TST TPMS installation recommendations

[Gary.Jones]

Well, I have completed my first ~ 100 mile drive and I carefully examined the 4 sensors mounted on the steer and tag axles for any damage or problems and I see nothing yet, and this was traveling 100 miles of "miserable" Arizona I-10 which needed resurfacing several years ago.... you go many, many miles with rough repaired asphalt, regardless of lane you drive (up to 4 lanes each direction)(every lane is rough).

But the suggestions are good ones to keep a very close watch on the sensors, and once I get to a place where I have time to have those rubber hole inserts shipped to me, I will give those a try, or I will find a tire shop and see if they feel these brass stems can be bent enough to get the sensors away from the wheel hole edges (I don't want to try it while traveling toward home). Too many miles to go before home.

And wouldn't you know(?), my Valor in-tire sensors now seem to be working better (more appear on the digital dash) now that they have "competition".

As an aside .... do any of you with '21 or '22 coaches have any idea if the Valor batteries are hanging in there better than my sensors. They have tried to improve the battery life but unsure if that has been successful.

Gary

[shepardmike]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

I have time to have those rubber hole inserts shipped to me, I will give those a try,

I have those and they can work loose. When you first get them they will be cold and stiff initially they fit real snug. Then they warm up and come loose. I solved that by applying clear silicone glue to keep them in place. 4000K miles later and still holding. I can see where the stem comes through, has widened a bit but it still keeps the sensor away from the rim.

[Gary.Jones]

Thanks for the report Mike !

Gary

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

But the suggestions are good ones to keep a very close watch on the sensors, and once I get to a place where I have time to have those rubber hole inserts shipped to me, I will give those a try, or I will find a tire shop and see if they feel these brass stems can be bent enough to get the sensors away from the wheel hole edges (I don't want to try it while traveling toward home). Too many miles to go before home.

Remember, just because you see no evidence of contact with the wheel you still have a weight on the end of a lever, the valve stem, that can be spinning at up to a thousand RPM. It'd suck if the device we bought to help avoid a tire problem causes a flat by cracking the valve stem or the extension.

Ray

[Gary.Jones]

Ray

The ones that most of us are worried about (at least in this case) are the ones that are lying right against the sides of the hole in the aluminum wheels. The stems with the pass-throughs that are fully in the clear are those that are mounted on the inner and outer dual drive axle. Those four brass stems are mounted in free space not touching the wheels at all. One could argue that either type ("free space" versus snug-against-the-wheel) could be either good or bad. All stems on my coach appear to be chrome covered brass and very "stiff". The end cap style sensors on the Honda are again mounted on aluminum or brass inflexible stems.... none of the stems are rubber and none are flexible.

However, I remain concerned about the whole issue. There is no way I am aware of to measure any vibration or oscillation of the stems. My opinion is that the stems can easily handle the weight of the sensors with no distortion. My opinion is that the sensors do not have enough mass to create a problem from tire rotation, but that is the issue of this post.

Gary

[brobox]

To do it right only takes a couple of minutes and a couple of dollars. That is a single extension replacing the current extension and the hand hole plugs that the extension goes through. Both are sold by the wheel manufacture for that reason. Never thought putting a TPMS on would turn into rocket science.