Tire Temperature - What is Significant?

[Alfred622]

I got an IR thermometer "gun" and started using it on this trip for the first time. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. After an hour of 60mph driving in 70 degree F temperature, I pulled off the road and measured the dual rear wheels.

Both outside tires (sidewalls) were 108 degrees, and both interior tires (sidewalls as best I could) were 111 degrees. Front tires were 107 degrees each.

1. I'm assuming these are all pretty close so nothing bad stands out -- Is that correct?

2. I'm assuming the 3 degrees difference between rear outside and rear inside was due to less air circulation for the inside tire, but that is ok? Would YOU agree?

3. I've searched forums for tire temperature interpretation, and only found one comment to beware if the tire temp gets more than 60 degrees above ambient air. Are there any other rules-of-thumb that YOU use?

4. I assume we're most concerned about significantly different hot temperatures. When do YOU get worried: 1 tire 10 degrees warmer, 20 degrees, 50 degrees warmer than its neighbors?

Thanks so much for your advice. I'm hoping we can reach some consensus that will be valuable to many people looking for Tire Temperatures!

[jadatis]

What Topic starter did by measuring the sidewall is to my opinion the best way to determine the inside-air temperature of the tire.
This because the isolation of the rubber is the least on that spot.
A TMPS mostly measures something between the inside and outside temperature , and already someone wrote that it gave colder when raining.

What happens when tires are roling when driving.
Every segment of tire bends by deflecting about 10 times a second, and produces heat energy.
This is transported by the inside tire air to the rimm and thinner parts of the tire ( sidewall middle) where it is transported to the outside tire.

so the inside tire temp says something about the isolation of the tire.
The spots ( or better rings) of the tire that produce the most heat by the most bending of the rubber ( heal of tire) must stay under a sertain temperature to prevent them from getting hard and crack at next bendings.
I estimate that critical temperature to be 130degr Celcius/ 265degr Fahrenheit) where hardening of rubber begins .
The tire is "backed " at 170 degr /340 degr F to set the right amount of sulfur bridges wich gives the tire its right balance of flexibility.

So it can be that the critical rings of the tire are 190 degr F and the inside tire temp is 115 degrees and outside temp is 70 degr.
There has to be a temperature difference to give over the energy.

[J-Rooster]

What you don't want is to run your tires at a low tire pressure! That causes extreme heat build up and that is bad.

[ArchHoagland]

I check my tires on the coach and toad with an IR gun every time I stop. There is no perfect temperature, it's all dependent on several variables.

What I'm looking for is a tire that is significantly hotter than the rest of the tires. As Old-Biscuit said 15 degrees would be a concern.

Wind direction, sun, generator running, etc all play a part and you will see a pattern after many checks. I shoot my rear end on occasion. Always 155 to 165 degrees.

I also shoot my brakes occasionally. Workhorse had a problem with calipers and even though I've had the recall done I still check them. Toad tires...fronts are always warmer than rears on mine by about 5 lb.

The other important thing that occurs while I check my tires is that I check for problems such as awning coming loose, tow bar assembly still all connected, etc. Plus doing a walk around gets you some much needed exercise.

[prstlk]

My tire temp info comes from a lot of road racing and open lapping events on road courses. These folks put a lot of faith in the follow methods.
Your temp guage need not be state of the art just accurate between measurements if it is always off 5 degrees it will work just fine fine. It just can't be off 5 degrees in the same spot moment to moment.
The method I use is simple and can be used anytime after the tires have been run for a while.

Pick any tire and use the temp gun on the outside, center, and inside of the tire face. Make sure you temp the same distance from the outside/inside of the tire and the exact center. If you measure tread face do so on all three measurements. If you measure the groove do so on all three measurements.

Here is the benefit and what you can learn.

100-110-100, Your tire is over inflated as the center temp. Is higher indicating higher friction

110-100-110 This tire is under inflated
(more friction on the outside).

Remember the point here is not the temp it is the temp difference between outside and inside.

Jw

[OH48Lt]

I read the tire temps with an IR thermometer on my former 5ver toy hauler when on a 3-week tour. Temps would vary greatly, from 105 at night in cool weather, to as much as 145 in 95-100 ambient outdoor temp on the sunny side of the trailer. Never went over 135 on the shady side. That is sidewall temp, not trying to shoot between the treads. Also check the hub temps as long as you're there. You're looking for big differences in temp, anything over 20 degrees difference should make you wonder why.

[Home_Skillet]

The only way to get an accurate tire temp reading is with an in tire monitor.

The ones that screw on the valve stem is only reading the temp of the valve stem.
There is no "tire air" circulating inside the screw on sensors. So how does it read the tire temps?

