Tire pressure monitor system

[Betterboat]

Betterboat here
We are new to towing an airstream and someone recommended getting a tire pressure monitoring system since a tire blowout can cause damage to the coach and will give you the peace of mind as you tow . We have a used 2017 international with good year tires that have seen very little mileage . While safety is important to us I’m not looking to unnecessarily spend money I don’t have . Any suggestions ?
We take our first trip ( not far from home ) next weekend. After 35 years of tent camping across the US we are excited... to say the least...
Thanks everyone for your help on this forum

[SteveSueMac]

Hello, welcome, and congrats Betterboat!

Lots of suggestions can be found in these forums. The link I’m pasting below hopefully takes you to a list of threads with all things TPMS in them.

I think any major brand will do. I use TST (Truck Systems Technology) and am happy with the product and the great service from them. Good people!

Another option is to visually check often, feel the temps when you stop, etc. you won’t get the warning if you lose pressure while driving but people have been doing that for decades before there was a TPMS so it’s not a bad approach.

Good luck and happy camping!


https://www.google.com/search?q=airf...iw=375&bih=628

[GeocamperAS]

It seems like most reports here on the forums are in favor of the brand they purchased. I bought the EezTire. I didn’t think of this when I bought it but the only negative, for me, is the screen is horizontal. This shows the front of the trailer on the left. I would rather have the screen vertical showing the front of the trailer at the top because in my mind as I’m driving down the road that is how I see the trailer. Maybe I’m just too much of a visual person.
Either way it works great.

[Philip Jones]

There are lots of good ones. You may want to steer clear of the ones that transmit the data to a smartphone as this assumes your smartphone is on, working, has battery, app is running, etc. Too many variables for my liking. Better to stick with a dedicated unit.

Also, consider which sensor type you prefer. We started with the flow-through sensors that allow you to fill tires with air but we found them unreliable and bulky. We have now switched to the non-pass-through sensors and we prefer them.

[Silvr_Bullet]

Originally Posted by Betterboat

Betterboat here

We are new to towing an airstream and someone recommended getting a tire pressure monitoring system since a tire blowout can cause damage to the coach and will give you the peace of mind as you tow . We have a used 2017 international with good year tires that have seen very little mileage . While safety is important to us I’m not looking to unnecessarily spend money I don’t have . Any suggestions ?

We take our first trip ( not far from home ) next weekend. After 35 years of tent camping across the US we are excited... to say the least...

Thanks everyone for your help on this forum

I believe that was a good recommendation, pick a major brand with good customer service. I have one that works on my smart phone I think that may have a slight advantage as an application on your phone can be updated by the manufacturer if advancements are warranted. Of course you have to keep your phone charged as someone stated but I think most people do. Enjoy your trip.

[Mollysdad]

If your AS is a 2017, your tires are probably Good Year Marathons.
There are lot of threads here hating marathons, and even AS switched to Good Year Endurance in 2018.
So, the bottom line is, you need to think about replacing them, or at least, keep a very close eye on your tires and speed. (Marathons are speed rated D, 65 mph max.) Beware blowouts.

I love my TST TPMS. I went with TST because they seem to be the most trusted in the RV industry, mainly due to customer service.
Seriously, I think most of the TPMS's all use the same hardware, all made in China.
However, I find the monitor to be comforting, watching the temp and pressure change while driving, even which side the Sun shines on. It also makes it easy to bypass getting out the gauge before leaving, since I can read the pressure directly.
I installed all metal valve stems, just because I never take the easy way, and did it myself. I can say, although it's technically easy with a few tools, it's dirty and time consuming. If you have a tire dealer you trust, let them do it. I recommend Dill 902-W stems for your Sendel rims. You may have to buy them and hand them over to the tire guy. (Unless you have Discount Tire, who sells them)

[Silvr_Bullet]

Not a good idea to be driving faster than 65 MPH pulling a trailer. just saying.

[Al and Missy]

If I had Goodyear Marathons, I'd spend money on new tires before a TPMS. Trailer tires typically age out (5-7 years) before wearing out from mileage. Experience reported on here with Marathons is mixed with reports of no problems for years and reports of failures in a few miles with new tires. The difference may be correlated to the year and place (US v. China) of manufacture. Check your pressure before starting out each day, Do a visual check for bubbles and feel the tires for heat at each stop.

