I've been using the TireMinder I10 system now for over a month and about 5k miles. So far it's been a really good system for me. I bought the 145psi I10 sensors/kit with 10 sensors and then added 2 additional pass-through sensors that I used for the inside drive tires. The drive axle tires require adapters depending on your valve stem set-up. For me I had to install the TireMinder "J" adapters on the outside drive tires and used the normal sensors that came in the kit. On the inside drive tires I had to use a 4" Tire Minder extension then put the pass through sensors on. These both keep the sensors from contacting the rims. On the Jeep I just used the regular sensors that came in the kit. For the first couple thousand miles I was pretty paranoid and kept checking the extensions/J-adapter on the drive tires and found that once you get them, IMO, uncomfortably tight onto the valve stem, they stay put (the sensors are NOT supposed to touch the rim – I guess it physically beats them up and probably throws off the temp reading). (the secret to installing the inside tire 4" adapted installation is to use a pass-through socket set with 8" of extensions on it and a 7/16" socket - a 7/16" stubby wrench does the job on the J-adapters). I had a spot on the dash that had something velcro'd to it at some point that fit the display space perfectly. The hub is mounted in the engine bay above the batteries and I have not had any connection issues so far, still using the alligator clip set up it came with – it hasn’t been shut off since I installed it in a Walmart parking lot over a month ago. I’ll clean the install up soon.
Running around in TX pressure and temp are huge concerns. Using this system I was able to find the correct pressures that yielded the weight capacity I needed, pressure at continued hwy speeds (75-80mph) and cool temps to keep the tire from separating. My wife was rather frustrated as we were stopping every 70 miles or so for me to constantly adjust pressures and I found that - on Michelin 315's all the way around - that I run 110 cold resting in the front and 100 in all rears. The Jeep I run 38 except for the driver front I run 37 (I had it aligned but think there's something a tad off causing some additional friction on that corner). So in reality after using for several weeks the cold tire pressures are actually now 110 steer and 100 drive/tag at 70deg resting from the night. This is actually great as once it hits 105deg ambient, 4pm at 80mph the steers will come up to 128-129, drives will hit 117-120 and tags will be 119-121. Considering I have a 16,500 steer, 20,400 drive and 12,000 tag axles and a fully laden weigh slip (all tanks full, including grey and black & fuel and all people/dogs inside) showing 15,000, 19,500 & 11,700 respectively putting be ~2700 under 48,900 GVW (FYI - Jeep adds 4600 full of fuel to gross putting GCVW at 50,800). The 315's handle the load within their operating range. The tags always run a few degrees hotter and a couple PSI higher - it's probably a combo not being in the cool airstream and that 3000+ pound Cat hanging off the back. Also notice the inside drives run a couple degrees hotter as well, my guess is that’s the steel wheels not dissipating heat like the aluminum outers. Tires when they're hot are around 120 degrees, normally at or just under 110deg - never seen them over 130deg, including the Jeep (when figuring out pressures in the beginning I did see 133psi and 137deg on one of the fronts – highest I’ve seen, but never since). Always heard that 200deg is the point where tire failure from heat can occur, by 250deg you’re going to have a heat related failure. Read numbers anywhere from as low as 180, 185, 190, 195 – 195deg seems to be the consensus for truck tires where they start to break down from heat over time. So I feel a-ok running these pressures to achieve the required load and the temps tell me I’m ok running at those sustained hwy speeds. The BFG’s on the Jeep will get up to 41psi (factory tire pressure) and sometimes 42-44, but max inflation is 50psi so no worries there. Verified the TireMinder temp is accurate to my Klein IR heat gun and pressures are accurate to most pressure gauges.
I looked at the RVI brake system – super fancy and I like the use it as a level feature and the iPad is fancy. I tend to gravitate towards simple dedicated, easy to troubleshoot systems vs the connected/integrated/all in one/on the net/control from anywhere phone/iPad type of devices. The TM !10 is a simple display that cycles between the coach and toad. You have to press the top button momentarily to toggle between pressure and temp – on this coach, the PSI and temp readings are really close so sometimes I have to double take to verify which mode it’s in. The display does auto-off when it’s not plugged into the charging cord, otherwise you have to hold the top center button for 4-5 seconds. The battery lasts for days. Charging cord is a USB-C so it doubles as my phone and iPad charger we use for TruckerPath (awesome app, fuel discounts, etc., best part is it gives you the truck routs where the nav on you phone will route you down residential streets where you bus starts trimming trees and with a toad attached, may be too tight to navigate).
Twice in the last 2 weeks I’ve had it display a red box around one tire and alarm slow leak. I monitor and there is no such thing. A quick power cycle and back to normal. This is probably a battery in the sensor getting weak. They are easy to change as the TM cap simply unscrews and battery slides in. The Kit came with 2 batteries/sensor, but no telling how long those have been on the shelf. I also believe TM will send you free batteries for life – just keep you original receipt. RVI Brake you have to send back to them if I recall (tying you to RVI which was a con for me – the other is getting an additional sensor, Camping World sells both systems but seems to have a great selection of TM sensors (2-packs), valve stem adapters/extensions, etc.. All in from Camping World I was under $600 (I10 10-pk, 2pk pass through sensors, 2pk 4” straight valve stem extensions, 2pk J valve stem adapter, tax). I think RVI is at least 50% more mainly due to the iPad – but it does double duty for the brake controller.
I may be singing a different tune in another 5-10k miles, but so far so good – the TM I10 is doing everything I bought it to do just great and reliably. No matter what anyone selects, having TPMS w/temp is a must have item IMO. Forget the cost and hassle of having a tire failure and waiting on the roadside, etc.. With a system like this you can tune you pressures and speeds to minimize non-road hazard related tire failures.
Here's some photos - mind the brake dust - we are mobile once again.
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