Can anyone recommend a Bluetooth tire pressure monitoring system? We are putting new tires on soon. Seems like that would be a good time to install such a system. Only problem is that I know little about these systems. Features?

Are you looking for one that interfaces with a cell phone or tablet? Most of the systems have their own monitors and use radio frequencies. There are several: Tire Minder, TST, some others that don't immediately come to mind. I have the TST TPMS: Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Other posters may chime in with their particular preference in TPMS's. Most now attach to the valve stems rather than inside the tire itself. Since you're getting new tires, and looking at a TPMS, now would be a good time to install all metal valve stems for the TPMS sensors.

I would look for a system that allows you to change the batteries in the tire sending units. I had a TST system that worked very well, until the batteries started going. Replacing them required sending the senders back to the manufacturer. Instead I replaced the system with a Tire Traker system. I can change the batteries, but I have had a lot of problems with the senders cutting out, which makes the system less than worthless. I may go back to TST, which now has a system with owner-changeable batteries. I am also considering a model that allows for adding air to the tires without removing the senders from the valve stems. Good luck with your search. As ryder said, now is a good time to change your valve stems to metal ones.

Another vote for the " TST " system !!

punomatic wrote:I would look for a system that allows you to change the batteries in the tire sending units. I had a TST system that worked very well, until the batteries started going. Replacing them required sending the senders back to the manufacturer. Instead I replaced the system with a Tire Traker system. I can change the batteries, but I have had a lot of problems with the senders cutting out, which makes the system less than worthless. I may go back to TST, which now has a system with owner-changeable batteries. I am also considering a model that allows for adding air to the tires without removing the senders from the valve stems. Good luck with your search. As ryder said, now is a good time to change your valve stems to metal ones.TST is a great system but the flow through sensors seem to be prone to problems. I gave them a try for a season and went back to the the standard sensors that have been 100% issue free. I had two of the four flow throughs leak back through the valve, one kept dropping signal for some reason, and they all seemed to burn through batteries faster. The standard sensor batteries last all season or longer, not the flow throughs. I had to replace batteries after about 5 months. The flow throughs are also a lot heavier than the standards so if you use them be sure to balance the wheels with them installed.

Ralph Cramden wrote:punomatic wrote:I would look for a system that allows you to change the batteries in the tire sending units. I had a TST system that worked very well, until the batteries started going. Replacing them required sending the senders back to the manufacturer. Instead I replaced the system with a Tire Traker system. I can change the batteries, but I have had a lot of problems with the senders cutting out, which makes the system less than worthless. I may go back to TST, which now has a system with owner-changeable batteries. I am also considering a model that allows for adding air to the tires without removing the senders from the valve stems. Good luck with your search. As ryder said, now is a good time to change your valve stems to metal ones.TST is a great system but the flow through sensors seem to be prone to problems. I gave them a try for a season and went back to the the standard sensors that have been 100% issue free. I had two of the four flow throughs leak back through the valve, one kept dropping signal for some reason, and they all seemed to burn through batteries faster. The standard sensor batteries last all season or longer, not the flow throughs. I had to replace batteries after about 5 months. The flow throughs are also a lot heavier than the standards so if you use them be sure to balance the wheels with them installed.I also have the TST flow-through sensors and have had good luck with them. I do take mine off in the winter, and that might explain why the batteries in mine last several years. The sensors expend battery power as long as they are on the trailer. I have had no issues with leakage on any of my 6 sensors. I've had them for about 5 years.OTOH I can't really recommend the flow-through sensors. The amount of air flow is severely restricted and it takes a considerable length of time to add as little as 5 psi.I don't think that the few ounces the sensors weigh will throw off the tire balance enough to make much difference. But that is strictly my opinion. I had my tires balanced with the sensors installed so I cannot say for sure. The only thing I have bad to say about the TST system is the length of time it takes for a dropped sensor to show on the monitor. An hour is an inordinate amount of time. However I have read that the system now comes with an repeater so dropped signals shouldn't be an issue. Not disagreeing with Ralph Cramden, just another data point.

Tire pressure monitors | Good Sam Community

KatMike1
Explorer
Jun 05, 2018
Check this out from TST
https://tsttruck.com/pages/referral-program
Go to the link above.

Thanks TST!
Butch50
Explorer
May 07, 2018
packnrat wrote:
yes i can understand "insurance". just as a life long commercial driver. i am always checking things like tires, drips, things hanging, etc. even stop every couple hrs to check on them. legs enjoy the stretch. and get to do a couple other things.
yes new truck has them, are they even on the correct corrner of the truck? ( second owner) i do not even know how to bring up that display.

