tpms June 09, 2009, 08:16:35 am Yahoo Message Number: 103147Does anyone have an opinion on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems? I tried following the technical discussion on Wiki, but got lost somewhere between "Angular Velocity" and "Applicaion-Specific Integrated Insertion Chips".All I want to know is - which ones (if any) work?Thanks, Francine
Re: tpms Reply #1 – June 09, 2009, 08:39:44 am Yahoo Message Number: 103148wrote:Does anyone have an opinion on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems? -- I don't have a TPM system, but I've heard several positive reports about the Pressure Pro: http://www.advantagepressurepro.com/ Joan
Re: tpms Reply #2 – June 09, 2009, 09:19:02 am Yahoo Message Number: 103149Quote Does anyone have an opinion on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems? I tried following the technical discussion on Wiki, but got lost somewhere between "Angular Velocity" and "Applicaion-Specific Integrated Insertion Chips".All I want to know is - which ones (if any) work?Thanks, Francine I have a Pressure Pro system that is about 5 years old and it does work but there are some issues: 1. The tire sensors are battery operated and must be returned to mfgr when battery goes dead. Replacements are about 1/2 price of new ones. 2. It is an RF system and sometimes the receiver loses one or more tires for a period of time. 3. Individual sensors cost $50.00/per tire which means that you will have $500.00 invested in sensors alone if you monitor both RV and Toad tires.I only install my sensors when we are towing the car and so far they are still working but I suspect they are approaching end of battery life. They only function when threaded on valve stem. Another minor issue is the fact that you have to put the same sensor back on same tire it was initially programmed for in order to keep monitered positions correct on display. They can be re-programmed each time it is used but it is easier to simply mark them for each tire. I want to get an additional (6) sensors for my LD but just can't quite justify the cost.
Re: tpms Reply #3 – June 09, 2009, 10:35:48 am Yahoo Message Number: 103150QuoteDoes anyone have an opinion on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems? We've been using the Pressure Pro system for a couple of years now and have been very happy with its performance. The thing I really like about it is that I can sit in the cab in the morning before leaving and run through all the pressures to see which tires might need some air...no more going to each tire, taking the stem cap off, checking the pressure, putting the step cap back on... . There are other systems that are similar to the Pressure Pro, but I know nothing about them (Camping World sell one such system), and then there are the systems that fit inside the tire requiring the tire to be dismounted and taken off the rim for installation, or if there are ever any problems. Whichever type of system you get, IMO, if you tow, they're essential. Even if you don't tow, it's difficult to know if one of your rear duals has gone flat while you're driving down the road.Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Re: tpms Reply #4 – June 09, 2009, 11:14:39 am Yahoo Message Number: 103152QuoteDoes anyone have an opinion on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems? Can't comment on after-market systems, but our RAV4 came standard with them on all 5 wheels. It does bring some peace of mind, but this system does not allow calibration, far as I know, and does not report which is the errant tire, which after-market systems should. What I have found is that the drop in pressure at winter temperatures does cause the dash warning light to come on. Since the spare does not heat up much as I drive, the light stays on until I find milder temps. If your system also monitors the spare (a good idea), it would be nice have that sensor recalibrate-able for the season.Steve
Re: Tire gauges Reply #5 – June 09, 2009, 02:22:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103153Dang it--I pressed the wrong key somehow and that message got posted before I was finished. Well, as I was saying... Another item that makes checking your tires easier is this talking tire pressure gauge:http://www.amazon.com/ROADGEAR-HI-TEC-DIGITAL-TIRE-GAUGE/dp/B000J39WJS?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1221767001&sr=8-1>orhttp://tinyurl.com/mghkvo> I bought mine at Radio Shack when it was on sale, and I really only chose it because it was the cheapest digital tire gauge available at the time. I figured the talking feature was just a gimmick. But it turned out to be very handy, because it means I don't have to be looking at the gauge to know what the pressure is. Regardless of the viewing angle, I can easily hear the voice saying "seventy four point five PSI." Combined with the inflate-through valve caps I mentioned in my last message, the talking gauge makes checking pressures--which I do religiously every morning before getting on the road--go even faster.