|
|
09-19-2017, 09:27 PM
|
#1
|
4 Rivet Member
2018 28' International
Renton
, Washington
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 291
|
TPMS to the Rescue!
It's not the Marathon's fault, I swear! Today, tooling along at 65 on I-82 in Washington, our TPMS went bonkers showing the pressure on the right rear trailer tire dropping fast. By the time we pulled over it was down to 23psi. I assumed one of my 4YO Marathon's had suffered a blowout as one of my winter projects is to replace them all for prevention of such an event. However, it turns out we picked up some sharp metal that sliced cleanly through the tread.
Not having practiced this in my driveway I was pleased that it took only 30 minutes from start to finish to get the front tire up on blocks, remove the flat, drop the spare and install it and finally be back on the road again.
We stopped at the next Les Schwab in Sunnyside, WA where they repaired the tire, remounted it, checked it for leaks and reinstalled it on the trailer in another quick 30 minutes. All for free and with a smile! Les Schwab in Sunnyside rocks big time!
Lessons learned:
1) TPMS quickly alerted us to the flat, possibly saving thou$ands in damage if we had continued driving on the flat.(Thanks Ryan Lex)
2) If you haven't practiced changing a tire, at least read through the instructions and make sure you understand every step. We had a sunny afternoon today. Had it been a rainy night, getting Everything done might have been harder.
3) Make sure you have enough blocks to get the second tire off the ground.
4) Thankfully I had a long breaker bar which made quick work of loosening the lug nuts. (Maybe I should have a torque wrench to keep from over-tightening the lug nuts)
5) It's not that hard if you have the right tools.
__________________
Walt
2018 28 International Serenity
2013 F150 Ecoboost
|
|
|
09-19-2017, 09:31 PM
|
#2
|
4 Rivet Member
2017 27' International
Fall City
, Washington
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 402
|
I keep both a breaker and a torque wrench for this purpose. Been thinking about TPMS and this gives me more encouragement to pony up.
__________________
2017 27FB International
2013 Ram 2500 Laramie Crew Cab CTD 4x4
|
|
|
09-19-2017, 09:42 PM
|
#3
|
2 Rivet Member
2006 25' Safari
Tyler
, Texas
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 92
|
I've certainly experienced the joy of a flat and I've intended to add the TPMS with a system that uses an APP on the Iphone. Glad it went well and that you accomplished the task in record time. When it happens you kind of groan and get on with it!
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 04:27 AM
|
#4
|
4 Rivet Member
2005 30' Safari
Montgomery
, Texas
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 385
|
Appreciate you sharing this experience. We're at the point of making this decision for our tires. We'll be adding these to the GY Endurance install--too many other priorities for me to do the 16" Michelins this time. Seems like cheap insurance to monitor them via TPMS.
Did you get an Endurance to replace the Marathon? And have you settled on what you're replacing yours with this winter?
Thanks again!!!
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 09:14 AM
|
#5
|
TinCan
2016 30' Classic
Apache Junction
, Arizona
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 880
|
Nice to hear all went well. TPMS are worth the money. I understand time wear was not the cause of the flat but yes you are about do for a new set of tires.
__________________
TinCan
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 09:36 AM
|
#6
|
Rivet Master
2011 22' Sport
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 657
|
Les Schwab excels at customer service, truly. I have had them fix flats for me several times, with no charge...and each time they had to fully remove the tire from the wheel. It is just too bad they carry only crap tires, and that they are such a large player in off-shoring tire manufacturing to the lowest contract bidder.
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 11:26 AM
|
#7
|
Rivet Master
2006 19' Safari SE
Tucson
, Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,627
|
Another proponent of TPMS ... pick your brand. We have been using PressurePros for 10 years. They will not sudden catastrophic failures like a blowout, but they will save your bacon when you develop a leak bad enough to lose pressure in motion. Ours have saved us going to a complete flat and potential shredding (=potential damage) twice in those 10 years. It's like any other form of "insurance" ... feels like a waste of money ... until it isn't.
__________________
TB & Greg and Abbey Schnauzer
AirForums #21900
PastPrez, 4CU/WBCCI
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 11:29 AM
|
#8
|
2 Rivet Member
1981 31' Excella II
Florence
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 58
|
Any recommendations for a specific TPMS setup?
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 12:12 PM
|
#9
|
Rivet Master
, Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,721
|
I've used Pressure Pro for several years.
Saved us once when we had a slow leak. Able to get to a tire store for a quick wheel replacement.
Wouldn't be without TPMS, especially with a single axle trailer.
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 12:32 PM
|
#10
|
4 Rivet Member
2018 28' International
Renton
, Washington
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 291
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveMc
Did you get an Endurance to replace the Marathon? And have you settled on what you're replacing yours with this winter?
Thanks again!!!
|
Dave, the tire guy didn't know if he could fix it until he saw the inside. After pulling the tire off he determined it could be fixed so we didn't have to buy one on the fly. Unfortunately Les Schwab doesn't carry Goodyear and we will go with the new Endurance tire so we would have had to find a local Discount Tire to get a replacement. If they carried Goodyear I think we would have bought four right on the spot since it's already in our winter plans. I think it's important to get your tires from a national chain so if you have a problem on the road you can get service quickly and conveniently. I would consider Costco but they don't normally stock trailer tires so anywhere we had problems, they would have to order them - and the local Costcos won't deal with tires while mounted on the trailer so for me they are out of the running.
