Tire Monitoring System

[luvrbus]

I`know it is no where close to the better systems that Jim sells but I installed one of the LED Tire Guard systems today good little system for a 165.00 for the kit, short battery life (2 years they say) check it out www.realwheels.com and watch the video the LED is bright just a alternative for a lower priced system oops I don't remember if it is Tire Watch or Tire Guard lol

good luck

[wg4t50]

It seems a lot of us have many opinions and experiences with the TPMS units.  I purchased the Pressure Pro system, can say it works OK about 80% of the time, I am now told I need a repeater for $85.00 I think it is, however, for one reason or other I keep loosing air very slowly, so I removed the senders from the rear wheels, and the funniest thing happened, I no longer loose air.
For me I vote to not use them.  Maybe being an old trucker, I know how to pay attention to the tires.

[Lin]

I once spoke to a very knowledgeable man at Pressure Pro.  He had said that people have a tendency to tighten the sending units to tightly.  That damages the O-rings and starts them leaking.  They sell extra O-rings.  He claimed that the sending units do not need to be very tight at all.  The locking nuts they provide with the senders has nothing to do with the units coming loose.  They are only meant as a theft deterrent.

[RnMAdventures]

I have been thinking about something like that. The system you mentioned would be easier than having to check each tire with a guage. I am not very familiar with these systems by any brand. Is there a benefit to having one that monitors the temperature as well? Would temperature detection detect a stuck brake or a wheel baring that is going out?

[rv_safetyman]

First, I no longer market the Pressure Pro (or any) TPMS system.  The margins are so low that I can't justify the resources needed to properly support the product. 

Secondly, the TPMS market has been flooded with cheap systems.  Some of those systems have a bit of a track record, but most don't.  These cheap systems make it extremely difficult to market a premium system.

I still feel that Pressure Pro is among the very best systems on the market.

The subject of TPMS system's temperature measuring capability comes up often.  With the exception of one system, all TPMS system are valve stem mounted (external to the interior of the tire) .  I have never been able to support the idea that a sensor mounted on the valve stem can provide meaningful temperature information.  There is a vague argument that the internal air temperature of the tire will somehow give input to the sensor - I don't buy that argument.  Sure, the temperature reading on the monitor will go up as you drive, because the area of the wheel/tire is warmer than the ambient temperature, but that is not an accurate indication of the actual tire temperature. 

The only system that can accurately measure tire/wheel temperature is the internal rim mounted system:

http://www.smartire.com/cv/overview

I do not have first hand experience with this product, but it make sense to me that the fact that it is mounted on the drop center part of the rim (inside the tire) can provide useful temperature information.  I think it would detect brake heat issues as well.

That said, they have exited the RV market.

Jim

[chev49]

Thanks for the link.

[RnMAdventures]

Thanks for the information Jim. That is exactly what I was wanting to know.