Should TPMS be required on all large vehicles?

[Theberrys]

We all pay for these kind of requirements. Everything you buy at some time travels by truck, the costs would just be passed on to us and the guys who don't care wouldn't maintain the systems anyway, so nothing gained but added cost to everything you buy. Unenforceable laws only create criminals out of honest people. Don’t the cops have enough to do? The real question is, how do we get people to take responsibility for there actions. As long as we expect the laws to do it for us we become complacent. Apathy is the real problem not blowouts.

Dick

[SarahW]

Several off-topic posts have been removed. Please keep the conversation on-topic. Thanks.

[Mojavian]

Originally Posted by TheArnolds

They will not prevent a blow out or take the place of good tire maintenance.

A good TPMS will most definitely prevent a large number of blowouts, most of which occur due to underinflation, consequent carcass heating, and failure. Where you are right is that maintenance is crucial. But a billy club or a boot toe cannot help you when you are running down the road trying to make a buck, which is what most drivers are trying to do. Even the most conscientious driver cannot anticipate a rapid loss of pressure in a tire supporting a fully-loaded rig. Yeah, they fail at unexpected times. A properly-functioning TPMS can alert a driver to a leaking, low-pressure tire and if the driver is smart enough to pull over and investigate the alert, it WILL prevent a blowout.

[TheArnolds]

Originally Posted by Mojavian

A good TPMS will most definitely prevent a large number of blowouts, most of which occur due to underinflation, consequent carcass heating, and failure. Where you are right is that maintenance is crucial. But a billy club or a boot toe cannot help you when you are running down the road trying to make a buck, which is what most drivers are trying to do. Even the most conscientious driver cannot anticipate a rapid loss of pressure in a tire supporting a fully-loaded rig. Yeah, they fail at unexpected times. A properly-functioning TPMS can alert a driver to a leaking, low-pressure tire and if the driver is smart enough to pull over and investigate the alert, it WILL prevent a blowout.

I said "blow out" I did not say slow pressure loss, under inflation, etc. Even with a TPMS the drive still needs to react. I will reference the original post whereas the FedEx drive ignored everything so if he had a TPMS it would of made no difference. I will repeat, you can't regulate "STUPID" out of existence!

A trucker knows he has 18+ or - tires and maybe he would worry a little if it was one of the steering tires that was losing pressure but he would worry a lot less if it was one of the other 16. Like someone else said, the trailer seldom belongs to the owner/driver of the tractor so he would ignore one tire losing pressure and leave it to the next driver...

I have considered purchasing a TPMS system to lessen my work load, you see I inspect and check my tire pressure prior to every trip and on multi-day trips every morning. I think a TPMS gives some a false sense of security so they depend on this system 100% and never check their tires for anything else. I see this in campgrounds where RVer's do little to no maintenance, check the tires, oil levels, clean the windshield, etc., just pull in, set up, and in a few days pull the slides, raise the jacks, and leave. Some have TPMS installed on their tires.

I am not against the technology I am against it be mandated from on high. If I choose to purchase a TPMS it would cost a couple hundred dollars but if it was mandated from Washington it would add 5X - 10X to the cost of the MH and it still depends on the operator to do something if it reads out of range. Now we are back to the "Stupid" in this entire process.

[Bubwheat]

Originally Posted by TheArnolds

I said "blow out" I did not say slow pressure loss, under inflation, etc. Even with a TPMS the drive still needs to react. I will reference the original post whereas the FedEx drive ignored everything so if he had a TPMS it would of made no difference. I will repeat, you can't regulate "STUPID" out of existence!

A trucker knows he has 18+ or - tires and maybe he would worry a little if it was one of the steering tires that was losing pressure but he would worry a lot less if it was one of the other 16. Like someone else said, the trailer seldom belongs to the owner/driver of the tractor so he would ignore one tire losing pressure and leave it to the next driver...

I have considered purchasing a TPMS system to lessen my work load, you see I inspect and check my tire pressure prior to every trip and on multi-day trips every morning. I think a TPMS gives some a false sense of security so they depend on this system 100% and never check their tires for anything else. I see this in campgrounds where RVer's do little to no maintenance, check the tires, oil levels, clean the windshield, etc., just pull in, set up, and in a few days pull the slides, raise the jacks, and leave. Some have TPMS installed on their tires.

I am not against the technology I am against it be mandated from on high. If I choose to purchase a TPMS it would cost a couple hundred dollars but if it was mandated from Washington it would add 5X - 10X to the cost of the MH and it still depends on the operator to do something if it reads out of range. Now we are back to the "Stupid" in this entire process.

Slow pressure loss, under inflation, etc. can and often do lead to "blowouts." The only other kinds of blowouts that I know of result from road hazards or tire failure. And, you are right, TPMS won't detect/prevent those. They do however protect from blowouts caused by slow pressure loss, under inflation, etc., which is exactly what occurred in my situation.

A blowout is a blowout, no matter the cause. They ain't fun and they ain't cheap.

[TheArnolds]

Originally Posted by Bubwheat

Slow pressure loss, under inflation, etc. can and often do lead to "blowouts." The only other kinds of blowouts that I know of result from road hazards or tire failure. And, you are right, TPMS won't detect/prevent those. They do however protect from blowouts caused by slow pressure loss, under inflation, etc., which is exactly what occurred in my situation.

A blowout is a blowout, no matter the cause. They ain't fun and they ain't cheap.

