tireman9

Just a reminder. When inflating tires we do not adjust for expected future temperature changes. Inflate tires to your goal inflation which you learned after learning your actual load on each tire. AKA "4 Corner weight" which means the load on each position RF, LF, RR, LR (If you have a Tag axle than you also need RT and LT. If you have not learned your corner weights then I suggest you at least get individual axle loads and assume a 2% axle end-to-end unbalance that means take the truck scale printout for each axle and assume that one end has 52% of the total on that axle. This 2% adjustment may not be enough for all RVs as we know that some axles have been found to be 1,000# or even 1,500# out of balance side to side but we are trying to catch as many out-of-balance coaches as possible. If this 52% calculation presents problems with finding the correct CIP this suggests that you really need to find a scale where you can weigh each end of each axle. If you are going to an FMCA Int'L Convention then be sure to sign-up to get your coach weighed by RVSEF. Openings can fill up so get signed up as soon as possible. If you can't get to an FMCA Convention then check the RVSEF website for the locations where they are weighing coaches. If you have a question on just what we mean by "Cold Inflation" here is the statement from US Tire & Rim Association.

When I last stayed at the FMCA campground near Cincinnati, I discovered that all breakers were in the "ON" position when I went to plug in. This is neither safe nor good for long term life of your power cord. Here is the background https://rvelectricity.substack.com/p/turn-off-the-circuit-breakers?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

There is a shop here in Akron.

For motorhomes I would recommend all wheel alignment and spin balance on the coach for the fronts as brakes & hubs can be out of balance.

I think elkhartjim's suggestion is a good one. You don't even need to re-program your system just remember which sensor came from which wheel, and switch back after this question has been resolved. I do think there is a good chance the higher temperature might be due to some external heat source such as the exhaust system. Where is your exhaust pipe? One other thing to consider. Your "4-corner weights" gave you weight numbers for both ends of the rear axle Do you still have the weights? Which axle end was heavier? When selecting your "cold" inflation did you add any "cushion" or is your cold inflation exactly what was indicated by the tables? Example: If one axle end measured 8,000# and the other end measured 9,000# and the tables for your tire show you would need 100 pai to support 8,000# and 115 psi to support 9,000# did you First go with the heavier end and then add 10% to the minimum inflation found in the table? i.e. 115 psi +10% or 126 psi? Also are all the tires on that axle inflated to 126 psi cold? You get the weight. Using the heavier end consult the tables to learn the minimum inflation then add 10% to that number Finally, your reported 190F is rather high and I would expect overload or defective sensor. Also have you ever done a TPMS System "Test" as I suggested in This blog post? I bet that almost no one has done a test as I outlined.

Received this question from an FMCA member. I read your great article in Family RVing and appreciate your time and effort for informing readers like me. I was particularly interested in the side bar about the Advantage Pressure Pro because of the statement you made in your article “selecting a system that can provide an early morning pressure reading”. Because the Advantage Pressure Pro was in your article does it show an accurate reading before starting to move? As yet I’ve never seen this quality as part of a TPMS product description. When I’ve called a couple of TPMS companies and asked specifically about that, I got an answer that, while positive, didn’t give me a feeling of confidence that I was getting accurate information. What also makes me a bit wary is that I have a TPMS that came with my 2015 Jeep Cherokee that I bought new. When I first get in the Jeep I sometimes check the inflation levels. A couple of the tires will show 36 psi but one or two of the others might show 31 or 32. Once I drive half a block the low levels come up to 36. I know half a block is not enough to cause sufficient heating to get the pressure to come up. Additionally the tires initially showing 36 psi don’t come up a similar increment. With my RV I don’t want to be halfway out of the RV park before I get an accurate reading. I don’t know how to prepare a google inquiry to get this information. Can you tell me how to do that? OR Can you tell me how to ask the question of a TPMS supplier so that I get an answer that leaves me more confident about the information? OR Even better yet, can you recommend a TPMS that does this? Thanks in advance for your time and effort on this. Jim Z. ========================== My reply: First, you need to know I have no control on the advertising applied to my posts. Some systems require vehicle movement before they will report data (pressure or temperature) some do not require movement. With many dozens of systems on the market, there is no way for me to know what every system does or when a system might change its programming. As I showed in my blog posts different systems will report slightly different numbers BUT as I pointed out, I did not feel the differences were "meaningful". Your Jeep is probably displaying the data from when you parked it. There are two different types of TPM Systems used by Car companies "Active" and "Passive". Active systems are taking actual measurements of temperature and pressure from miniature sensors. "Passive" systems are calculating inflation based on counting tire revolutions. I don't know which Jeep uses or if they have different systems on different models or year vehicles. If you read all of my Blog posts on TPMS you can see the results of my direct evaluation of two different systems. To my knowledge, this is the only direct comparison anyone has run or published data on. Bottom line I am comfortable recommending either TST system from TechnoRv or the TireTraker system, directly from Traker. Hope this answers your questions.

