Tire Pressure Monitoring for $4.99/tire!

[Ben]

Here's a simple system, and at only $4.99 a tire, who couldn't afford it?

http://vehiclelight.com/airalert.html

Has anyone used it... if not, who's going to be the first to test them?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If I can remeber to write it down on a post-it and then actually get around to doing it, I will order some. It is worth it.

But before I write it down on the post-it, we need to talk. Are you nuts Ben? Do you realize the LED crowd will link to that site and lose their collective marbles (and Lewbucks) buying stuff on that site.

Santa Fe will look like Vegas at night just from the LED junkies. That was not a very wise thing to do Ben. And the worst thing is that you undoubtedly could care less about your tire pressures, you were hanging out there looking for LED lights for your coach.

What is this world coming to?

[Ben]

I have yet to add any LED's to by coach. I'll let Jerry and Mango spend all their money on that stuff. Believe it or not, I can't see the marker lights when I'm inside the coach, so I don't see why I'd need to add them.

I've instead spent my $$ on a 30" LCD display for the interior of the coach which serves as my television and computer monitor. That's something I can use every day and makes a noticable difference in my life.



I might one day start adding LEDs (maybe when Mango starts giving away his vintage 1990 LEDs to trade up to the real stuff), but I have no plan to do so anytime soon.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

They are ordered. FWIW the way they monitor pressure is neat. You do not order them to a specific pressure, but you do inflate the tires to the correct pressure. Then, you install the caps and from that point on the caps are calibrated for that specific pressure. They cannot be changed.

As Ben pointed out to me, I am finally getting LEDs on my bus. They will be on the valve stems, but will not show unless my tire pressures drop.

Eat your hearts out LED guys. The perfect LEDs do not show.

[Ray Davis]

Do they light with overpressure too?

It would seem (unless I'm missing something), that they are really only used perhaps in the morning before a trip, when tire pressure/temp is low?

Any driving and your pressure is going to change dramatically, no?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Ray,

Since all tire pressures listed in manufacturer's data are cold inflation temperatures I think it is presumed the heat from driving will increase pressures. In fact most manufacturer's sites even caution that tires are to be checked when cold, so I presume these caps only alert to pressures lower than the set point by 4 lbs.

I have never seen any data on what constitutes high pressure.

[Ray Davis]

That makes sense. I was just thinking about some of the more expensive monitoring systems, which monitor low AND high pressure, along with temperatures too.

This would certainly make checking tire pressures easier. It's a bear to get at the inside duals.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Ray, since you undoubtedly intend to be a long term Prevost owner you will need to collect the goodies that are specific to the coach and that make life easy.

Among those tools and devices should be tire pressure gauges and fill valves so checking them all is pretty easy. I use "straight foot" integral fill / pressure valves such as made by Milton. Going further, the caps on my valve stems (until I put the new ones on) are the spring loaded type that do not have to be removed, so checking pressure is as easy as pushing the gauge onto the valve stem. The length of the gauge is such I just reach through the hole in the outside drive wheel until the gauge hits the inside wheel valve stem.

As an option that I do not recommend (nor do the tire manufacturers) is an extension to the inside drive wheel valve stem which puts the stem in sight. About 15 years ago Prevost made it clear that there were failures of the inside drive wheels because the extension was stressing the valve stem due to centrifugal force and the stems were fatiguing and failing. They are still sold, and can be the braided hose type or the straight tube type. If you opt to go that way just be aware of the risk.

Despite what I just said above I am considering inner wheel valve stem extensions (but supported to minimize the centrifugal forces) when I put the new caps in place because they have to be removed to fill or check my tires. I will continue to check tire pressures, but will rely on the new caps only to alert me to a tire pressure drop that unexpectedly shows up. And they will show up from time to time, sometimes due to something like a nail in the tire, but more frequently due to a valve not seating properly, or a slow leak at the base of the valve stem.

When you are fueling at truck stops see how the valve stems on trucks are set up. That will give you ideas.

[rmboies]

[QUOTE=Ben]
Here's a simple system, and at only $4.99 a tire, who couldn't afford it?

Hey Ben, thanks for the info! BOB-00's birthday is next week so I am adding this to his gift list. I am always looking for something different for him because the man seems to have everything! I appreciate the link and any other unusual gift ideas for the bus?? And no, Mangos "beverage servers" are not on the list--ha~!

Debi and the elusive Bob
Landrum, SC
2000 Prevost XL Vantare

[Ray Davis]

Jon,

In getting ready for the trip that didn't happen, I purchased a very long staight pressure gauge, with an angled return so that I could check the duals easier. I do not have any extenders on them. But, what surprised me was how hard I had to press this guage to get a reading. In looking at the valves, they were not like normal shrader valves, but had a more circular appearance. It worked, but I really had to push to get a reading. But the rear dual valve is well behind the hole in the front wheel. I can't see how you would get these caps on/off easily. Obviously the hope is that you don't take them off too often, but how do you reach the valve stem to screw/unscrew these puppies? Maybe you can get an arm around between the two tires?


I still need to get a straight on filler to use. Mine have angles, and I'm not sure I can actually put any air in the rear dual?


-ray