Friday, December 28, 2007
RV tire monitoring device provides peace of mind
Professor of RVing and RV Now blogger Jim Twamley demonstrates a tire monitoring system that he says provides great peace of mind when rolling down the highway. He shows how to install the device and points out how it saved the day when its control monitor showed a tire to be over inflated as his coach rolled down the highway.
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More Than one - We use SmartTire as our tire Monitoring system
ReplyDeleteDo these devices work equally well for 5th wheels?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know which is the better tire monitoring system, the one that mounts on the valve stems or the one that mounts on the wheel inside the tires? I know that the one that mounts inside the tire is more expensive because of having to break the tire down to mount it.
ReplyDeleteThanks
We like our Dornan system. No hard wiring. Easy to read small unit with antenna-plugs into 12v recepticle. Can mount most anywhere. Has warning beep for pre set presssure. Saved us on Hwy 101 when we developed a leaky valve stem and wouldn't have known until the rear tire went flat. Separate wireless senders mount in place of valve caps. 20 min to set up and your on your way.
ReplyDeleteApprox @275 + $50 per wheel.
Just a couple of concerns here: 1)Is there a risk of causing a leak in the valve stem by the extra weight these devices add as the tire spins at highway speeds? and...2) What about wheel balance? Seems to me that with either type, valve stem or the kind that mounts inside the wheel, balance would be thrown off. Any advice on that?
ReplyDeleteBut Professor, the tire manufactures tell us to check the tires before we leave on a trip when the tires are still cool. Later in the day the tires may get quite hot and their internal pressure quite a bit higher (which may set off the over pressure alarm) but they told us never to release air to lower the pressure during the day due to temperature or altitude. Only in the morning before we start our travels.
ReplyDeleteWhich is right?
Basically, you're looking for one tire that has a significantly lower pressure than all the others. The tire pressure will go up or down depending on how hot they are, but the actual pressure in each tire should be about the same. (Provided the manufacturer recommends the same pressure for front and rear.) If you keep them filled and check the pressure carefully, then the lower pressure tire has a leak or some other problem.
ReplyDeleteTire pressure can change significantly due to heating while rolling. Pressure can also change by quite a few psi due to seasonal variations in temperature. (100 psi at 90 deg f, will become 85 psi at 20 deg f, if you don't add any more air - If you live in a climate that sees major temperature changes between winter and summer, you might want to consider adjusting the pressure for the season.) Tire pressure also changes a few psi with major changes in altitude. The main thing to look out for is one tire that is significantly lower than the rest of them. (A single tire that was HIGHER pressure than all the other would be considerably less common, but could indicate something like a hot bearing or dragging brakes.)