Tire sensors

[chrpennings]

All,

Our local Newspaper reports today that the safety regulation issued by the Governement on Thursday requires that by 2008 model year new passenger cars should have tire pressure monitoring systems in place.
All new four wheel vehicles weighing 10.000 pounds or less must be equiped with the systems by the 2008 model year. The regulation affects passenger cars, SUV's, pickips and minivans.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates the upgrades will cost manufacturers between $48.44 and $ 69.89 a vehicle

Chris

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I believe this is a revision of a rule that originally went into effect in 2003 but was challenged in the courts as being inadequate to achieve the stated purpose. The NHTSA lost a Supreme Court decision recently and  the new rule restates the old requirement in a way that satisfies the court decision.

 

[rvrrat]

This is something new to me. First Ive heard of this. So how do the sensors work? Can they be adapted to a tow vehicle? I was recently towing my boat behind the rv and had a flat. With a dual axle trailer I couldnt feel that a tire went until some friendly sort told me.

 

[Lorna]

We were towing a Ford Ranger behind our MH and front tire blew on the truck and I never felt anything in the steering nor did I see anything in the backup camera or side mirrors. Wouldn't have known it if some hadn't told us as he passed us on the Mobile Bay Bridge in Alabama.  So we are sold on tire sensors.

 

[Ned]

We have the Pressure Pro system. ?The sensors screw onto the valve stems and transmit the tire pressure to a panel on the dash. ?If the pressure drops 12.5% an alarm triggers and the low tire is displayed with the actual pressure shown. ?Our system covers the 6 motor home and 4 toad tires. ?One tire failure, especially on the toad, and the system will have paid for itself. ?We've already had one flat on the toad, but we didn't have a monitor system at that time but were notified by a passing motorist in time to avoid a real disaster.

 

[Ron]

Was it in Idaho a few years back where a motorhomer had a flat on the toad that resulted in starting a forest fire.  Although we have yet to get tire sensors it is high on the priority list.  I think the two best choices are either Smartire or like you have pressure Pro.

 

[Tom]

IIRC Ron, that couple was sent a bill for $1M to pay for fighting the fire.

 

[Ron]

IIRC Ron, that couple was sent a bill for $1M to pay for fighting the fire.

Quite a difference between the cost of the fire and cost of tire sensors. ;D

 

[chrpennings]

I have considered the smarttire or the pressure pro sensors. I do  like the smarttire system but leaning towards the pressure pro system.
The reason is that the coach is used for towing 4 different vehicels, Jeep G.C., Jeep Wrangler, 24 ft. trailer and boat.
Since we putting new tires on the coach this week installing the smarttire  sensors would not be an additional cost but it would require for the 4 towed vehicles (16 tires) to buy an additional 16 smarttire sensors and have those installed by dismounting tires, installing sensors, remount tires and balancing. Going with the pressure pro sensors we only have to buy 4 sensors for the towed vehicles and when we change from one towed vehicle to another one we simply change the sensors.

chris

 

[John From Detroit]

This is something new to me. First Ive heard of this. So how do the sensors work? Can they be adapted to a tow vehicle? I was recently towing my boat behind the rv and had a flat. With a dual axle trailer I couldnt feel that a tire went until some friendly sort told me.

I heard about the tire pressure sensor rule a couple of months ago,,, Seems there are 3 ways to go with these, and they might even come up with a 4th

Method 1: is to use the vehicle's ABS sensors to measure the rotational speed of EACH weel independently... If one wheel is turning considerablly faster than it should and doing so consistantly... BEEP, Check your tires BEEP

Method 2 is to use sensors in each tire, but all on the "Same Channel" "Beep-Check your tires -Beep"

method 3 is to use sensors, each on a different channel  (Beep.  Check right front tire Beep)

Method 4, should they choose to invent it, is to automatically inflate tires in need Possible, but is it practical?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

John,
The new rule has less options than the previous one - that was the subject of the lawsuit that resulted in the new rule.  Basically the old rule permitted "indirect" sensing such as via the ABS, whereas the newly issued rule requires specific sensors on each wheel that directly indicate inflation status.

 

[BernieD]

Method 4, should they choose to invent it, is to automatically inflate tires in need Possible, but is it practical?

John

There is a system out there that monitors and pumps up the tires, but it is one of the most butt ugly contraptions I have seen. Under the coach is a series of air lines from the compressor to the tires (coach only). On the coach a line goes from the air line connection to a thing-a-ma-bob on the tires. It monitors the pressure and inflates as necessary. Nothing for the toad.

Couldn't find it's name or website. It was being displayed at the FMCA Indio rally last January. A friend has the system and sells them. I can get you his email address, but it is expensive and butt ugle.

 

[caltex]

BernieD,

Just curious, how do they get the air line to a revolving tire?

Caltex

 

[Ron]

Probably similar to the way they do on the REAL Hummer. (Not the copy)

 

[BernieD]

BernieD,

Just curious, how do they get the air line to a revolving tire?

That's what the thing-a-ma-bob does ;D ;D  There is rotating connecter attached to the tire to the valve.

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

Bernie

it is the Vigia system... you can see it at? ?http://www.gio-set.com.


Terry
At Yuma, AZ

 

[BernieD]

it is the Vigia system... you can see it at  http://www.gio-set.com.

Terry

Thanks for the lead. It's website comes up on my monitor as butt ugly as the system looks ;D ;D ;D

 

[Karl]

Bernie,
You're absolutely right - both are uglier than a coon's patootie. Some of the pictures are so out of focus, I thought my glasses had gone bad, and the spelin is atroeshus. Can't imagine why they wouldn't use a digital readout system and keep all the pneumatics tucked away somewhere else. That control box is HUGE!

 

[caltex]

Thanks for the web site.  I wonder how reliable that rotating pressure connection is?  I think I will keep it simple and just go with sensors.

 

[Terry A. Brewer]

>> I wonder how reliable that rotating pressure connection is?? I think I will keep it simple and just go with sensors.<<

I just got back from Mexico & a lot of their Dino bus's were using them.


Terry
At Yuma, AZ