Tire Pressure Monitors, worth it?

[Inthecountry]

Anyone use tire pressure monitors?

If so, did you like them? Do they work?

Which brands did you like or not like if you use them?

Thanks

[bobndot]

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 .

[myredracer]

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

[Jayco254]

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.

[austex]

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...

[austex]

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.

[bobndot]

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

[Hector_Bravo]

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.

[time2roll]

My last tire issue the tread came clean off. No loss of pressure.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

🙂 Hi, definitely not; We don't need another paranoid gauge to watch while having a great time traveling. My last trip was a cross country trip and my tire pressures were set at home. We were gone for 3 1/2 months and for over 13,000 miles.

I do visually check my tires and hitch at every rest stop, every gas stop, and every camp ground. Eleven years, many thousands of miles, and never used my spare tire.

[GrandpaKip]

We have the 507 also. The reassurance while traveling is nice. Turn it on first thing in the morning to check pressures. If they all read good ( which is usual) I don't have to check each one individually.

[BB_TX]

Inthecountry wrote:
...........
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.
............

That certainly minimizes the need for a TPMS. For those of us who may travel 8-10 hours and 500 or more miles in a day, it becomes more important. A lot can happen in a period of several hours of continuous driving at interstate speeds.

[hbrady]

I hemmed and hawed about TPMS but my 3 planned trips this year are all within 3 hours from home, I also have new tires. No doubt they are justified on long trips but I'll roll the dice and keep an eye on them the old fashioned way. If I didn't have insurance, I may reconsider.

[bobndot]

TPM's can be worth it if they prevent a blowout. It's $400 insurance and probably money well spent. Some people have tire issues and some never do, using the same brand, age and size tires. This leads many people to think, maybe there is another factor involved.

I would make sure the trailers weight is evenly distributed over all four tires (put the axles/tires on a scale individually). Overheating and low psi is the main cause for tire failure.
( I have asked motor carrier police to put my rig on a scale for me , to see if i'm safe. They did it for me without hesitation. They use individual scales under each tire )
If you notice the position of axles on various models of trailers, you will see how some axles are in the middle of the frame and others are more rearward. I would think that has an affect not only on tongue weight but tire weight as well. Personally, All my trailers (I have 4 on the road right now) are all rearward axles and they tow very well. I have had one tire failure in 40 yrs. when I forgot to air them up . TPM's would have helped me then .

[pawpaw47]

Here'a another vote for the TST 507 system. It's really nice to take a look at the pressures and temps while traveling and not have to worry about what's going on back there. I wouldn't travel without it.

[dodge_guy]

I do not use them. just check/set the tire pressure before a trip and during if a long trip (tires should be visually inspected anyway). TPMS will not show a shifted belt that will blow out with no warning.