TST saves the day- A scary situation

[Life is a Highway]

After descending Wolf Pass last Friday then on to RTE 25 headed North to Colorado Springs our TST tire monitor went off of Rim #2 a fairly quick pressure loss from 80-67 by the time I pulled off.

Heard air hissing on the RF rim and when I touched the sensor it was worse. Removed the #2 tire sensor and the leak stopped. I got out our Viar air pump aired up the tire and drove slow 30 miles up the road.This was our overnight destination and close to a trusted tire dealer my son recommended.

I assumed and thought it might have been a faulty sensor as we have been running in 100-117 degree heat the last three weeks. I figured that heat failed the sensor causing a leak. The sensor was on our 2019 25 ft Airstream with factory rubber valve stems and 15K miles of travel. At the tire store I spent 1/2 hour watching and helping the young tech jack up our Trailer safely without damage. I also used a breaker bar to break loose all lug nuts as impacts!!! will destroy those capped lug nuts. Was impressed the tech used a torque wrench at 110 lbs on reassembly and then rechecked again.

I requested all rims to have solid valve stems installed but on #2 I wanted to see why it was leaking first.

I figured the rotational mass and weight of the TPMS sensor caused the rubber stem to pull apart but the tire dealer believes it was damaged on factory installation

See Pictures. The valve stem actually could be pushed together or pulled apart, I dodged a bullet on this one. Thank you TST for a great system. I shared photos with them as factory help is a call away. I like this system and it worked saving me a torn up inner fender.

I did not listen to the forum advise I should have. Please if you are running TPMS sensors please take the time to have solid valve stems installed. I also spent the money and bought solid plated lug nuts to replace the capped factory nuts.

[Bobbo]

TST saved me from an RV fire a few years ago when I had a brake caliper decide to drag. The wheel was smoking when I got out and looked.

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the report.

FEI: https://tsttpms.com/

[GCinSC2]

Good outcome, avoided a real bad day.

[smithcreek]

As far as I know the rubber stems are rated to 65psi. Should have worked fine with factory installed tires. Did you switch to E-rated tires, leave the old stems in and run higher pressure?

[DCPAS]

Thanks for sharing that story. Good lesson. I think Airstream stopped using the covered lug nuts around 2016 from what I have read here. I have used an impact on mine (also 2019 model) without difficulty.

[drbrick]

Yep! when we got new GYE we changed to soild stems with flow-thru TST-TPMS and was very glad we did. Last trip (boondocking on forestry roads) had an adventure with a machine screw and washer. You can read the story here - marriedwithairstream.com/tpms-began-to-alarm/

[pcskier]

Perhaps the sensor mass did contribute to the weakening of that stem. Thanks for the detailed report...I read online arguments constantly with people saying full metal stems aren't necessary, "been running rubber stems with TPMS for 30,000 miles with not problems" yada yada. It's amazing to me that for a few dollars per wheel, they'd argue against this upgrade.

[Lucy Goosy]

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Last month while driving into Idaho I had a complete failure. No alert, no warning nothing until a lady passed me pointing at my rig. A 2018 27' Tommy Bahama.

Total failure with no signal with anything to call for help. A nice man with lots of tools stopped and helped change the tire. Probably $1000 dollars damage to trailer, Not happy with this system. The tire that blew up was number #3 however when we got it off and the new one on we found that the #2 tire had a leak at the stem, the monitor gave no alerts. Tire center touched the stem and it blew out as they tried to replace it. All batteries were changed prior to the trip.

At the airstream store you can buy new sensors however they are out of stock.

Now I have these things on my rig and no confidence at all in them.

Any suggestions. Hope pis come through..

[GCinSC2]

Lucy Goose

I didn’t see pics and not claiming a diagnosis.

But you asked for option?

Dill makes systems for trailers and they use an internal sensor transmitter. Install requires breaking down the tire common tire shop stuff. This is the same design as many OEM applications use. Monitors pressure and temp.

https://www.dillvalves.com/product_c...-trailer-tpms/

I’m on my second setup. I approve.