A TPMS will help with a slow leak but not a catastrophic failure. By the time the alarm goes off, trailer damage will likely have occurred.

I have a Dill system with the internal sensors. After nearly 5 years some of the batteries are starting to go. They only work after the tires warm up. At this point I have to decide whether to replace the entire system with an external sensor system or replace the internal sensors which requires removing the wheels and dismounting the tires. It did save me from significant damage when I hit some road debris and created a leak in a tire. I was able to slow down, pull over, and exit the interstate to replace the tire with my spare before any damage was done. That saved me the cost of the system several times over.

Al

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Silvr_Bullet

Not a good idea to be driving faster than 65 MPH pulling a trailer. just saying.

I agree, but the "D" rated tires are at the limit of their design parameters. I'd rather have a safety factor.
"E" rated Endurance have a speed rating of 80. Not that I've ever driven 80 towing, but I look at it like I'd look at a ladder that says, "Holds up to 200 pounds" and I weighed 201.

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

A TPMS will help with a slow leak but not a catastrophic failure. By the time the alarm goes off, trailer damage will likely have occurred.

Yes, but if the tire was leaking down until it was almost flat, then shredded, I'd hope the TPMS would warn me.
I had a covered trailer I towed with my motorhome. I had two tire failures. In both cases I had no idea why the tire let go, but I also didn't know it until a passing driver waved at me and pointed. I didn't feel it, hear it, even looked at the B/U camera and all looked well, except I was driving on the rim and the fender was gone.
Back then all I cared about tires was they were round and inflated. I didn't care about brand or ratings. Cheaper was better, it's a trailer after all.
Then I'd have to spend a day finding a new tire and rim in a strange city, and take what was available. Upon returning home, I had to find a new fender for my unique fiberglass trailer.
Now I pay attention.

[Adventure.AS]

I use the TST 507 system. I purchased a 5th sensor for my spare tire. It is nice to know that it is inflated and ready to go if needed. I take the sensors off the tires during the winter and the spare came in handy this year. I lost the washer inside one tire sensor over the winter and I took the sensor from the spare so that I could monitor the four road tires.

[earljones458]

I highly recommend a TPMS, any reputable one should be fine. I use the TST system and concur with the earlier post that their system is excellent and their customer service is great. I was on the Alaska caravan last summer and while on the way home I received a high temp and pressure warning in South Dakota. Thought it was a wheel bearing, but a Neverjust brake had failed and came apart in the hub. It was rubbing and overheating the brake shoe. I just took the brake assembly off and headed on home to TN very carefully. Then in Illinois I noticed the tire pressure on one tire was intermittently losing pressure but not low enough to set the alarm off. I pulled into a Walmart and they replaced the wheel with the spare. Could not find a problem but continued home even more carefully. Found a hairline crack in the wheel that was causing the leak after I got home. Both times the TPMS saved me from a breakdown along the road. Highly recommend a TPMS. Would not go without one!

[drbrick]

I echo TST systems - we have the monochromatic monitor (easy to see during the day) and flow through sensors (easier for top ups) come with a repeater for sure connections to the monitor

[Jstsal69]

I use the TireMinder system with smartphone app. It has worked well for the last 2 years. I went with this system because I always have my phone plugged in while driving and I didn’t need another monitor on my dash. Any of the name brand systems will do, you just have to find your preference and price range. Happy and safe travels.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

If your AS is a 2017, your tires are probably Good Year Marathons.
There are lot of threads here hating marathons, and even AS switched to Good Year Endurance in 2018.
So, the bottom line is, you need to think about replacing them, or at least, keep a very close eye on your tires and speed. (Marathons are speed rated D, 65 mph max.) Beware blowouts.

