Tire Temperatures

[ichn2go]

What temperature reading should you expect to see on your tires after say a 90 mile drive?? A longer drive? What range do you consider safe. From Low reading to Hi Reading?
Thanks as usual for your help.

[ichn2go]

What temperature reading should you expect to see on your tires after say a 90 mile drive?? A longer drive? What range do you consider safe. From Low reading to Hi Reading?
Thanks as usual for your help.

[Clay L]

Depends a lot on outside temperature. I have seen as high as 135 and as low as maybe 100.

[Gary CA]

Clay is correct, the temp of my tires vary depending on environmental conditions. The main thing I am concerned with is that all the tires are about the same temp after a driving a while. A red flag would be an underflated tire running a lot hotter than the others. A quality infa-red temp gauge is a good purchase. I bought one the a/c guys use, about $90.

[paz]

I just got my infrared temperature gauge, so I haven't had much chance to use it, especially in warm weather. On a recent trip I got readings of only about 85-90 degrees after several hundred miles of driving with outside temperatures of 55-60 degrees.

Gary is absolutely correct - what matters is not so much the actual temperature, but to look for a reading that is significantly higher than the other tires. Keep in mind, temperatures of tires on the sunny side of the RV as you drive will be a little higher than the tires on the shady side and the inside duals will be a little higher than the outside.

[John_Canfield]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Clay L:
Depends a lot on outside temperature. I have seen as high as 135 and as low as maybe 100. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>True! The temperatures will even vary according to which side is in the sun and shade. Like others have said, look for differences, not absolutes.

[Fred B.]

Can't telleverything by temps, tires were checked for air pressure at 11am before leaving. Checked temps at 5pm & all were within 5 degrees of each other. 6 minutes & miles later the left front blew. The one that blew was 128 degrees The others ranged from 124 - 135 degrees. It was my newest tire (2 years old). Must have been a defect as Goodyear took care of it under warranty. My wife said quit checking the tires!

[Tom and Patty]

We had this discussion over at the Alpine Forum.

Hope this helps

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I got my answer from Bridgestone. Sounds like everyone is on the right track.

Here is my question and their answer.

quote:
With air pressure and tire temp sensors installed in aluminum wheels, what kind of temperatures should be observed while driving in 90 to 100 degree temperatures?

What air temperature reading would be too high? We are using the Smart Tire system.

Thank you,

Tom Dietrich

Am-Pac Tire Dist., a BFS distributor in California.

Dear Tom,

Thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance.

The answer to your question depends on a number of factors, and quite frankly, there is not a hard and fast rule.

There are basically (3) types of tire temperature measurement

Probes inserted into the tire

Contained air temperature (which your system uses)

Tread (surface) temperature

A probe inserted into the tire – into either the belt edge or the bead area – the hottest points of the tire – is the most accurate method; however, it can only be performed under controlled conditions.

The contained air temperature method is the next most accurate, however, it is affected by the mounting system of the sensor – if the sensor is attached to the wheel, it will pick up heat from the wheel (which is picking up heat from the brake drum); and if it is attached to the tire interior, it will pick up heat from the casing.

Tread (surface) temperature is the least accurate, since measurement is normally performed by a hand held unit, thus hampering repeatability, plus the question of where do you measure? The ribs will be cooler than the grooves, and the center will be cooler than the shoulders, etc.

So, while all this has so far done little to answer your question, hopefully it has shed some light as to why I am being a bit reserved in my answer.

Now, what can I say to try to address your question?

While this is not set in stone: A very general rule of thumb is that a properly inflated/loaded tire, when up to operating temperature – one hour+ operation - will typically run about 60 degrees F. hotter than the ambient temperature. Anything above 200 degrees F. could lead to tire degradation and you need to investigate for a problem.

I hope this has answered your question to your satisfaction; if not, or if you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

closed the gaps

[mis3s]

On the road at our stops, my unscientific method is I go around the MH and touch the top side wall of each tire with the back of my hand like checking the temp of a child's forehead in the olden days. If they just feel warm to touch (not hot burning) then they are okay. Ofcourse, I check cold tire pressures before each trip.

Relax, drive safely, and enjoy God's creations

[DAN L]

harbor freight has infrared temp sensors cheap. i have had a sears craftsman temp guage for several years. still works fine. good info about the 60 deg rise above ambient normal, and 200 max. beats thumping the tires with a hammer or billy club and listening to the pitch of the twang at every rest stop. i am getting sorta hard of hearing in my advanced age.

[paz]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Fred B.:
Can't telleverything by temps, tires were checked for air pressure at 11am before leaving. Checked temps at 5pm & all were within 5 degrees of each other. 6 minutes & miles later the left front blew. The one that blew was 128 degrees The others ranged from 124 - 135 degrees. It was my newest tire (2 years old). Must have been a defect as Goodyear took care of it under warranty. My wife said quit checking the tires! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is true. Measuring tire temperature or pressure will not tell you if the tire is about to fail due to a defect or due to internal damage (unless the tire has already started to leak). The tire can still fail, even if inflated to the proper pressure. However, I still wouldn't quit checking the pressures.

One thing you can learn from temperature is if a tire is significantly under inflated and is therefore flexing too much. This flexing will raise the temperature of the tire and if you can detect it in time, you may be able to save yourself serious trouble. It's not foolproof, but it is something that can be easily checked and it just may save the day.

[Petro]

I have a question or comment I hope to get some replies to. We have always been told to check our tires cold. Cold to me in Wisconsin in Jan or Feb could be -10 F. Cold to somebody in southern CA could be + 70 F. Over a 2 year period some years ago I blew out 3 tires in the Albuquerque area. I had these tires inspected before I left on my trip. I decided I must be doing something wrong. I found that my tires were way over inflated when I got to much warmer climates driving 70 MPH down the highway.

I now hold my tire pressures down to the minimum pressure for the weight carried when I leave home and recheck my cold pressure after I get in warmer average temperatures. I found a 10# -15# difference especially in higher altitudes. Since I have been rechecking my cold pressures, when I get into warmer climates and bleeding off air if necessary, I have never had any more tire blow outs. By the time I return to Wis the weather has warmed up to where my tire pressures are about right.

Has anybody else experienced this temperature variation problem?

Don

[Tom and Patty]

Hello your Honor

It is hard to tell what caused you to lose three tires.

As a general rule, 10 degrees in air temp causes the PSI to change by 1 degree. So if you leave Wisconsin and the temp was burr (-10), and the temp is 75 in New Mexico, the cold PSI could rise by approx. 8-9 PSI.

The manufactures take into account the rise in pressure from a cold tire, and a tire that has been driven on.

Still check your tires cold. When I check my tires hot, during the day, I make sure all 6 are about the same PSI.