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/ As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Valve caps Reply #6 – June 09, 2009, 02:43:21 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103154Well, double-dang--it appears my message about valve caps didn't get posted at all! Grrr... So let's try again, and if this ends up being a duplicate post, I trust y'all will forgive me. ;-) Linda wrote: "...no more going to each tire, taking the stem cap off, checking the pressure, putting the stem cap back on..." Well, not to say anything against tire pressure monitoring systems, but the nuisance that Linda refers to can be greatly reduced by replacing your plastic valve caps with a set of "V2B Inflate Thru Valve Caps." These little wonders let you inflate and check tire pressure without ever removing the cap--once you put them on, you'll never have to take them off again (until you change tires, anyway). If this sounds too good to be true--like some "As Seen on TV" gimcrack--I assure you it's not. The V2B caps are very well made, and I've been using them for many years on all my vehicles without a single problem. They are actually safer than regular valve caps, because they're completely airtight. (Think your plastic caps will hold 75 PSI if the valve stem fails? Think again!) Quoting the manufacturer's description, "Seals like a high pressure cap, yet offers the convenience of an inflate thru extension. The V2B performs like a check valve: the seal becomes tighter in the event of a [valve] core failure. Heat resistant grommets provide additional protection for extended high temperature running. Features tough all metal housing, precision fit brass components and durable self sealing O-Ring." My first set of these was included with the Tireman valve stems I bought from Chuck Carvitto, who generally knows his stuff. Those are still on Gertie, and I've bought more in order to outfit Skylark and my new toad with them as well. (And I've given away a lot of them to friends.) You may be able to find the V2B caps at a local tire place, but I bought mine online:http://www.myerstiresupply.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=263&bc=no&info=V2B-Inflate-Thru-Valve-Cap>orhttp://tinyurl.com/nwwqyg> They only cost 91 cents apiece, so outfitting your vehicles with these is quite cheap. However, the supplier just mentioned only sells them in boxes of fifty, so after you install six on your rig and four more on your toad, you're going to have a bunch left over. But hey--these make great, very much appreciated little gifts for anybody you know, whether or not they drive an RV. Believe me, you'll go through a box in no time. ;-) Obviously, these are not a substitute for a tire pressure monitoring system... but they do make the job of checking tire pressures manually a whole lot quicker and easier, and at less than a buck a tire, they're so cheap that you'd be crazy not to have them.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: tpms Reply #7 – June 09, 2009, 04:21:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103156Hello Francine: We got the Hopkins system from CW this past February. $360+_. About 2,500 miles later all is well. Like the Pressure Pro, now & then here will be an interference issue that will lead to a false alarm. To date these interference issues only occur when stopped, never when moving. The tech. support people don't know why. I really like the system. No more daily routine of checking the tire pressure. When driving, every 30 seconds tire pressure is checked. After hearing a fellow LD'er tell me the story of having a flat, not knowing it and causing some very expensive damage I decided to give it a try. Very pleased so far. CW has two different systems for sale in the $360 range for six sensors. The Pressure Pro runs $600.Ed
Re: Valve caps Reply #8 – June 09, 2009, 04:40:01 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103157wrote: "...replacing your plastic valve caps with a set of "V2B Inflate Thru Valve Caps." These little wonders let you inflate and check tire pressure without ever removing the cap--once you put them on, you'll never have to take them off again (until you change tires, anyway)." --- The German-made Alligator air-through valve caps are great; I heartily second the recommendation above.Another source for these is Expedition Exchange: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/air/The caps are $2.00 apiece, twice the price of the same item from Meyer's Tire Supply, but they're sold individually; no need to buy a box of 50! I didn't calculate the shipping costs from either supplier.Joan
Re: Valve caps Reply #9 – June 09, 2009, 04:52:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103159Lazy Daze also sells generally similar caps. $.50 each. Our '08 came with them installed on the valve stems on the front tires. They act as short, 3/4"+-, valve stem extensions. These caps work nicely to get the valve stem through the hole in the wheel covers.Ed
Re: tpms Reply #10 – June 09, 2009, 05:07:28 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103160"What I have found is that the drop in pressure at winter temperatures does cause the dash warning light to come on. Since the spare does not heat up much as I drive, the light stays on until I find milder temps." Just out of curiosity, is there any reason you don't just put a little more air in the spare? Another few pounds wouldn't do any harm, and would reduce or eliminate the false-alarm problem you described. False alarms are more than just a nuisance. Once you get used to them, they can lead you to disregard a real problem until it's too late... so it's best to get rid of them if at all possible.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: tpms Reply #11 – June 09, 2009, 07:04:34 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103169Wow! Thanks everyone! Lots to digest here. Les Schwab said the only ones they'd heard of were installed by the manufacturer, so too late for my 1985 LD. Sounds like those of you with after market TPMS's have had good luck with them, which is encouraging. Unless they are totally foolproof, I tend to be the fool they won't work for. The alligator valve caps also sound intriguing, as does the digital- and vocal ("Open the pod bay door Hal")- tire pressure gauge. All of your suggestions beat starting the day with black valve cap grunge on your fingertips.thanks, Francine
