TST tire monitor system

[lafons]

Is anyone using the TST- Truck System Technologies system that monitors both temp. and PSI simulianeously. Looks like a good system but does anyone have any experence or advice. Thanks

[jobrien]

Looked at their website and it does not explain how the temperature id recorded. In my simple mind, how can a sensor that is screwed on to the end of a valve stem record the tires temp? It's exposed to the outside air, rain, dirt, etc. so I don't see it being accurate.

I had the SmartTire system in my previous motorhome. The sensor was actually strapped to the rim inside the tire, so the temp and pressure were pretty accurate.

John

[whemme]

I have used a Pressure Pro tire pressure monitoring system now for about 4 years. It uses sensors screwed onto the valve stems and therefore measures only tire pressure and not tire temperature. My opinion is that monitoring only the tire pressure is enough to detect when the tire will overheat and fail due to low inflation pressure. A tire that is properly inflated for the weight it is carrying will not overheat. As the inflation pressure leaks away, the tire temperature will continue to increase until it finally fails by either blowing out and/or throwing the tread off.

In my four years experience with the Pressure Pro system, it has caught 3 slow leaks, 2 on the motorhome itself caused by the eventual cracks in the rubber valve stems as they age. Since I also monitor the 4 wheels on my toad, the other leak was a toad tire that suffered a puncture from a small bolt picked on the highway.

As a result of my two rubber valve stem failures on two of my rear BF wheels, I finally replaced them all with the Dually valves (custom made all metal valve stems) available from Borg Tire Supply http://www.borgtiresupply.com/ or from the Tire Man http://www.ridgecrest.ca.us/~tire-man/products.html.

Getting rid of those darn rubber valve stems and the associated flexible extensions have solved a lot of slow leak problems.

[Ruby2]

Pressure Pro is the one I have used and got the info from this Forum. Very happy with them and just after I got some new tires on the rear I noticed on the way home that the pressure increased on one side by 5 psi more than the other. I had it checked and the wheel had been bent on install.

I also had the braided extensions leak so this caught that slow leak. Will probably replace next time with the aftermarket stems posted here. One does have to have them on hand when you put on the new tires as I have not found any dealers of tires to handle these.

Pressure increase will tell you something so then check why.

[whemme]

Ruby2,

Please provide more info on your bent wheel. How did it get bent during installation? Those Ford rims are made from large gauge steel and would be very hard to bend just from handling them unless the rim was maybe dropped without the tire installed.

Also, from my experience with the Pressure Pro system, the tire pressures will increase on the order of 8% to 10% (6 to 8 psi) after being driven 10 miles or more at highway speeds. The Pressure Pro system is so accurate at measuring tire pressures while driving, you can even tell which side of the coach the sun is shining on because the tire pressures will increase more on that side due heating effect from the sun.

However, I don't understand how a bent rim would cause an increase in tire pressure unless in some manner it caused the tire temperature to increase more than normal. You seem to indicate that the pressure increased in both rear duals on that side but I assume only one rim was bent. Can you shed some more light on that?

[karls]

Tire pressure can vary for a number of reasons. If the two tires on a rear dual are not of equal size due to one having more milage on it, the larger one will be doing more work and thus be warmer. Different brands paired together could also cause this.

The inside right rear tire on our 98 RB alway runs a couple degrees warmer because it is closer to the exhaust system, which warms the air flowing past that tire.

Typically, I see a 10-15 psi increase in pressure after driving an hour. This is normal and figured into tire pressure recommendations.

[Ruby2]

I had the wrong email address for reply's so did not get this ? answered.

When the inexperienced person put the dual wheels on he thought he could get the outside one on by air wrench pressure pulling in the top 3 lug nuts. Well, I told him after I saw what he was doing that it would just bend the wheel. I did not think it was bent then but when I drove the unit home that side was off from the sun and warmed up higher by 10 degrees more than the left side.

I called them when I got home and also felt the unit was squirreling around on me. My wife drove it and agreed. So when we took it back they had the experienced person check it and the rim was out of true. They replaced it and the unit drives great. So how that got bent from just that is beyond me but glad they stood behind it.
That is one reason I like to watch the balancing and removing mounting of tires. Never know when they cut a cord mounting with equipment and you can see how true it runs. I knew when these were balanced that they ran true. So they did not argue.

I had replace unit with Goodyear's vs. the Michlein's that were on it. Thought for about 50 miles I had really made a BAD mistake. Not so, much quieter and love them.



Gary G.

[whemme]

Gary,

I guess I still a little confused about your posts above. You said that you also use a Pressure Pro system which measures tire pressure but not tire temperature. However, in your post directly above you state that when you drove home the first time after they bent your rim that the temperature of that right side tire increased 10 degrees more than the tires on the left side. How did you measure the tire temperatures since the Pressure Pro system doesn't make that measurement?

I think I may know how your tire shop bent your rim during installation. As I recall, the tire rims have a locating hole in them that is supposed to be matched up with a protruding pin in the wheel hub which means that it is required that the rim be rotated properly so that the hole and pin match up before installing and torquing the lug nuts. If this alignment is not correct and the lug nuts are torqued down, the pin in the wheel hub will prevent the rim from seating flat against the hub and the result will be a bent rim.

[lafons]

I'm about to bite the bullet and purchase the TST. Any last comments or advice ? Thanks

[Mel Wilbur]

Steve, have you checked the Tire Sentry system www.tiresentry.com. One of their features I like is user replaceable batteries. I have used the system for about 5 years with no problems.

[thkurtz]

Gary,
I noticed that you changed tires from Michelin to Goodyear and got a better ride. Specifically what Goodyear brand did you purchase?
Thanks
Terry Kurtz

[lafons]

Mel & Connie,Have you had to replace the battery in any or all of the units ? I'm still looking into all units after your suggestion.I too was wordening about which goodyears you purchased and liked so much. Thanks

[whemme]

Just for comparison purposes, I looked up when I installed my Advantage Pressure Pro tire pressure monitoring system in my coach and it was in February 2005. The sensors in this system have internal batteries that are not user replaceable.

Copied below directly from the factory website is the expected battery life FAQ: How long will the batteries last?

The sensors are sealed units and when the system indicates low sensor battery power, a new sensor should be ordered. For most vehicles, sensor batteries are expected to last for approximately 3 years and the entire sensor can be replaced at a nominal cost.

However, if you remove the sensors from the tire valve stems when your coach is not being used and in storage, the sensor disconnects its internal battery due to the lack of air pressure and therefore extends the life of the battery. As you will note, I am going on close to 5 years now with my sensors and have not had to replace one yet due to a depleted battery.

[lafons]

I have just orded the Borg steams and the TST tire pressure & temperature monitor system. Thanks so much for all the advice and helpful comments. I have updated more than a dozen areas on my coach in the last year with the advice and info. gained from this forum.You all are great to share so much info. My coach is much better for it. Thanks.

[oliverpsmile]

Steve

Watch PERSONALLY the installation of the valves. The proper placement of the rubber washers is very ESSENTIAL. The personnel is not very familiar with those valves.

Very recently I was running between 3 guys and manage to prevent bad installation just before destruction of the rubber seals.

Good luck