Gary

[guskmg]

I have had PressurePro for 13 years and no problems. Had to change 2 or 3 tire sensors for batteries and my dog chewing up one of those (ouch!). I have always used metal stems and 80 psi tires pressure ("E" rated).
guskmg

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by Lucy Goosy

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Last month while driving into Idaho I had a complete failure. No alert, no warning nothing until a lady passed me pointing at my rig. A 2018 27' Tommy Bahama.

What brand are you using? The TST 507 kit works great for me. I've tested all four tires by releasing air and do get an alarm when I do. Also, you need to get solid metal stems on your wheels. Youre asking for trouble with rubber stems that have external sensors on them.

[Escape_Plan]

Originally Posted by pcskier

Perhaps the sensor mass did contribute to the weakening of that stem. .

I honestly believe the sensor mass does contribute to some of these failures. I had solid stems on my old rig and never had a problem. On my new rig, still with rubber stems (haven't got the solid stems in place yet), I conducted my preflight tire pressure check and when I removed the TPMS, I was getting a faint hiss of an air leak. Almost imperceptible, but when I placed my thumb over the stem, the hiss stopped and I could feel pressure building on my thumb. I quickly replaced the TPMS to prevent further air loss while I got out the big compressor.

Short story long, I had three of four tires leaking air as soon as I removed the TPMS sensors due to loose valve cores. I believe the rotational force cause by the 1oz weight of the TPMS sensor loosened and unscrewed the cores. I tightened all the cores, and the tires hold pressure just fine. I removed the TPMS monitors until I can get the valve stems replaced.

[Vlamgat]

I have had a problem with this product too. Lost 2 tires on one trip and a third on another some weeks later without a warning. New batteries all round before both trips. On the third tire, the failure decapitated the sensor. It remained attached but battery and top had disappeared. I am using another system on 2 other trailers which has worked as it should. More clunky and older system but has non replaceable batteries and complex temperature read out.

[Al and Missy]

I had a Dill system and I liked it. At around 5 years, well before the tires would age out, the batteries died. The cost to have the tires dismounted, the sensors replaced, and the tries re-mounted was about the same as for the TST system. If I changed the sensors and waited to do the tires I'd have to do it all again in 2-3 years.

The Dill system saved me when I hit some collision debris on an off ramp. When I change the tires I'll probably spring for another set of Dill sensors and put the TST on the shelf for when the Dill batteries die in 5 years. The Dill sensors include SS valve stems. When you replace the sensors you change the o-rings where the valve stems seat on the rims.

[GCinSC2]

Al,

I just had my Dill internal sensors replaced earlier this year at Discount Tire where I have purchased my tires and Dill TPMS/ New sensors $28 each.

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f43...ul-206300.html

Gary

[Al and Missy]

No charge for labor? 5 sensors at $28 = $140. Price to dismount and remount tire quoted as $35 each IIRC, also at Discount Tire where I bought the Dill.

Edit - I read your linked post. I think I paid $269 for the TST system. To save $130 I would have to dismount two tires, take them and the spare to DT (30 minute drive) come back, remount the tires, dismount two trip again. I'm hot, sweaty, out 3-4 hours and have several cuts and bruises to treat LOL.

[CRH]

I guess a tire shop bills to unmount and mount when swapping a valve stem. No need to do take the tire off the wheel from my experience. I have replaced my trailer valve stems twice at home. The first time was when I went from rubber to metal bolt in stems after having a rubber one leak. The second time was when I took the metal stems out and replaced them with the valve stems that work with the Ford trailer TPMS....I used a Harbor Freight manual tire change to break the bead, changed the stems and pumped the tire up to reseat the bead. It took me longer to take the wheel off the trailer than it did to swap the stems.

[Life is a Highway]

As per Airstream factory specs 80 psi however I run 75 cold.

QUOTE=smithcreek;2402174]As far as I know the rubber stems are rated to 65psi. Should have worked fine with factory installed tires. Did you switch to E-rated tires, leave the old stems in and run higher pressure?[/QUOTE]

[CRH]

TR600HP valve stems are rubber and brass. They are rated up to 80 psi