Re: tpms Reply #12 – June 09, 2009, 08:11:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103174Weighing in on this discussion, I have and rely on the Pressure Pro system. It only takes a few pounds of pressure change to trigger the alarm. I have yet to see a false alarm. The indicated pressure has always matched what I find when I do manual check. Others have said they check their tires daily. I don't. Each time the valve assembly is opened, as in doing a pressure check, there is a chance (small but not zero) that it will not seat properly. repeatedly cycling the valves increases the chance of a leak. With the PressurePro system, I do a manual check once and program the monitor. Thereafter, the system is closed. As others have said, the system checks the pressure in every tire every 30 seconds, without opening any valves. To me, having the check that way is better than doing a manual check. The one down side is that I do occasionally lose the signal from the rear tires on the Toad. I could correct that with the remote exterior antenna kit but, as the signal usually returns within 5 minutes, I haven't felt the need. In 8 months, I have had one slow leak in my Toad. I had a nail in the tread and the pressure dropped. On day 1, the monitor reported that the pressure had dropped from 32 to 29 pounds. I added air to 32. The next day, it reported 28 pounds. I took the tire off and fixed it. The point is that the monitor was reliable, giving me accurate pressure information with sufficient sensitivity to avoid problems. I hope that is helpful. Ken, currently in NW MAssachusetts.
A tire pressure story Reply #13 – June 09, 2009, 11:00:16 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103181A couple of days ago I met a nice couple who are fulltiming (since two months ago) in a 22' class C--a Carri-Lite or something like that--built on a Workhorse chassis. As they were showing off their rig, I noticed that there were no valve stems visible in the rear duallies, so I asked them how they were able to check their tire pressure. The answer: "Oh, we have them checked when we get the oil changed." I just about fell over! Needless to say, I sent them information about Tireman stems as soon as I got back to my coach. :-)Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: tpms Reply #14 – June 10, 2009, 01:50:30 am Yahoo Message Number: 103185QuoteJust out of curiosity, is there any reason you don't just put a little more air in the spare? Another few pounds wouldn't do any harm, and would reduce or eliminate the false-alarm problem you described. Problem is, we live in SoCal. Trips to our cabin at 6000' in the winter cause the problem to occur - but we only stay a few days, then 90 min later we are back in mild Los Angeles for a week or two or more. The Toyota tpms system will trip the sensor on either over or under pressure. Upping the pressure would obviously be a good choice if we stayed at a constant elevation/climate for the season.Steve
Re: A tire pressure story Reply #15 – June 10, 2009, 10:25:28 am Yahoo Message Number: 103191It's a wonder how people get by on the road with very little knowledge about the rv they're in. Ignorance is bliss? Mari
Re: A tire pressure story Reply #16 – June 10, 2009, 10:51:35 am Yahoo Message Number: 103195Quote From: mskit417 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 7:24 AM Subject: [LD] Re: A tire pressure storyIt's a wonder how people get by on the road with very little knowledge about the rv they're in. Ignorance is bliss? MariProbably the same way the many millions of viewers get by while having absolutely no idea how the picture arrives on their TV screen. Some things, like Lazy Daze RV's, ya just gotta accept on faith I guess.bumper Yonder Minden, NV
Re: A tire pressure story Reply #17 – June 10, 2009, 01:05:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103201"Ignorance is bliss?" Unfortunately, when you're talking about underinflated tires, ignorance is potentially fatal.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Tire Pressure Monitor System Reply #18 – June 10, 2009, 02:48:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103209Quoting the Toyota web site: Tire Pressure Monitor System A tire pressure monitor system is standard on all Sienna models. Special wheel-speed sensors, operated by the Anti-lock Brake System Electronic Control Unit (ABS ECU), measure each wheel's rotational speed relative to the other wheels, allowing the system to detect a difference in wheel speeds due to a severe drop in the air pressure of the tire(s). Once under-inflation is detected, the low tire pressure warning light will illuminate. The tire pressure warning system does not use pressure sensors. This system is provided because low air pressure is not readily apparent due to minimal tire deformation. Therefore, it is very important to check the tire pressure regularly. Furthermore, the low pressure tire warning does not function under certain circumstances (please refer to your owner's manual for more information). Note that it does NOT measure tire pressure. So altitude should not be an issue. I ran it for the Sienna but am comfident that its the same tech for all their vehicles. Maybe its attitude sensitive (g) FWIW: Jack in Renosnip>