I love my TST TPMS. I went with TST because they seem to be the most trusted in the RV industry, mainly due to customer service.
Seriously, I think most of the TPMS's all use the same hardware, all made in China.
However, I find the monitor to be comforting, watching the temp and pressure change while driving, even which side the Sun shines on. It also makes it easy to bypass getting out the gauge before leaving, since I can read the pressure directly.
I installed all metal valve stems, just because I never take the easy way, and did it myself. I can say, although it's technically easy with a few tools, it's dirty and time consuming. If you have a tire dealer you trust, let them do it. I recommend Dill 902-W stems for your Sendel rims. You may have to buy them and hand them over to the tire guy. (Unless you have Discount Tire, who sells them)

I agree with both this post, almost 99%. (I do have rubber valve stems and they work fine for me.) There were many problems with the GY Marathons...the TST system is pretty widely used and works well.

Assuming you want to stay with your 15" wheels, many of us have made the switch to the new GY Endurance tires and are happy vs the Marathons....seem to be holding up well, and they are made in the US. Recommend you weigh your trailer and adjust the tire pressure to the Mfg. chart recommendations for your AS weight, for best performance. Some folks here want to run "Max Pressure", which can cause popped rivets and other problems...like broken hinges. You can try that, and adjust as needed of course. Good luck!

[SilverWind]

I really like the new TST 507-D-C Color Display. It's easier to program and view than the older TST 507-SE gray scale display, and seem to perform better overall.

I bought one for each trailer to go with the sensors I bought over the last four years. I renew the sensor batteries every year or two.

TST's tech support and YouTube setup videos are great.

As a side note. I ran a Dill TPMS with internal sensors for three years. Had to run a signal booster and unmount the tires to change batteries. I'm much happier with the TST.

[Gulliver72]

Purchased our 2015 25’ FC with 500 miles on it. First thing I did was replace the “Marabombs”. Ran 12000 miles last summer. For this trip 5k and counting I purchase an 8 tire TPMS with some reluctance...... am I wasting $500? Without having a tire or bearing problem it gives me peace of mind that’s worth $500. I picked up a nail in the TT tire an instantly detected it. I was able to stay ahead of it with my compressor and get to a campground where I could deal with it. I might not have discovered it was leaking without TPMS. I’m a TPMS evangelist 😃.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by Gulliver72

Purchased our 2015 25’ FC with 500 miles on it. First thing I did was replace the “Marabombs”. Ran 12000 miles last summer. For this trip 5k and counting I purchase an 8 tire TPMS with some reluctance...... am I wasting $500? Without having a tire or bearing problem it gives me peace of mind that’s worth $500. I picked up a nail in the TT tire an instantly detected it. I was able to stay ahead of it with my compressor and get to a campground where I could deal with it. I might not have discovered it was leaking without TPMS. I’m a TPMS evangelist ��.

That's a great testimonial on a TPMS value and also TST. Thanks for sharing!

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by GeocamperAS

It seems like most reports here on the forums are in favor of the brand they purchased. I bought the EezTire. I didn’t think of this when I bought it but the only negative, for me, is the screen is horizontal. This shows the front of the trailer on the left. I would rather have the screen vertical showing the front of the trailer at the top because in my mind as I’m driving down the road that is how I see the trailer. Maybe I’m just too much of a visual person.
Either way it works great.

I solved that problem with the same unit by mounting the screen in the vertical position. The windshield mount is adjustable.

[jec1]

Our TPMS saved us, not from a tire problem but a brake problem. The self adjusting drum brakes over-adjusted, and unknown to us one of the brakes was dragging. The dragging brake heated up the tire which raised the pressure and the alarm went off.

[Gsnedike]

I didn’t have a TPMS system several years ago and suffered a blowout that ripped the wheel well causing thousands of dollars of damage. I don’t know if the air was slowly leaking from the tire before it blew or if it was a catastrophic tire failure. After that I purchased:
Tire Safe Guard TPMS
2017 purchase
HCI Corp
Cerritos CA 90703
562-926-7123
Contact@tiresafeguard.com
The system costs a few hundred bucks but it’s well worth it. It gives you the tire pressure and temp of each tire cycling through constantly. You can also set low and high pressure alarms as well as temp alarms. Great product! My first set of batteries lasted 3 years. Buy with confidence and avoid turning the inconvenience caused by a flat tire into something MUCH WORSE!