems, go to a reputable tire shop and talk to the manager and the guy doing the install. I ended up going to 3 different shops before they got it right. The 1st one had damaged a seal during the install and we had a slow leak for over a year. Ended up re-doing all 4 wheels. Some shops have doeheads doing tire installs. One of the shops actually broke one of the T-valves. :M

I'm using the Tire Minder even though we never go more than about 4 hours from home but you can have a blow out right after you get on the highway don't have to be half way across the country. Just because you check your tires before you leave doesn't mean anything if you pick up a nail 5 minutes later.

Inthecountry wrote:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EHHV2OU/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687742&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00C546H6U&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1WENYMV0VBX1Y9B36WSH

I take it that this is the one?

I should also say this is for a living quarters horse trailer and that I don't go further than 2- 2 1/2 hours away at any time and I only travel on regular hwy's or back roads to get where I want to go. And to be honest, my most traveled place is under an hour from me. I have four tires on the trailer.

I'm not sure it's needed as much as those of you who are traveling across America?

I know that blow outs can happen anywhere.

The unit suggested was about $100 more than I thought it would be so have to take a deep breath and think is my kind of traveling worth it?

We travel mostly close-to-home so far, too. On one trip, tires checked fine before departing the campground for home; a pit-stop walk-around two miles from the storage yard revealed a flat. That sealed it for buying a monitor. First trip with the monitor, tires checked fine on leaving home, walk-around on leaving campsite all appeared fine, but the monitor alerted at the dump-station - low-tire. Swapped for spare while waiting in dump line; tire shop later found embedded screw. Tire monitor likely saved a road-side failure.

I'm sold, as I can't feel a low tire on the trailer when going down the road...

bobndot wrote:

Hector Bravo wrote:
Am I correct that I'd want to replace my rubber stems with metal before adding pressure monitoring? I was told rubber stems might not take the additional forces if the screw-on monitors.

I was thinking about this too. I don't know the answer but I would be concerned about corrosion. Combining dissimilar metals is my thought, causing corrosion. Premature wear or malfunction ?

I would think any two metals that come in contact with each other should be the same metal.
All I can find on the topic is OEM monitors where dissimilar metals can be an issue. IM not sure about after market items.

tire monitor migraines

Metal stems I used have rubber gaskets at the rim, so no galvanic potential; at the sensor, threads are brass(sensor) to chrome-plated brass(valve), so minimal galvanic potential.

Hector Bravo wrote:
Am I correct that I'd want to replace my rubber stems with metal before adding pressure monitoring? I was told rubber stems might not take the additional forces if the screw-on monitors.

I was thinking about this too. I don't know the answer but I would be concerned about corrosion. Combining dissimilar metals is my thought, causing corrosion. Premature wear or malfunction ?

I would think any two metals that come in contact with each other should be the same metal.
All I can find on the topic is OEM monitors where dissimilar metals can be an issue. IM not sure about after market items.

tire monitor migraines