TPMS Success story. - RV-Dreams Community Forum

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

TPMS Success story.

IrishRover · RV-Dreams Family Member

Great success story. Thanks for sharing.

What make and model of TPMS are you using? And from a usability perspective (see below) would you recommend it? Other details - number of tires monitored? Max number? Can you buy additional sensor? How often do you change batteries on the sensors? Pass-through valves? Cost? Source? Use a range extended (amplifier)? Anything else for newbies? Thanks

On the usability side have heard some people complain about a few major issues with some models (don't recall which models):-

The screen was too small and only showed all tires are the same time in tiny print. They replaced it with a model that scrolled through all the tires sequentially with a bigger view of the tire PSI and temperature. It still had alarm thresholds for each tire.

Their major complaint was that the system used the last reading it got if it could not read a current signal, no matter how long ago that reading occurred. This was not useful (not current). They even got old readings on their toad tires, when is was disconnected and left back at the RV park!!!!!!! Just looks weird on the screen (funny but not helpful). Hard to trust a system like that.

Second Chance · RV-Dreams Family Member

I know you asked your questions of Ron, but perhaps knowing what several folks are using would be helpful.

What make and model of TPMS are you using? TireMinder A1A

And from a usability perspective (see below) would you recommend it? Yes

Other details - number of tires monitored? 10 (6 on truck which doesn't have OEM TPMS and four on trailer)

Max number? 21

Can you buy additional sensor? Yes

How often do you change batteries on the sensors? Once a year. TireMinder has a program where they will send you the batteries for the price of the shipping. Being full-timers, I find it easier to just put them in with our Amazon orders, though.

Pass-through valves? No - but rarely need to adjust pressures, anyway.

Cost? About $385 from Amazon right now with 6 sensors (ours came with four originally). When we got the DRW truck, I ordered six more for about $275.

https://www.amazon.com/TireMinder-Tire-Monitoring-Transmitters-MotorHomes/dp/B00UXIBSXC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501167260&sr=8-2&keywords=tireminder+tpms+a1a

Source? Original package from dealer when we bought the RV. Extra transmitters for truck from either Amazon or Walmart.com.

Use a range extended (amplifier)? Yes - included with kit and mounted in front compartment of fifth wheel.

Anything else for newbies? Just get 'em and use 'em!

On the usability side have heard some people complain about a few major issues with some models (don't recall which models):-

The screen was too small and only showed all tires are the same time in tiny print. They replaced it with a model that scrolled through all the tires sequentially with a bigger view of the tire PSI and temperature. It still had alarm thresholds for each tire. Don't have these issues with the A1A - it scrolls through all tires with a button when you want to check pressures and temps and pulls up a graphic showing you which tire and what the issue is if the alarm goes off.

Their major complaint was that the system used the last reading it got if it could not read a current signal, no matter how long ago that reading occurred. This was not useful (not current). They even got old readings on their toad tires, when is was disconnected and left back at the RV park!!!!!!! Just looks weird on the screen (funny but not helpful). Hard to trust a system like that. The A1A will tell me if there's a low battery or bad/missing transmitter. However, it appears that all aftermarket TPMS systems poll the sensors at fairly long intervals which can be problematic if a sensor is destroyed or a wheel comes off (which was the case with one person I spoke with last year).

Hope this is helpful.

Rob

IrishRover · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Rob. Appreciate all the details.

Yes, indeed if there are others with varying degrees (good/bad) with TPMS systems, would love to hear from them. Thanks for your knowledge and experience.

Gerry

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

My answers would be similar to Rob's, but my system is a TST(Truck System Technologies)507.

Prices are very similar between the various systems, and there are several which are comparable in quality. Batteries last about a year (they are inexpensive watch batteries). I have both flow thru (on the trailer) and non flow thru on the dually truck. I do not think flow thru offers a great advantage. Tire pressures don't need to be adjusted very often and the added expense isn't justified IMO. If I had it to do over again, I would NOT get the flow thru's.

I don't have a repeater and it works just fine without one ... big truck and 41 foot 5er. The screen is small, but completely legible and I would say it's big enough, but that is very subjective ... it cycles thru each tire position every 2 seconds, and if there is an alert, it highlights the offender.

Pressure Pro is another often used system and it has a bigger monitor screen than the TST 507 ... so you'd just have to look at them and decide which suits your preferences better.

-- Edited by RonC on Thursday 27th of July 2017 03:39:15 PM

MAYBE2021 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey Ron, Sorry for piggy-backing on your topic but this is a timely place to insert my TPMS story..

When I started lurking on the rv-dreams forum I noticed many comments regarding TPMS. I had just bought my current TT and thought maybe I should consider getting one but, since I had a pop-up for 12 years and never once had a flat tire, I decided against it. After a few trips in windy conditions I started getting that nagging doubt about whether the trailer sway was due to the wind or a tire going flat, I decided to go ahead and get a TST TM-507SE.

After an easy system setup and install- my wife, grandson and I headed for a much needed vacation to Port Aransas, Texas (about a three and a half hour drive). It was nice being able to monitor the tires and since it was a little rainy the temps and pressure really didn’t vary much. All was fine until the rain got serious. I’m talking full wiper speed and low visibility serious. Suddenly the left rear location stopped monitoring. When I stopped for gas I swapped the LR and LF sensors to see if the problem moved with the sensor but when I did that, all sensors started reporting normally so I switched them back to the correct position. On the road again (sounds like a Willie Nelson song), we went through another major rain storm and the LR location stopped monitoring again so I just ignored it. I later found that removing and re-installing the sensor seems to reset it and it starts working again.

We were about 10 miles from our destination, on the causeway between Aransas Pass and Port Aransas, heading for the ferry- when the TPMS sounded a low-pressure alarm. Of course, my first thought was that the LR sensor was malfunctioning but then I noticed it was the RR sensor that went from reading 65 psi to 10 psi to zero psi in less than a minute. I found a place to pull over and, sure enough, that tire was flat; a piece of metal in the sidewall. Fortunately, I was prepared with an inflated spare, warning triangles, jack and chocks. In less than 20 minutes we were our way.

In this case, the TPMS did not save that tire (piece of metal in the sidewall) but it did potentially save the front tire and damage to the RV if I had continued driving and that tire had come apart.

Moral of the story: You may go for 12 years without having a flat but the longer you go, the more likely the probabilities will catch up to you and you’ll be glad you had a TPMS.

Steve

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Steve ... good story and right on target!

Thanks for adding to this thread.

David and Cheryl · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for sharing your story, Ron. I'm glad you had that TPMS on-line at the time.

We've had a couple of leaky valve stems too - both detected by our TPMS. $16 is a whole lot cheaper than repairing the side of your RV from blowout damage!

RonC · RV-Dreams Family Member

Amen!!