High tire temperature

[rosszie@me.com]

This week we were driving thru LA (I know why?) The outside temp was 111 on the freeway, when my Smart Tire Monitoring system alarm went off, took us by surprise! I found an exit.. Stopped and checked the tires all were good.

The outside rear drive tire was the one with the alarm (I have a tag axle). We were still concerned so I drove to a truck stop on 10 freeway. Asked some truckers what their temps were, they did not have temp systems but their air pressure was 125 to 130-- the same as mine. All of my other tires were stating temps of 158 to 168 the problem one was now reading 190 (after slowing down for crosstown traffic) but the tire pressure was normal.

I decided to try making it home just another 100 miles or so.. well the temp out side was 106 to 109 and that tire temp stayed between 190 and 198 all seemed good so I drove home... And yes I set my tire temp cold, tires are Michelin 2 years old 15K on them, Anyone had his problem one and two what are the temps to be on a hot day like that.. I know that running low air pressure will cause higher temps & maybe a blowout..

[wolfe10]

First question-- was that tire in the sun as well as having the very high ambient temperature?

Brett

[rosszie@me.com]

no it was mostly over head.. around 12:20 PM

[wolfe10]

In the absence of sun on that tire, my first suspect is that the sender may be off. Use/borrow an IR gun and calibrate it.

Normally, the inside dual runs hotter than the outside as there is less air circulation.

Brett

[rosszie@me.com]

In the absence of sun on that tire, my first suspect is that the sender may be off. Use/borrow an IR gun and calibrate it.

Normally, the inside dual runs hotter than the outside as there is less air circulation.

Brett

Thanks Brett, I was just thinking about that.. I have a temp gun... the inside tire were just a little hotter by about 10deg's

but again thanks great minds think alike.. Rz'

[tbutler]

The sun is never a non-factor. When it is "mostly overhead" (directly overhead never occurs in the continental US, certainly not in California where the max at Los Angeles on June 21 would be 10.5 degrees from overhead at solar noon) the sun is beating down on the pavement most directly. This is pavement that you wouldn't walk on because it is too hot. If it was asphalt you would likely have burned your bare feet on it. Add just a little sun from one side of the coach or another and that can really increase tire temperature. We don't have temperature monitoring but our pressure sensors went off on the side toward the sun (outside dual and front steer tire) on our way through Sacramento several years ago. We had been driving on I-5 and were in stop and go traffic on the cross-town highway when the sensor began to alarm. Once we got out of traffic and were moving again, the sensor stopped alarming. I checked the pressure and it was just a little over the high limit that was set by the manufacturer. I always check my tires cold in the morning as well. We had come out of the mountains and now were in the valley at extreme temperatures. Sometimes, environmental conditions exceed the norms and the alarms will sound. If the temperature was 20 degrees above the other tires and it wasn't on the sunny side of the coach, I would suspect a gauge failure. Otherwise, I would suspect that it was a combination of pavement temperature, sun and a very hot day.

[Mugger]

I have a tech gremlin once in a while. I swap sensors with another tire. If the problem goes with the sensor, then it is the sensor... if not then the tire. I have had a sensor go bad and this is how I trouble shot it.

John

[rosszie@me.com]

Swapping sensors are not an option at this point... breaking down two or four tires is quite a job.. these sensors are installed in the center of the rims. The Air pressure was correct and that tire was to the touch no hotter that the others, I'm going to keep going (on the Hwy) for now.. I probably the sensor...

[tireman9]

Have you changed the "stuff" you carry around since you got your corner weights?

On large TBR size tires ambient +60 °F is not unheard of. Some consider that normal for Interstate speeds.

Can you get temperature readings in the morning when all tires are "cold". Do all the sensors match a regular thermometer reading?