Years ago "Armstrong" was an independent tire company. I believe that Armstrong like many other tire "brands", was bought by other tire companies as the name had some value. At this point I would be surprised if there was any remnant of Armstrong engineering in today's "Armstrong" branded tires. This doesn't mean they are not good as I am just pointing out that times change so reputations from the 70's or 90's or even 2000 may not represent current production. Personally I suggest that people check out the dealer network current selling a given brand. If you travel a lot you do not need to be 500 miles away from the nearest dealer when you need service.

For what it's worth, I like Rayin's answer. Obviously he has been paying attention. 🤑

So fagnaml have you contacted TireMinder? We would be interested to learn what they said or did.

Yes dimensions and tire to tire clearance are important but so is the load capacity yet no one mentioned the load capacity. Lets look at load capacity & dimensions. Your OE 255/80R22.5 had dimensions of 10. 4 wide and 38.84 OD on 7.5 wide rim LR-G gave you 5205 / 4805 Lbs S/Dual load capacity Min dual spacing was 11.30 I have a post on my blog on Min Dual Spacing and here is a graphic of that spacing There are 265/75R22.5 tires with the same load capacity as your 255 The dimensions are 10.31 width 38.43 OD and 11.61 min spacing so these should fit as you only loose .0.31" clearance and support the load as LR-G tires

Alliguru OK to be clear the hole in your wheel is larger than 0.42 and is closer 0.52 (there are only 2 sizes in that range and we don't need to measure to 0.001". Your picture was good. Well lit and nice focus I added the measuring point on the grommet to your picture so we are both talking about the same spot. NAPA has what you need for $6. Part #: NTH 90431 I would not use the Nylon adapters as you need the softer rubber grommets that will adapt to the small variations in hole size and seal against the stem threads when you tighten the nuts, FYI I have a couple of posts on my RV Tire Safety blog with more details. https://www.rvtiresafety.net/2013/01/what-valve-should-you-use.html https://www.rvtiresafety.net/2017/07/care-and-feeding-of-your-valve-stems.html The aluminum nuts on your TPMS have a spec of 62 In-Lb NOT FT-LB so "snug with a small wrench should do it. Due to the tendency of the aluminum nuts to corrode, I recommend a small dab of Never-Seize on the aluminum threads Your GMC dealer can confirm the torque specs for aluminum TPMS but here is a chart, https://shop.myerstiresupply.com/ERP2Web49/documents/pdf/DVTDynamicTPMSAppGuide2016.pdf

There are only 2 hole diameters for the Automotive market. 0.445 and 0,618 I haven't seen that exact valve but many times the metal threads are the smaller standard and metal valves are sold with 2 different rubber grommets One to fit the .445 hole and one to fit the .618. Without seeing your TPM with the shoulder nut off the stem I can't be 100% certain. You can email me directly and we can work out a "Fix" tireman9@gmail.com I will post the answer here later

If you go to Discounts, then to Michelin, when on Michelin go to How It Works. There you can find dealer locator.

Have you contacted TireMinder directly? If taking the monitor to the sensor doesn't give a reading then yes the sensor may be dead. I have posted a recommendation on my blog that we all test our TPMS at least once a year. This will confirm the pressure when the sensor gives a warning and conforms that each sensor is working as expected.

Here is a good worksheet for those checking the tire position weights. It covers all types of RVs. https://fifthwheelst.com/documents/BridgestoneWeighForm.pdf

What prices were you quoted when you called around? Different locations seem to respond to market pressure so the price in one location is not necessarily the same in another part of the country. This labor rate is not standardized by the tire companies.

That was a good plan.

You didn't mention your current tire size. Are they 16" ST type? one option is to check out the "Commercial not ST type" 17.5" wheels & tires that can provide increased load capacity which should result in some improved reliability. You will need to look at your actual scale weight numbers and compare with the tire load capacities. For 5th wheel RVs I suggest that the tires provide at lease a 15% load capacity margin if possible.

