Tyre Pressure Monitors
Your thoughts please.
I’m considering buying a tyre pressure monitoring system for my MH as I have it as standard in my car and it is a function you get used to having. The question is this a Must Have or a Nice to Have function for a MH and does anybody have any stories of how it has been of use to them or if it had been installed would have prevented any problems. Thanks in advance.
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If it makes you more comfortable driving your car to have tyre pressure monitors then logically it will make you even more comfortable to have such a system driving your camper van. It surely must assist in preventing problems.
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I guess it is a useful safety feature but the fixed system in Peugeot Boxer based motorhomes is preset at the factory so if you reduce the tyre pressures below the “Boxer” commercial van recommendations you will get a permanent alarm. I believe the same is true for Fiat based vehicles.
Might be better to monitor sudden pressure loss as my car does, rather than absolute pressure.
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I regard the TPMS on my Boxer based MH a bit like the proximity sensors on my last car, a Kuga. A not particularly helpful gimmick.
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As the legislators decided that a low tyre pressure monitoring warning was required for all new cars, it seems to me that a Motorhome, that could, by virtue of its higher masses have greater potential energy to go "pear shaped", ought to similarly have that safety motivated device.
I have just gone through an example of its value with my wife's car. Driving home, two miles after a national chain replaced the tyres we had a warning. Even with the heating of that drive, I found the fronts to be 27 psi, instead of 33 cold value, the rears 29 instead of 36 psi. Would that have been found otherwise, and would you be happy with your wife travelling around with the tyres so grossly underinflated? Their machine was found to be defective.
On a caravan, IMO it becomes even more critical because otherwise a puncture will lead to tyre destruction, before you have the faintest idea; been there three times.
On a motorhome, how aware are you things are wrong before similarly the heat being generated has wrecked the carcass?
No, I don't think a tyre low pressure warning system is a gimmick. I don't see any great additional benefit of a TPMS, all I need to be alerted to is the pressure is too low, not its specific value .
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We had a TyrePal system on our first motorhome. This showed the real time pressures in all four tyres. Had there been a problem it would have immediately have been flagged up. My TyrePal system is now redundant as my new motorhome has a system built in, I have not done enough miles yet to see how that works. However in preparations for our first trip I had to reduced the pressures in all four tyres as they were 5 psi over inflated so until I am on the road I will have to wait and see!
David
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I notice you haven’t got your MH yet, G&G, so are you certain it hasn’t already got a TPMS fitted?
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You might also like to read >this thread< Unfortunately older posts on this subject and others are no longer available. I have had no problems with TyrePal’s TB99 system on my car but the TC215 system sensors have caused me problems due to corrosion and if the valve stem is exposed to the elements, as is the case on the front wheels of my motorhome, water can get into the sensors and the sensors fail. It has been so bad on my motorhome, I now have no sensors on my front wheels.
I would not buy another TyrePal system.
peedee
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I have the tyrepal system on my towcar and caravan at the moment. I have had it for about 3 yrs and all I’ve done is change batteries and I have to say it gives me real assurance that the tyres are all OK by continually monitoring the temperatures and pressures. I wouldn’t want to be without one now.
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Having experienced the factory-fit Tyrepal system on our last Bailey, I fitted the external sensors to our new Knaus Starclass just after we got it. I was a bit dubious as to whether or not it would work without the repeater due to the tyres being well over 8m away from the monitor but my fears were unfounded - it works perfectly.
It more than paid for itself a couple of months ago when I was returning from a 200 mile trip back from the dealers and I was unfortunate enough to get a nail through one of the tyres - and the alarm started to sound immediately the pressure fell. Fortunately, I was only about five miles from home and the tyre maintained enough pressure to allow me to get back safely. Without it, I wouldn't have been aware and I dread to think what the consequences could have been. I wouldn't be without it.
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I have Tyrepal on the caravan and wouldn't go without it as its often too late on a caravan to spot even a slow puncture. The previous car a Merc had TPMS and the replacement car only has the ITPMS which based on ABS and does not give an actual pressure readout but a warning if pressure is lost as the radius of the wheel changes. I have to admit I would prefer the actual pressure readout.
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I have to admit I would prefer the actual pressure readout.
how did we all manage before we had low level warning lights/messages for coolant oil screen wash etc and to actually have a look under the bonnet? 🙄 I have tyre deflation warning on my Merc as did the previous Merc but have been quite happy with its operation (without £100 a corner sensors) .. If I want the actual pressure I've various gauges 😉
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how did we all manage before we had low level warning lights/messages for coolant oil screen wash etc and to actually have a look under the bonnet
Yes we had to physically have a look. But it is an extra, and for me welcome, layer of safety. Prevention is better than cure. Systems can go wrong in a very short time.
My brother was traveling on a motorway when a tyre sensor told him it was losing pressure. He was able to slow down and come off in a safe manner rather than possibly having to stop in a dangerous place, or worse.
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The other thing is nobody seems to capable of putting a spare wheel on nowadays. (If your still lucky enough to have one) Still I suppose it creates work for Green Flag, the AA & RAC
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Most manufacture fitted TPMS do not monitor the actual pressure or temperature of the tyres. Rather they work off the ABS system (which compares the rotational speed of the wheels) because this is much cheaper to fit. Hence they do not provide a readout of pressure and temperature as the TyrePal system does.
Tyres have to lose a considerable amount of air before under inflation is visually apparent.
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Or those no longer physically able?
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Possibly but changing an offside wheel on a busy motorway is somewhat akin to chainsaw duelling from a safety point of view. 3 tons of AA van parked some metres behind does provide a degree of security.
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There could be numerous reasons but I wonder why MM assumed the derogatory one?
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Derogatory? Not at all. I was just quantifying what had been said previously. If I saw someone struggling with a wheel I'd stop & help ... I've even pulled over on a motorway to offer help to a fellow caravanist to change a wheel but they declined my offer.
Various youngsters at work that come under the title of snowflake will also call their recovery
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"Being useless at carrying out practical tasks now seems to a "badge of pride" with some youngsters"
Agree with you on that AD
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