TPMS

T

toyman

New member
I just returned from an RV trip, getting ready to do the boat thing. I bought a Tire Pressure monitor System to put on the boat trailer, figuring it was nice "insurance". I wanted one that gave individual tire readout for pressure and temp. I mounted the system on the van for the drive home and I'm impressed ! The tire closest to the exhaust ran 10 degrees warmer than the others after a few miles - good info for the wheel bearings on the boat trailer.

As an aside - about 20 miles from home we came up on a fire, A motorhome pulling a pickup - the left rear tire on the pickup had caught fire. The M/H wasn't damaged, but the P/U was totaled.

This is the unit I bought - no ties to the company, but like the item !
http://classaconcepts.biz/
 
Don't have pressure moniters, but for about 5 years I have been monitering the temp of the tires and hubs on the trailer with and IR therometer. I don't see any difference on the exhaust side (but exhaust is behind the tire--as it probably should be). The side in the sun often runs 5 to 10 degrees higher--especially in the heat of the desert.

Typically today my hubs were 75 to 85 degrees and tires 85 to 95 degrees running in the Portland to Bellingham area.
 
You guys and your high tech gadgets - he he - I still use my hands as a hub/tire temp gauge :)

It is amazing what a little grease will do for hub temp. Last year after the first season haul one of my hubs was a little warmer than the others. This year I packed all hubs with grease before the journey and could not tell a temp difference at our destination.
 
Having OLD GMC front wheel drive motorhomes in the past, I've become real cautious about bearing temps., and like Dr. Bob also used an I.R. thermometer in the past and will still use it. I just like the idea of being able to watch the press & temp in real time, in watching this thing, the changes happen in about 10 miles at highway speed, and I stop every 10 miles to check with gages.

Buttttt - these things don't actually give bearing temps as they reference at the valve stem, not the hub, but from watching them work I'm sure you would see the temp come up with a failing bearing. You can see which side of the vehicle has the sun shining on it.
 
One of my sensors stopped reporting when I took the empty trailer over to Seneca Lakes park. I kinda blew it off and planned to have it replaced when I get home, but after reading about Dr. Bobs bearing failure, I ordered a replacement this morning, along with a replacement hub w/bearing packed. One of my least favorite things to do is to work on a vehicle on jacks along a highway.
 
toyman":1m3y5lu0 said:
the changes happen in about 10 miles at highway speed, and I stop every 10 miles to check with gages.
Click to expand...


Man, it must take you forever to make a trip, just the drive from my home in Tucson to my place in LA is 530 miles, that's 50+ stops!! Figure on a minimum for 5 minutes to slow the truck and trailer, get out run around shooting all the wheels and then accelerating up to speed again. 5X50= 250 minutes or an additional 4 hours.
 
matt_unique":3iaunyuk said:
You guys and your high tech gadgets - he he - I still use my hands as a hub/tire temp gauge :)
Click to expand...

I have to agree with Matt, 10-20 miles down the road or whenever you pull over do a quick walk around hub check with your hands. If you put too much faith in technology and have something like a sensor failure it’s a recipe for disaster.

Close to 40 years pulling every conceivable size off trailer, commercial and personal use, not a single bearing failure. Do your maintenance regularly and you’ll not have a problem.

If you launch in salt hose off your wheels immediately, if a hose isn’t available take a garden pump sprayer along.

BTW-- Have close to 15k on factory oil bath bearings, not a hint of wear. Drained and re-filled with fresh gear oil this season, wheel play still tight on hubs, job took about 30 minutes. Almost every saltwater boat sold here comes with oil bath bearings now.
 
Back
Top