The thread has more to do with the government mandating a fix not what is or is not classified as a blow out. If you elected to purchase a TPMS and it gives you peace of mind that that is wonderful. As for me, I am still in the thinking stage and I do not want someone to think for me, i.e. the government. In the end I may purchase a TPMS like I am purchasing a steering stabilizer, which will help in a blow out, but it is my decision.

I do have a question about how frequently you need to adjust your tire pressure based on what you see on your TPMS screen? As I stated I check my pressure often and unless I have changes in the outside conditions (driving from a very cold area to a much warmer location) my pressure remains the same?

Safe travels!

[sdennislee]

Originally Posted by TheArnolds

I do have a question about how frequently you need to adjust your tire pressure based on what you see on your TPMS screen? As I stated I check my pressure often and unless I have changes in the outside conditions (driving from a very cold area to a much warmer location) my pressure remains the same?

Safe travels!

I have the TST 507 TPMS with flow through sensors. The flow through sensors make it easy to adjust pressure and to manually check pressure.

I still manually check tire pressure before each day's drive. Along the way I use my IR temp gun to check temps.

I had an inner dual to flat once, before installing my TPMS, I failed to notice this until the next morning when I checked my tires. This meant I overloaded the outer which forced me to have it pulled off the rim and inspected for potential damage due to the overloads condition.

I use my TPMS to alert me to leaks that might develop during the drive. So I do t repeat the above.

I don't completely rely on it yet and doubt I ever will.

[topdownman]

Umm, last time I checked we already have this.

Originally Posted by djbmsu

What this country does not need is government telling us what we need to protect ourselves.

[TheArnolds]

Originally Posted by sdennislee

I have the TST 507 TPMS with flow through sensors. The flow through sensors make it easy to adjust pressure and to manually check pressure.

I still manually check tire pressure before each day's drive. Along the way I use my IR temp gun to check temps.

I had an inner dual to flat once, before installing my TPMS, I failed to notice this until the next morning when I checked my tires. This meant I overloaded the outer which forced me to have it pulled off the rim and inspected for potential damage due to the overloads condition.

I use my TPMS to alert me to leaks that might develop during the drive. So I do t repeat the above.

I don't completely rely on it yet and doubt I ever will.

Thanks for the feedback! The TPMS you have installed interests me because you can service the tire without the need to remove the device.

[Francesca]

Originally Posted by Mojavian

A good TPMS will most definitely prevent a large number of blowouts, most of which occur due to underinflation, consequent carcass heating, and failure......snip.... A properly-functioning TPMS can alert a driver to a leaking, low-pressure tire and if the driver is smart enough to pull over and investigate the alert, it WILL prevent a blowout.

Right you are!

I do wonder, though, whether the driving Public will pay any attention to a device that was invented/mandated (for light cars/pickups) because that same Public is evidently too ignorant/indifferent to pay attention to tire inflation in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised if in future we see automatic disabling of the vehicle if the warning continues unaddressed beyond a certain length of time/miles.

[so47]

I vote yes. Most people who drive smaller vehicles than we do are not "stupid", but many are certainly oblivious to the air pressure in their tires and many only check them when one"looks low". If this were a perfect world, we wouldn't need airbags( forced on us by the gudment) because there would be no accidents. If tpms systems mandated by law save one, just one life, I say every thing legal for roads must have them. That one life might be me or mine or you or yours. Do I like it that Sam has to get involved? No, but I support laws, regs., and rules meant to protect me and/or the common good. All that being said, pretty soon Google will do our driving and alerts for us, so no worries. To the campground, James.

[CampDaven]

Legislation is expensive.
Implementation is expensive.
Enforcement is expensive, but seldom or poorly funded.
End of thread?

[chawkins99]

Well, if nothing else, my question sparked some debate

I hail from the UK where pretty much everything is legislated for and the attitude seems to be "We must protect the stupid from themselves". Much of this is mandated by the EU. Man, was that a big mistake and in no way am I suggesting that the US descend into that world of over-legislation.

However, we accept (however grudgingly) certain laws when they relate to safety. I see this issue as another safety issue just like seat belts and smoke alarms (I believe RVs are required by law to have smoke alarms).

I understand that having the technology available doesn't mean it will be used properly if at all. How many people don't use their seat belt or take the battery out of the smoke alarm after the umpteenth false alarm? Yes, I KNOW my bacon is burning!!!!!! That's how I like it.

As the saying goes... Make something foolproof and nature will develop a smarter fool...

My opinion is they should be required just as they are now required in smaller vehicles. I also understand that this is not an overnight decision and cannot be made retro-active. The technology needs to be developed to the point where it will work automatically with any trailer/vehicle. At the moment, it seems each manufacturer has developed their own system which won't work with anybody else's system.

BTW: this is my opinion. I am entitled to it and everyone else is entitled to theirs.

[Cbones]

I believe sometimes regulations spur technology. For example TPMS is now mandated in light vehicles (cars, SUVs, vans, etc.) this has spurred the development of a new style of transmitter that may possibly be universal across all manufacturers as well as relatively inexpensive. It will be part of the tire itself and not have any of the issues surrounding the valve stem style currently in use. Every time a new tire is installed, you will automatically have a new transmitter. If and when this happens, current predictions are that the cost will be less than a couple of dollars increase in tire cost. If this eventually happens, I can see no valid reason not to have this technology.