Tire Pressure Monitor System Reply #19 – June 10, 2009, 07:23:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103223QuoteNote that it does NOT measure tire pressure. So altitude should not be an issue. I ran it for the Sienna but am comfident that its the same tech for all their vehicles. Maybe its attitude sensitive (g) FWIW: Jack in Reno I don't see how this could work for the RAV4, as there is one on the spare, which obviously does not rotate. Unlike most cars, the spare is the same as the road tires. However, I will check the manual when I get a chance. Note that when the sensor came on, I checked the road tires, and they were fine. Later, after the sensor went off, I checked the spare, and it too was fine.Steve
Tire Pressure Monitor System Reply #20 – June 10, 2009, 09:27:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103230The spare has the same sensor. My neighbors low pressure indicator came on also. The tire that was low on air pressure was the spare. Altitude could be a problem if one went high enough it get colder thus less volume
Tire Pressure Monitor System Reply #21 – June 11, 2009, 12:12:05 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103251Most instruments measuring air pressure do not measure actual PSI. They measure the differential from inside to outside. Assuming an ambient PSI of 14.7 PSI, atmospheric pressure at sea level, a tire that measures at 30 PSI actually contains 44.7, or 30 + 14.7. It is the differential of 30 that is measured. If one ascends to a significant altitude, the exterior pressure drops. The colder air contracts, reducing the inner pressure also. However, that temperature difference is usually less than the reduction in exterior pressure. This can be viewed if you take a bag of something sealed such as potato chips from low altitude where the bag is slack to high altitude where the bag is tight. The differential has increased making it appear that the bag has more air in it. I don't think an increase in altitude would result in a low tire pressure reading in a tire that is otherwise fine. If you get a low pressure indication at altitude, I am betting that you have lost air from the tire. JMHO Ken
Tire Pressure Monitor System Reply #22 – June 11, 2009, 12:37:40 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103252Quotethe differential of 30 that is measured. If one ascends to a significant altitude, the exterior pressure drops. The colder air contracts, reducing the inner pressure also. However, that temperature difference is usually less than the reduction in exterior pressure. The difference in outside pressure from altitude change is usually much less than the tire pressure change from the temperature swing resulting from changing climate zones at altitude - but depending on terrain characteristics, too. Our cabin is only 5000' higher than our home in the San Fernando Valley, but it is located on the steep northern slope of a mountain that is 2500' higher, in a deep pine forest. Typical night and morning temperatures at the cabin in the winter are 25F or more lower than our lowland home. This exemplifies what occurs in the more complex terrain you typically find at altitude. One last comment on our RAV4 tpms (since it applies little to this group's concerns). I could find no mention of sensor methodology in our owners manual, but a comment that the sensor will not reset until the 'repaired' tire is re-substituted for the spare that replaced it suggest to me that the spare's sensor may use different technology than the road tires. This would be in-line with a measurement of rotational speed as the primary system, with a pressure sensor for the spare.Steve
Tire Pressure Monitor System Reply #23 – June 11, 2009, 01:46:37 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103254"This would be in line with a measurement of rotational speed as the primary system, with a pressure sensor for the spare." I dunno, Steve... maybe it just means that the little electric motor that keeps your spare spinning has stopped working. This is easy to diagnose: just take off the spare cover. If the spare isn't spinning, you know you've found the problem. ;-)Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Tire Pressure Monitor System Reply #24 – June 11, 2009, 07:13:34 pm Yahoo Message Number: 103257QuoteI dunno, Steve... maybe it just means that the little electric motor that keeps your spare spinning has stopped working. This is easy to diagnose: just take off the spare cover. If the spare isn't spinning, you know you've found the problem. ;-) Hmmm... good point. So, I tested it out - pulled the cover, and had the wife drive slowly away from me. It doesn't spin. But then I realized, that's not conclusive, because it may only spin with the cover on - safety concerns, you know. So it probably is spinning, since the tpms warning lite is off here in L.A.Steve
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