Tire Monitors

[rhigdon]

Can someone recommend a tire monitoring system that will check the RV tire pressure AND the tires on the tow vehicle?

[wolfe10]

I think most will do that. We have a Pressure Pro system that monitors all 10 tires (6 on motorhome and 4 on toad).

At least with our 36' coach, no need for a booster antenna-- just the monitor and sensors.

Brett

[bizsmith@yahoo.com]

I have TST system. It has been very good after early problems with sensors. Problem sensors were replaced free of charge at Madison last summer.

[tbutler]

We have the Pressure Pro system also. I've been using it for four years. The sensors are overdue for replacement but are still working. Replacing the sensors means buying a new set with the Pressure Pro as the batteries are not replaceable. The replacement sensors are sold at 1/2 price with the return of the old sensors. The monitoring unit quit about two years ago and the company replaced it with a new updated unit at a discounted price. One thing I'm planning to add in the future is a repeater unit to help pick up signals from the toad. With a 40' coach we have brief periods when we will lose signal from one sensor or another on the toad. The repeater antenna will solve that problem.

The system has saved us extensive damage when we had a rear tire pick up road debris. We were driving after dark and highway work had us detoured onto the shoulder. I was near the end of the detour area when the alarm went off. I could tell right away which tire was affected and the pressure was shown so I knew it wasn't a false alarm. I pulled to the shoulder and walked to the rear of the vehicle where I could hear the air hissing from the puncture. Without the alarm I wouldn't have known there was a problem until the tire (and likely its companion) began to come apart. So I consider the system to have paid for itself.

With Pressure Pro the sensors function as valve caps and you remove them when you want to air up a tire to check pressure with a tire gauge. When you replace them on the tire valve they reset to the new pressure as the base pressure. You can tweak the system to make it alarm with smaller or larger changes than the factory settings.

There are systems where the sensor has a by-pass so the sensor, which fits on the valve stem, doesn't have to be removed to add air to a tire or check pressure with a tire gauge. All of the external sensor systems have some kind of anti-theft feature, with most it is a special tool for removal or a lock nut that secures the sensor firmly to the valve stem.

There are other systems that work similarly but the sensor designs vary significantly. Perhaps one of the best type of sensors is installed inside the tire. They detect pressure and temperature. The down side is that installing them requires dismounting all your tires! Then if something causes a sensor to fail or a battery goes dead, you have to have a tire pulled off to replace the sensor.

You will find fans of any system. Take a look at all the systems and decide which meets your needs best. Costs vary considerably. There are new systems on the market periodically so don't rely only on word of mouth. A good place to see these systems will be the FMCA Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase in Indianapolis in just a few days.

One last suggestion. This has been a topic of discussion in the past so you can pick up information from past discussions by entering tire monitor in the search box at the top-right of this page. Any system you choose will pay off either in reducing or eliminating secondary damage from a tire failure or simply in the peace of mind knowing that your tires are in good condition as you drive down the road.

[bobndorine2]

We have the TST monitors and they saved us when the temperature went way up on the toad's left front which turned out to be a bad wheel bearing. We don't need a repeater as all 10 monitors work fine with a 36' motorhome. The TST gives you temperature as well as pressure.

[desertdeals69]

I have been using Tire Minder with replacable batteries in the transmitters. I will be beta testing the next generation transmitters when I leave Sturbridge Ma tomorrow. So far so good.

[rossboyer]

What is new or different about the new sensors you are testing?

[andyshane]

I bought the Tire Traker system last year, and am highly satisfied. Owners Daryl and Cheri Lawrence have gone way above and beyond the call, providing service.

I'll give you an example: my wife was on a solo trip, pulling a Roadmaster 2000-1 dolly with her Honda Crosstour aboard, when there was a sudden explosion and the tire alarm sounded.

Of course, the stock Carlisle tire* had reached the end of its brief service life and disintegrated, launching the Tire Traker sensor into low orbit. As the doomed transmitter rocketed away from the dolly, it sent one last signal to our cockpit, tripping the alarm.

So, I called Daryl and said I needed to buy a transmitter, he refused to charge me for the replacement.

Really, the only problem within the system itself has been a fractured leg on the battery clip inside one of the transmitters. I told Daryl that I'd be happy to solder it if he walked me through the process; instead, he immediately put a free replacement in the mail.

In short, two minor glitches, each followed by a box in my mailbox free of charge three days later.

The batteries in the lightweight sensors can be bought at any Radio Shack, and I have yet to need the booster unit I purchased but have not yet installed. There are two locked-down sensors on the Crosstour's rear tires, which places them nearly sixty feet away from the receiver. Still, I have perfect reception to the unit, under all conditions.

* I have reported the early failures of both Carlisles to the NTHSA. This is common, when Carlisles are mounted on dollies or heavy trailers, even when used within their weight ratings. Consumers typically experience catastrophic failure before reaching 4,000 miles, judging from dozens of written accounts. Kudos to the Claims Department at Carlisle for compensating us for the failed tires, the fenders destroyed in these incidents. They are investigating the early failure pattern of their trailer tires. Roadmaster is also looking into the problem, but assumes no liability in these failures, and continues to sell dollies equipped with Carlisle tires.

[desertdeals69]

Construction is more robust and is less effected by outside interference. The booster is not required for toad sensors.

[jfxg48]

I bought the TST system with 10 flow-through sensors last July. The first monitor panel wouldn't accept programming, and the folks at TST had a new one in my hands gratis within two days. About a couple of months later one of my sensors developed an air leak. A TST distributor at the FMCA rally at York swapped it no problem. The system works well, and I'm quite pleased. I purchased a signal booster with my initial order, but have never needed it. Good strength from toad wheels behind our 40 ft coach.

The only thing I've noticed that I might call a negative is that adding/subtracting air through the sensors is a bit slower than through a straight valve.

[bizsmith@yahoo.com]

We traded our TST 510 system for the 507 with flow thru sensors. For our coach the repeater is necessary for complete reliability for the toad tires. It can be intermittent without. I think every monitor system on a given coach can be different with regard to repeaters. The reason I switched to the 507 is that I had the 510 long enough that the sensor batteries were starting to need replacing. The batteries are user replaceable with the 507. Something to consider no matter what brand you choose. TST is working for me. Do your research and choose. There are many reliable brands.