I don't have any comparison to other TPMS systems. The EEZTire system works well but occasionally loses connection with the senders which I don't know if it's common with other systems. It's easy to reestablish connection. Generally not a big problem except for once when we lost readings from both rear tires at the same time so I finally pulled over to see if I had lost the whole axel along the way. Somewhat comical but curiosity got the best of me.
__________________
Walt
2018 28 International Serenity
2013 F150 Ecoboost
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 12:55 PM
|
#11
|
2 Rivet Member
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Stillwater
, Minnesota
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 24
|
TPMS to the Rescue
I have used the TST TPMS 507 cap kit for my 25-foot FC and it works well and is pretty easy to set up. I would highly recommend it.
__________________
D & B
2016 F-150 3.5L Eco-Boost
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 02:59 PM
|
#12
|
4 Rivet Member
2017 27' Tommy Bahama
2016 30' Flying Cloud
2014 27' FB Eddie Bauer
Hot Springs Village
, Arkansas
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 328
|
Is everyone that has TPMS using all steel tire valves. Mine are only part steel.
Rick
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 03:10 PM
|
#13
|
Rivet Master
, Minnesota
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,721
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by rperrym
Is everyone that has TPMS using all steel tire valves. Mine are only part steel.
Rick
|
Either all steel or all brass, except for the sealing washer.
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 04:54 PM
|
#14
|
3 Rivet Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 136
|
I use Tire Tracker TT500 on our '99 30' Airstream Land Yacht motor home. Easy to set up, as are most brands, and very happy with our choice. This product sems to be the TPMS of choice for Roger Marble, of RV Tire Safety blog.
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 04:55 PM
|
#15
|
Rivet Master
2006 23' Safari SE
Biloxi
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 8,278
|
Happy TST with steel valves user for the past 3 plus years. Last month I was alerted to a slow leak before any damage was done. Culprit was a roofing nail. Picked up somewhere around Pensacola. It made a confirmed believer out of me.
__________________
MICHAEL
Do you know what a learning experience is? A learning experience is one of those things that says "You know that thing that you just did? Don't do that."
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 06:01 PM
|
#16
|
3 Rivet Member
2012 25' Flying Cloud
San Antonio
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 116
|
On the last trip we had (Texas to Mich.) I got an alert on my phone 15 minutes from our home on the way out. I had checked the tires before we pulled out so I didn’t believe what it was telling me. But I could see the pressure getting lower and lower so I turned back towards our DIscount Tire store. Sure enough there was a nail in the tire. I had hazard insurance on the tires so 1 hour later we were back on the road with a new tire.
We got the TPMS from Rand McNally.
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 06:07 PM
|
#17
|
Rivet Master
2015 25' Flying Cloud
2016 30' Flying Cloud
Blenheim Ontario
, Ontario
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,263
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lara Me
I keep both a breaker and a torque wrench for this purpose. Been thinking about TPMS and this gives me more encouragement to pony up.
|
LARA;
Add me to the list of: "Me Too! Me too!"
For over ten years of RVing, I have NEVER had a flat; relying on those little valve caps that show a red band when pressure is low. That could be spotted on your walk around.
Then last May, I bit the bullet, and purchased a Tire Minder TPMS. ($400+ with taxes.)
Heading off to a rally in June, I installed the 'gizmo' and took off for the weekend.
While on 'The 401' at 100 KPH; Within one hour, the TPM started beeping and telling of a low tire.
I had picked up a screw in the tire, R/H aft.
A call to 'Coach Net' brought a local service guy to change the tire, and get me on my way.
That little $ 400+ monitor just saved me several thousand dollars in repairs.
YAH! Get A TPMS! There a quite a number of members in this Forum who will confirm what I say.
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 06:43 PM
|
#18
|
Stay Calm and Stream On
2017 25' Flying Cloud
Palm Springs
, California
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 313
|
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 07:05 PM
|
#19
|
3 Rivet Member
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Selbyville
, Delaware
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 216
|
Also - Get a Trailer Aid! Makes short work of getting the wheel off the ground! When I upgraded to Michelins I made the tire dealer use the Trailer Aid as they were very unsure of where to jack even though I told them. Took a bit longer for all four but worth it!
Also have a TST 507 TPMS with pass through sensors. Very nice system.
__________________
Jamie
2016 25' RBT Flying Cloud "Bullseye"
2016 Chevy 2500 High Country Duramax Diesel
WBCCI #9026 Delmarva Unit
|
|
|
09-20-2017, 07:18 PM
|
#20
|
3 Rivet Member
2013 28' Flying Cloud
Penn Yan
, New York
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 138
|
Peace of mind
I installed the tst 507 and really like them. Have been quite a few miles with no issues. One thing is when you have a tire monitor you don't have to check the air pressures with a gauge prior to departure - just turn on your monitor before you head out. Saves some time.
With the TST 507 you get temperatures which could give you a heads up if the wheel bearings are getting hot.
A real peace of mind tool.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|