monitoring tire temp

[obie311]

The various tire pressure monitoring solutions out there are very good ideas... if you can afford them. For the $350+ though, I can be halfway to a new set of 4 brand new trailer tires.

I had an appliance repairman come out to the house yesterday to fix my gas dryer. He had a nifty $35 IR thermometer. I was wondering if this would be a cost effective addition to my walkaround tire check with my stoneage trucker tire bat?

Anybody out there using such a gadget to ever monitor tire temps on the road??

[ssthrd]

Lwiddis wrote:
My first stop on a travel day is 30 minutes down the road. Three, four hours down the road is too far.

X 2. Check for my screwups and maybe get tire/hub temps after half an hour or so at speed. It got to be routine when I forgot to put the friction bar on when I used it on my old setup.

[Grit_dog]

Kick the tires, put a finger on each hub, back on the road. If my toe doesn't hurt from kicking a hard tire or my finger tip gets burnt, there's a problem...
I prefer the KISS method.

[kellem]

I purchased a ir gun last year when I was having issues with sticking brake calipers, worked well.

Was surprised how cool the trailer tires were when running them at max psi.

[aguablanco]

Which is more important to monitor temp or inflation? Will you stay parked if the temp is too high? Tires can take quite a bit of heat. They do not take under inflation near as well. And, no offense to anyone, using the old trucker bat would be like using snail mail. They both have some merit but why use 1950's tech when there are much better solutions? While the OP may be able to buy a new set of tires for the price of a TPMS how much to repair body work, electrical or, worst case, medical bills incurred because of a flat tire that causes a serious accident? There are many good reasons to use TPMS. I can not think of any good reasons not to have TPMS.
RichH

[SweetLou]

I am old school and use common sense. I examine my tires before the trip, during every stop and after trip. I use the IR for bearing check as well. I stop every 1 1/2 hrs on the road to stretch and check, but mainly to stretch. I usually have my dogs and they need attention as well. If you are properly inflated for the load, and you have maintained your tire's age etc, no issues. Now if they are **** tires, all bets are off. Had my GY Marathon tire on my cargo trailer lay down on me but enough said about them here before.

[azdryheat]

I've towed all over the US with no tire issues. I use only truck tires on my trailers. I also do my own bearings. No worries.

[_1Flyboy]

I concur with Dodge Guy; a TPMS saved the day for me one time.... Well worth it.... Best insurance to have is the one that you never have to use!

[Lwiddis]

My first stop on a travel day is 30 minutes down the road. Three, four hours down the road is too far.

[gmckenzie]

I check both the tires and the hubs. Piece of mind. But then I don't have TPMS on the trailer.

[dodge_guy]

Yes IR guns and small bats are good for checking while stopped. Not very useful at 65mph!
Splurge on the TPMS, you’ll be glad you did!

[BenK]

I have a HF IR gun and love it for checking tire temps on all of my vehicles

Check after airing up for the trip and that is the base line for the trip. Log that so won’t have too remember.

At each stop, whether bladder relief or fuel, check all the tires and log it. After a few trips know how my setup behaves...more so since I no longer own a trailer and borrow from church member/buddies/etc.

Of course, if a tire picks up a nail/etc during the trip...it either blows, or at the next stop will be higher temp than the others (how nails/etc and low PSI kills tires...increased flexing at high speed)

Ditto the radiator/hoses/etc of the engine bay...base line and can see changes during the trip

VERY useful and economical compared to what can happen if it is going south and don’t know it...

[stripit]

When your pulling out of the campground and get that small nail in your tire and then your planned first stop is 3-4 hours down the road, exactly when are you going to use the ir to see your tire is either flat, destroyed from driving for miles with not enough air or so hot you can't touch it? Spending the money just might keep you from having to buy a new tire, or worst yet, sitting along the side of some expressway with 70 mph plus cars and trucks flying by inches from you and your rig. Make no difference to me what you do, but I never move my RV without the TPMS on and operational.And yes, it has saved me money letting me know a problem long before I had to replace a tire.