What happens if right after stopping and checking the tires with a gauge and while pulling out you pick up some road debris and the tire starts leaking. Enough of a leak that the tire is going be flat in less than an hour? How well you know it till it shreds the tire and tears the side of the trailer up before you notice.

I had a tire going down on me after a stop and I checked the pressure. Down the road a ways my alarm went off and I pulled over and the 80 PSI tire was down to 50 # and it alarmed me when it dropped to 70 #.

I always get a kick out people say they check them with a gauge and it pops into my mind like a cartoon of a guy running down the road with a tire gauge in his hand trying to catch up to his valve so he can check his pressure.

I'm just joking because it is no skin off me one way or the if you choose to not run a TPMS but I have ran them for years. My first one was a Doran (this the same time frame as the first Pressure Pro came out) and I would not be without a system.

The system that came on the Jeep I use to have saved a flat on the freeway, as I was driving down the road just about 20 miles from our home and had an alarm I could see by the monitor the tire was losing pressure. I made it off the freeway to a Walmart. They took it right in and proceeded to show me what I had ran over. It was the metal shank of a screwdriver that fell off from somebodies rig. The metal shank was around 10" long. The plastic part of the handle was gone. I remember hearing a sound when I was changing lanes only 6 miles from home. The TPMS saved me again.

This is IMO
Campntwins
Explorer
May 07, 2018
We have TST 507 internal sensors that are "banded" on the wheel.
packnrat
Explorer
May 06, 2018
yes i can understand "insurance". just as a life long commercial driver. i am always checking things like tires, drips, things hanging, etc. even stop every couple hrs to check on them. legs enjoy the stretch. and get to do a couple other things.
yes new truck has them, are they even on the correct corrner of the truck? ( second owner) i do not even know how to bring up that display.
pcm1959
Explorer
May 05, 2018
klr650goldwing wrote:
Thanks everyone. This really gets me going. At least now I have some features to look for and ask about etc.

I just assumed that the unit on the wheel/tire was inside the tire. Thanks for the education.

TST and imagine other companies have inside wheel sensors like those of automobiles. I personally would prefer those. But, of course, that would require dismounting the tire to install them. The disadvantage to those is ease of changing a failing sensor and/or battery even though they are supposed to last as long as the tires.
I've never been a fan of the stem mounted sensors. Some say metal valve stems are required which I can understand.
I'm glad this post was started as I've thought of getting a unit, too. I'm confident in my tires being that they are very under-loaded H rated 17.5's.
klr650goldwing
Explorer
May 05, 2018
Thanks everyone. This really gets me going. At least now I have some features to look for and ask about etc.

I just assumed that the unit on the wheel/tire was inside the tire. Thanks for the education.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
May 05, 2018
If I had them installed when I first bought my trailer I would have been saved from driving along on a disintegrating tire. The second tire was a catastrophic blow-out and it's possible that the temperature rose before it blew, but don't know. Since I now have top shelf "G" rated tires I probably will never need them.

I guess they're just like car insurance: you hope you never need it, but you're glad you got it when/if you do need it. At least the TPMS is cheaper and you only pay for it once. :)
pcm1959
Explorer
May 04, 2018
packnrat wrote:
i never have understood the reason for any tire psi sensor.
just need to check them every so often with a tire gauge, and a visual at every stop.
my new get around pu has way too many computer junk in it, including tire psi sensors.
just hope no problems with tire rotations.

I have never had one is 10 years of towing. I'm by no means knocking them. In fact, friends always say they are surprised I don't have one because I'm so particular about tires, etc.
I have 17.5 good quality tires with metal valves stems. I check them prior to every trip. Its extremely rare I ever have to add any air. If I do, its usually when due to seasonal temperature changes.
I wonder how many people have been "saved" from blow outs, bearings, or a leaking tire from having a tire pressure sensor.
One of my buddies who has one has had a few flats and it did warn him so he could get off the road asap.
2oldman
Explorer II
May 04, 2018
packnrat wrote:
i never have understood the reason for any tire psi sensor.
The reason is when you pick up a puncture while driving and you know before the tire shreds and takes your trailer skirt with it. And you don't need a tire gauge. You have sensors but don't use them?
fj12ryder
Explorer III
May 04, 2018
packnrat wrote:
i never have understood the reason for any tire psi sensor.
just need to check them every so often with a tire gauge, and a visual at every stop.
my new get around pu has way too many computer junk in it, including tire psi sensors.
just hope no problems with tire rotations.
It's very nice to know when a tire is losing air while you're traveling. I have had it happen a couple times and a TPMS alerts you to the fact before the tire is destroyed. Just look at it like it's insurance.