If you have been happy with your current Hankooks why are you shopping for different brand? Tire prices can vary across the country and tire companies are adjusting prices every few months so I suggest you get the current price for replacing your Hankooks and then check the alternates you are considering when using the FMCA discount. You are the only one that can include the cost of travel (if needed) to get your tires replaced. One other thing to take into consideration is the cost of disposal of your old tires. Some stores charge a different price than others. I wrote a post on "selling old tires" that could offset some of the new tire cost and would eliminate the old tire "disposal" charge. This could amount to a couple hundred dollars difference. When I replaced the tires on my Class-C I sold my 8 year old 16" tires for $300 on Craigslist.

I would still get on a truck scale and ensure the new tires can support 110% of the measured load based on heavier end of each axle. If you can't get individual ends at least assume 52% of the axle reading. In 2017 RVIA changes the tire requirement to be able to support 110% of the GAWR. This was done to at least partially address the known tire overloading seen on a majority of RVs. You can meet the 110% either with higher Load Range and higher inflation or with larger tires.

In addition to finding the OE size and Load Range i suggest you also get the unit on a truck scale to learn how close to the GAW rating your RV is. HAve you looked for a Holiday Rambler forum? You amy be able to find someone with your exact model and year who can point you to the location of your Certification label that has all kinds of important weight and tire information.

Comment: As with many such articles many people simply collect information from various sources on the internet and write a post for publication. This is a source of income for many. The problem is that some times the authors have no personal knowledge on the topic so do not always do a good job of separating the "wheat from the chaff". One telling comment for the drivinvibin site is when they said ST stood for "Special Tire" when in reality ST stands for Special Trailer. 'China Bomb" is a popular but incorrect "title" given to many tires that come on RV trailers. This "reputation" was developed when RV companies focused on buying the cheapest and lowest capacity tires possible and we ended up with almost all trailers coming with tires made in China,. Couple this fact with the reality that most RV trailers are overloading their tires, so when there was a tire failure for any reason (overload, high-speed, under-inflation or even a nail) the RV owner simply decided that it must be the tire's fault and since all tires were coming from China all tire failures occurred on tires made in China, the reason must be because the tires were made in China, Even the punctures or overloaded or under-inflated tires as certainly the RV owner can not be expected to be responsible for any of those conditions. I could just as easily blame the city of Elkhart, Indiana for making poor quality RVs because almost every problem is on an RV that was made in Elkhart Indiana. So should we all boycott RVs made in Elkhart? I also found the article a bit racist as the authors managed to find a picture of a man who is descended from Asia ancestors selling tires in an effort to support their unsupported contention that tires made in china are almost all junk.

When you say they "Look Good" I bet you are just referring to having good tread. You can review tire inspection on this site. https://www.rvtiresafety.net/2014/08/how-do-i-inspect-my-tires.html Some related info. Herman is correct that the tires may be 2020 but you should have the complete DOT serial for each tire recorded as they may not all be the same. Have you been on a truck scale when the RV is fully loaded to the heaviest you ever expect to be? This is important as it is well documented that over half of the RVs on the road have a tire or axle in overload. I also cover load and inflation in many posts on my blog.

Certification sticker location on motorhomes moved around a bit before 2010 or so. You didn't say what year Thor you have. Certification label for motorhomes is suppose to be on driver door jam if there is a driver door. If no driver door then somewhere near the driver left elbow. I have seen on the floor or just behind the seat but start looking there. This means your Thor Chateau 22b should be on driver door jam just as on cars and P/U.

NHTSA Recall ID Number : 22T009 Synopsis : Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Goodyear) is recalling certain G159 tires, size 275/70R22.5 with DOT date codes 046 through 0403. The tread may separate from the tire. Tread separation can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the tires installed on recreational vehicles, free of charge, and provide a $60 voucher for the cost of professionally weighing a recreational vehicle. Goodyear will offer a $500 refund for tires not installed on a vehicle. The manufacturer has not yet provided a schedule for recall notification. Owners may contact Goodyear customer service at 1-800-592-3267. ======= Normally a recall only includes tire replacement. The $500 bonus is special. So is the payment to get the weighed. These are older tires (1996 - 2003) too and should have been replaced a years ago.