[wolfhunter]

I've driven big trucks 29 years now, A lot of right at 80k weight, Never checked tire temp, Hey, You and your tires, What's a few degrees among friends? You should have no problems.

[Ivylog]

I temp mine on the sidewall one inch from the tread as this is the easiest place to temp the inside rear dual tire. I've seen as much as it being 10 degrees hotter than the outside tire. On a hot day the most I've seen is 125 on the inside tires. With a good cross wind you can have a 10 degree difference side to side and this is the reason I run 5 psi higher in all my tires over what the load chart says to.

[LetsRV]

Depends on what size the tires are and what PSI you are running.

Local dealer says on 22.5 MH tire, running 95 PSI and 100 PSI, I should set my alarm for 15% to 20% increase in PSI.

Failure due strictly to temp is usually (remember I said strictly and usually) is over 150 degrees.

[kab449]

When I had my 40 Ft fifth wheel it was equipped with tst pressure and temp sensors on each tire. In 90 degree air temps and 60mph they would all register in the 130 to 140 degree range at 100 to 115 psi. I think your readings are in the safe zone. My tst system was calibrated to only sound an alarm if the temp exceeded 150 degrees. Load range G Tires good for 3750 lbs each.
It is on my to do list to equip my Class A with the same system.

[lunch_surfer]

Oh yes
Bought a 3/4" drive Impact wrench rated at 1000ft lbs torque
Waited 5 hours on side of road for Coach Net
On major high Way just south of Marble Fall Texas 60 miles north of Austin
It was on a Monday Morning cause weekends are harder to find help, right!
Had my own spare also Michelin 275 80 22.5 LRH DOT 4208 no miles
Will not wait for Coach Net next time
Thinking about quitting their service this was sad
Again no solution.......
Keeping up my daily prayers cause we are all safe

ctc

[lunch_surfer]

Not sure any of this matters........
Had a blow out lat week.
Michelin XZA3 275 80 22.5 LRH dot 4208
120 psi in it
120*F temp per TST TPMS
Fist size rupture on inside side wall passenger front
No damage other than that
5500lbs on tire
22,000 miles on tire
Not going to change anything
Bought 2 new ZXA3 mounted and balance $1200
back on road
Going to see if Michelin will help with cost
Turning it over to God cause that what it seems like to me.

ctc

[vegasfoodguy]

travelzoo wrote:

Alfred622 wrote:
I got an IR thermometer "gun" and started using it on this trip for the first time. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. After an hour of 60mph driving in 70 degree F temperature, I pulled off the road and measured the dual rear wheels.

Both outside tires (sidewalls) were 108 degrees, and both interior tires (sidewalls as best I could) were 111 degrees. Front tires were 107 degrees each.

1. I'm assuming these are all pretty close so nothing bad stands out -- Is that correct?

2. I'm assuming the 3 degrees difference between rear outside and rear inside was due to less air circulation for the inside tire, but that is ok? Would YOU agree?

3. I've searched forums for tire temperature interpretation, and only found one comment to beware if the tire temp gets more than 60 degrees above ambient air. Are there any other rules-of-thumb that YOU use?

4. I assume we're most concerned about significantly different hot temperatures. When do YOU get worried: 1 tire 10 degrees warmer, 20 degrees, 50 degrees warmer than its neighbors?

Thanks so much for your advice. I'm hoping we can reach some consensus that will be valuable to many people looking for Tire Temperatures!

Where are you buying these thermometers and at what cost??

Harbor Freight, around $25.00

[travelzoo]

Alfred622 wrote:
I got an IR thermometer "gun" and started using it on this trip for the first time. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. After an hour of 60mph driving in 70 degree F temperature, I pulled off the road and measured the dual rear wheels.

Both outside tires (sidewalls) were 108 degrees, and both interior tires (sidewalls as best I could) were 111 degrees. Front tires were 107 degrees each.

1. I'm assuming these are all pretty close so nothing bad stands out -- Is that correct?

2. I'm assuming the 3 degrees difference between rear outside and rear inside was due to less air circulation for the inside tire, but that is ok? Would YOU agree?

3. I've searched forums for tire temperature interpretation, and only found one comment to beware if the tire temp gets more than 60 degrees above ambient air. Are there any other rules-of-thumb that YOU use?

4. I assume we're most concerned about significantly different hot temperatures. When do YOU get worried: 1 tire 10 degrees warmer, 20 degrees, 50 degrees warmer than its neighbors?

Thanks so much for your advice. I'm hoping we can reach some consensus that will be valuable to many people looking for Tire Temperatures!

Where are you buying these thermometers and at what cost??