Tire Pressure Systems

[Gerry W]

wanting advice on the tire pressure systems now on the market to be used on a Class A motor home, as there are several manufactures, so what's the one to go with?
Another tire pressure question, Can I transfer the system from motor home to my every day driven vehicle when motor home is not used?
Contact Gerry W at , RCWilly@aol.com
Thank You.

[sandcar361]

Here is the one I think I am going to go with.

RV TPMS

[Melmoses]

We have the Doran TPMS and yes, you can use it both ways. If you choose to temp mount it, it is powered by plugging into a 12v supply (like plugging in your computer in a car). We chose to hardwire it to the power supply in the MH.

A lot of others also like the TST TPMS system so you might also look into that one.

Whatever you decide, do get one. It is one of the most valuable things we have on our MH. Saved our cookies once!

[Chuck 1935]

I know a lot of people say that they want a TPMS that also tell the temperature of a tire, What for? If the tire is running hot it's probably losing air and the TPMS will tell you so. No one yet has given a good reason for knowing tire temperature. I have used the Pressure Pro for 5 years. It's simple, it saves you time, it works and it gives you peace of mind. The bottom line is, you should have a TPMS no matter what kind. It can save your life !

[sgtjoe]

Originally Posted by Chuck 1935

I know a lot of people say that they want a TPMS that also tell the temperature of a tire, What for? If the tire is running hot it's probably losing air and the TPMS will tell you so. No one yet has given a good reason for knowing tire temperature. I have used the Pressure Pro for 5 years. It's simple, it saves you time, it works and it gives you peace of mind. The bottom line is, you should have a TPMS no matter what kind. It can save your life !

The reason I like the temp feature is because it will let you know if you have a bearing that is heating up, a brake that is dragging, I watch not only the psi but also keep an eye on the Temps to make sure all are running fairly close to each other. I have nothing to base this on, but I believe a tire temp may increase just prior to a blow out, that's JMHO. Hope I never get to prove that from experiance.

[Luv2go]

We use the Tire Safeguard system. It, too, shows temp as well as pressure and I really like the sensors as you do not have to remove them to air up the tires.

I agree with Chuck 1935 and other posters, whatever brand of TPMS you choose is well worth it. We caught a tire with a slow leak last year.

Stewart

[AFChap]

a lot of people say that they want a TPMS that also tell the temperature of a tire, What for? If the tire is running hot it's probably losing air and the TPMS will tell you so

Then think on this scenario: If your cold tire pressure is 100psi and you set the low pressure warning for 90psi (10% under), then you take off down the highway on a hot day and the tire pressure goes up to 115psi due to normal increase with running heat, you now have a low pressure warning that requires loss of 22% of the air volume before it goes off. That tire will also be increasing in temp more than the other tires. The high temp warning may go off before the low pressure warning, and even if it doesn't the increasing heat should alert you to a possible problem. And as already mentioned, the high temp warning does warn about hot wheel bearings before the high pressure indicator would go off.

Tire Traker/Hawkshead low pressure warning is based on percentage loss from established running psi rather than from cold psi ...if set to alarm on a 10% loss, in the above scenario it would go off at 103.5 rather than at 90psi ...something else to think about.

wanting advice on the tire pressure systems now on the market to be used on a Class A motor home, as there are several manufactures, so what's the one to go with?
Another tire pressure question, Can I transfer the system from motor home to my every day driven vehicle when motor home is not used?

If you buy enough sensors initially to go on all tires of both MH and toad, all you have to move back and forth is the monitor ...actually, I believe it is more important to have sensors on the toad tires than on the MH. PPro and TST monitors can both be used in MH or toad as you choose if you use the 12v power plug connection or just with the rechargeable battery, Tire Traker/Hawkshead has similar power options with a slightly smaller monitor that is slightly easier to move back and forth, but none of them would be a big deal to move back and forth as long as you alread have the sensors in place on the tires.

Basically, there are several TPMS systems and all have their fervent disciples ...all (except maybe the very newest) also have former owners who had enough problems to quit using the system. Like anything else, "you pays your money, and you takes your chances" ....

[Mac99]

All the systems are not a substitute for checking your pressures manually and
inspecting the tires at every stop. All tire pressure monitors can cause pressure
drops, since they add another potential "leak" to the system.
Check out the professional truckers, they don't use silly systems.

[RickO]

We use the Doran 360 for our 40DP+Toad and certainly don't see it as a silly sytstem at all. It saved us once already when alerting us to a failing valve stem on our Ford Explorer Toad. I don't know how long I might have dragged that car down Interstate 10 before I noticed, had I not had the system.

I have mixed feelings on the temperature readings. On the one hand, I love all the data I can get. On the other hand (at least to the best of my knowledge) systems which include temp are much more expensive. I decided that for my purposes, the Doran was a good choice because it will alert to an overpressure condition and in theory, if the temp of a tire is increasing beyond normal limits... it's pressure will increase beyond normal limits as well. Having said that, I would love to have temp readings on all 10 wheels built in to my dash mounted netbook if cost were not an issue.

Bottom line though is to "get something".

Rick

[B Bob]

IMHO you can be too worried about tire pressure. I have a tire monitoring system. I plug it in once a week to check. I do walk around the coach and put my hand on the rims to check temp after driving for a while. But then I have never had a tire blow violently on any vehicle I have ever been driving. I do make sure I buy good tires and don't let them get too old.

[UFO Pilot]

Originally Posted by Luv2go

We use the Tire Safeguard system. It, too, shows temp as well as pressure and I really like the sensors as you do not have to remove them to air up the tires.

I agree with Chuck 1935 and other posters, whatever brand of TPMS you choose is well worth it. We caught a tire with a slow leak last year.

Stewart

I also use the Tire-SafeGuard system for the same reasons as above. The Flow Thru sensors allow me to check the pressure with a regular gauge without removing the sensors. After sale warranty and tech support is excellent.

It has warned me of 2 slow leaks and one flat on the Toad. I picked up a nail in the Toad tire after I had inspected all of the tires before leaving the RV Park.

[GSGracie]

I have heard of systems that can actually pump air into your tyres as you drive. Anyone with experience of these, or are they an urban myth? Are they useful, (assuming they exist...)

[H. Miller]

Originally Posted by macadnphyl

Check out the professional truckers, they don't use silly systems.

On the other hand, we wouldn't leave the driveway without them..... Ever notice all that rubber strewn over the interstates? It isn't from motorhomes!

[Mike Canter]

Something to think about is if you are able to change the batteries in the sensors yourself or not. Some systems require that you buy all new sensors when the batteries fail from 2 to 4 years. That can be $50 a sensor. I have eight snsors on the MH right now and will add four more from the toad later. That is 12 sensors at $50 each.

According to the tire experts such as Michelin and Goodyear there is not an immediate air loss before a blowout. For whatever reason you start to lose air pressure so the tire heats up then the tire comes apart. There should be a warning as the air leaks out for whatever reason. The TPMS will let you know when the pressure starts dropping or the temps increase. Checking the tire pressure before you get on the road is still a must. My system is accurate enough to check the tire pressures first thing in the morning before you leave. My pressure are accurate to plus or minus two pounds at 100 lbs. I have checked them time and time again and now I have confidence in the system.

One bad thing on some motorhomes is that if you stop for fuel and the tire cools down it sets off the alarm for a leak. Once you start driving again after about 20 minutes the alarm will reset. This is something you just have to get used to. Haven't found a way around it yet.