Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video February 16, 2013, 09:41:18 am Yahoo Message Number: 136833Not sure this will be informative, but this video shows one persons experience when he forgot to take the toad out of park. It's Hilarious!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZFCHk1XCDY
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #1 – February 16, 2013, 11:55:41 am Yahoo Message Number: 136837That is very sad. Some years ago there was a major fire
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #2 – February 16, 2013, 11:59:28 am Yahoo Message Number: 136838On Feb 16, 2013, at 10:55 AM, johndacrema wrote:QuoteThat is very sad. I too found it sad, John, not "hilarious." My husband and I have a redundant checking system in our efforts to make sure we don't do this with our LD and Subaru Forester-toad. I have to think most RVers do the same to avoid disaster. BTW, it was a different "Martha" who left the original post. Not me.Martha in Santa Fe[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #3 – February 16, 2013, 04:23:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136848When we first started to tow, someone asked: "How do you know when your toad has a flat tire?" I had absolutely no answer, and immediately purchased a tire pressure monitoring system for all ten tires (6 + 4). It has been a lifesaver more than once. Example: just bought new tires for the LD at Costco, about 60 miles from home. Started driving back and the monitoring system alarm sounded. TWO tires were losing pressure. Costco didn't tighten the stems adequately. I was able to fix one (front) but not the other (rear). On the rest of the trip, had to fill the rear tire three times, as it lost pressure. Bad leaking stem was the culprit. Lesson 2: carry an air compressor at all times. With tire monitoring system and air compressor, we have peace of mind, short of a blowout (or even with a blowout on the toad).Ted
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #4 – February 16, 2013, 11:03:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136850QuoteThe cause was a flat tire where the tire had gone a way... This one below sobered me up. I've watched it a few times to let it sink in. Also, the report on his blog. Very nice people. Hard lessons - not to mention the tire hustlers lurking out there at service centers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1b9Ul86VhQhttp://rvretired.net/fire.htmlDan
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #5 – February 17, 2013, 10:39:15 am Yahoo Message Number: 136853Is there a recommenced brand for a tire pressure monitoring system?
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #6 – February 17, 2013, 11:21:41 am Yahoo Message Number: 136854Quote Is there a recommenced brand for a tire pressure monitoring system? We've been very happy with the PressurePro 10 wheel system. http://advantagepressurepro.com/ They've been around quite a long time. The only thing I'd like is user replaceable sensor batteries. But we are almost 5 years along with a LOT of miles and still haven't gotten any low battery warnings.Art
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #7 – February 17, 2013, 11:28:41 am Yahoo Message Number: 136855There are a couple of different types, depending on what you want. We have used Pressure Pros for over six years now and have had very good luck with them...they're still going on their original batteries. This system consists of a receiving unit in the cab and sending units that are screwed onto each tire stem. There are other brands of this type of TPMS which work well, too. The other type of TPMS is the kind that goes INSIDE the tire (meaning the tires have to be dismounted to install and if anything ever goes wrong with one of the sending units and it needs to be replaced). Some (maybe all?) of these types of TPMS also read temperature in addition to pressure, which would be useful, particularly in the case of a blowout (assuming the temperature goes up prior to the blowout). If I were going to buy a new system today, I'd probably stick with the Pressure Pros, although I might look seriously at the ones that also read temperature. The only thing I don't like about these types of TPMS's -- and the reason we didn't get this type originally -- is that the tires have to be dismounted to install. Just seems like an additional hassle to me, so you'd have to decide for yourself whether or not the temperature reading was important enough to go through this hassle (and additional expense).Linda Hylton http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #8 – February 17, 2013, 01:50:16 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136862My newish toad is a 2011 CRV which has sending units built into each valve stem. Its too bad there is not a system that could pick up those signals and retransmit them to a unit in the RV. I do use an IR temperature gauge to check all the wheel and bearing temps at every stop while traveling. Jack in sunny Reno
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #9 – February 18, 2013, 12:21:17 am Yahoo Message Number: 136882We use a PressurePro system: http://www.tirepressuremonitor.com/It has worked flawlessly for almost five years.Ted
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #10 – February 18, 2013, 10:32:53 am Yahoo Message Number: 136883I think a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is essential for two reasons:1. There is no way I can know what is going on with the tires on my glider trailer, until I hear the blowout, or there is excited driver of a passing car pointing vigorously to the rear! The motorhome is 11,500 lbs and completely overwhelms the effect of the 2500 lb trailer, so there is no handling change, even after a tire blows on the trailer. I can hear the tire blow, but that is rather late in the game. 2. A completely flat rear tire on the motorhome is undetectable by me, as the handling, noise, and ride seem unaffected. I know this from three rear flats, all caught
Re: Caution for those with Toad's- youtube video Reply #11 – February 18, 2013, 08:15:36 pm Yahoo Message Number: 136919"Is there a recommenced brand for a tire pressure monitoring system?" Excellent question! Hope that you get a definitive answer as I could use the same info. I am looking at new motorhomes and am trying to decide if I want to spend the money for a new tire monitor system. IMHO all of the systems have pluses & minuses and the experience of users with the same system vary widely. I have a 10-channel TireTrakker ( 6 sensors on the LD and 4 on my Jeep). Bought a "repeater" unit but don't need it. My experience has been marginal. In 4 years, have replaced the receiver unit twice; both under warranty. First time (6 months old) receiver just plan died. Second time (2 years old) receiver battery "fried." They acknowledged a problem: If you leave the +12 volt DC adapter connected with the unit turned off, the battery overcharges. Maybe because the charger provides +5 volts and the lithium ion battery is 3 volts. They now put a warning note in the user manual. This same unit is sold under at least 3 other "product names" by different distributors. It is a Chinese electronics product and you can find the "real" manufacturer on AliBaba.com. You can find discussions of same on this Yahoo Group. The nice feature of this system is the replaceable batteries in the sensors. They use CR1632 batteries; sometimes available at Radio Shack at a premium price (IMHO). Ordered mine from Amazon.com that offered several prices. I replace all of mine every year, just like replacing the batteries in smoke detectors. I have had "campground discussions" with other users of this system. Some have described their experiences with 4-letter words. Others have been very positive about the system. I bought my system primarily because Terry Tanner had a system. His experience has been very positive and I trust Terry's technical expertise and judgement. IMHO the issue with many such systems is the "Chinese electronics." My observation has been that these companies can produce high quality products if someone (like Apple) comes in and sets up the component procurement, quality standards, and quality assurance procedures. The products that they produce on their own for distribution in the USA, and elsewhere, lack these "enhancements" and the quality of the product you receive is often a "lottery." Take a look at the 7-inch tablets sold by all of the "big box" stores, web sites, etc.Doug[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]