TPMS stories

[Mtelkman]

I would like to hear actual experiences/stories from people who have had their aftermarket TPMS systems save them from having a blowout. Was it the temperature alarm or the pressure alarm that was was set off and allowed you to keep from the blowout or worse?

Tell me how they worked to keep you from having worse problems. Thanks!

[OldCoot]

Only had one incident with the pressure alarm went off. I had set the high pressure too low and had not anticipated the build up. I just pulled over at the first rest stop and took a break until the tires cooled off and then went on my way. After reaching final destination, re-set the monitor to a higher pressure and have never had another alarm. Had the TST system over a year and no problems.

[fonzie]

Have a look at post #38

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...s-24348-4.html

[Tireman9]

Its pretty simple to understand. If you run your tire with a puncture so it's loosing air and continue down the highway you are gambling that the rate of air loss is slow enough that you will get to your destination and only have lost 10% of your air (i.e. be at 90% of the tire max for TT owners).
If the rate of loss is faster you can end up running at 50 or 80 or 95% air loss and depending on your speed you will either melt the polyester body cord.


or fatigue the steel body cord


Which is a "Blowout" as far as most people are concerned.

[BigTJohn]

In two other TT I have had (same TPMS TireMinder) and was saved from major damage by the alerts. First one was a spike in the tire on I-4 near Deland, FL. Pressure was dropping by 2 PSI a minute and I got stopped, reflated the tire, got going to a Tire Kingdom 2 miles away, they repaired (poorly) the tire and I got home OK but took the tire to my tire dealer, they pulled the tire and patched from the inside. It became the spare. 2nd one was also a TT, this tire temp was going up. stopped just outside Knoxville TN and the temp ws inded high. Icould feel the difference on the tire compared to the others. Brake had "stuck" and was dragging a bit so after things cooled a bit, I adjusted the shoes on that wheel and all was good the rest of the trip. Readjusted the brakes (all 4) at the next stop for 3 nights and no problem since. Still using it on new 5th and so far, so good. No problems.

[Cajun Po-Boy]

On a 5hr trip home...had to make 3 stops due to low psi warning in my right rear camper tire. (can see tires in truck mirrors)
Each time I checked thoroughly for the problem I could not locate the source so I aired them up to get back on the road.

Latter that week I removed the tire & brought to tire shop...it was a bad gasket on the inside valve stem...very minor but could have been a huge problem if not for the TPMS

[Dutch & Di]

Our TST "saved" us twice in 4 years. 1st time in less than 300 miles it alerted us to a slow leak which we found was from a deteriorating rubber valve stem. We replaced all with metal valve stems.
2nd time, we saw a tremendous spike in temperature. We pulled over and could feel the heat walking back to the 5th wheel. No tire problem but a brake pad locked causing enough heat to sound the alarm.
As far as a blowout--I'm not sure that any tpms could alert you that quickly to prevent damage but once it happened the alert should allow you to get off the road without causing more damage. hugs, Di
Did we have to replace the brake pad? Yes--Dutch had a spare
Did we lose the rotor, tire or have damage to the fiberglass? No. For us that was the moment, we realized just how important it was to have the TST. Without the temperature feature, we would have just driven on until something drastic happened. Hugs, Di

[Tireman9]

Given that the vast majority of so called "blowouts" are in fact "Run Low Flex" failures, TPMS can prevent most such failures if the warning is heeded and the TPM is set properly.
My system has two levels of warning based on loss from the hot pressure plus one warning level based on loss from the cold pressure level.

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

Given that the vast majority of so called "blowouts" are in fact "Run Low Flex" failures, TPMS can prevent most such failures if the warning is heeded and the TPM is set properly.

And come the Chinese "junk tires" comments . . . . Once the tire fails, evidence of puncture or damage is gone.

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by acadianbob

And come the Chinese "junk tires" comments . . . . Once the tire fails, evidence of puncture or damage is gone.

True but evidence of excess heat remains. To generate the 400°F it takes to melt the polyester body cord (as seen in post#4) you have to run at highway speeds 50+
and have excessive flexing as seen when the tire has lost about 80% or more of the inflation needed to carry the load.
Many tires there is additional evidence of the inside sidewall wearing against the inside of the tread edge when they were in contact for a number of miles. Also there is sometimes the evidence of sidewall wear from many miles of the sidewall being in contact with the road.

None of these wear conditions can be duplicated without loosing most of the air. Don't always need to find the puncture but sometimes when you do, along with all the other conditions then forensic science supports the finding of "Run Low Flex Failure, no matter what country or state the tire was made or what color the tire plant was painted.

You can see details of forensic inspection HERE.
or learn more by reading THIS post.

let me know if after reading these or any of the other 16 posts on blowouts you need more information.

[MC9]

Twice my STS TPMS alerted me to low PSI. Both times it was little nail punctures. Can't imagine being without them.

[5er_tom]

Our TPMS saved our *****. We were driving on I-80 across the Bonneville Salt Flats last July, running about 65mph. The wife was on the phone making campground reservations. The TPMS alarm went off. I looked and tire pressure was... 50, 40, 30, and going down fast. I pulled to the should and found the right rear tire with a 6" separation. I had felt nothing! Another 1/2 mile and who knows what damage would have occurred.

I don't go around the block without the TPMS.

[SKnight]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

Given that the vast majority of so called "blowouts" are in fact "Run Low Flex" failures, TPMS can prevent most such failures if the warning is heeded and the TPM is set properly.
My system has two levels of warning based on loss from the hot pressure plus one warning level based on loss from the cold pressure level.

Bingo. Very few tires "Blow out" simply by popping. The pressure gets low, the sidewalls flex and just like bending a fork back and forth until it breaks the sidewall eventually can take no more and gives way proving that 10PSI (What pressure was left) can be pretty violent when released at once. Imagine if the tire let go at 80PSI. The damage would be extreme.

I've had one TPMS experience, it was on my company car. Cruising on a long straightaway I suddenly had the TPMS alarm go off indicating a left front problem. I hit the display and found 17PSI........14PSI.......12PSI finally as I got stopped 9PSI last I looked. It was a serious hole, nearly 1/4" and was flowing air easily. But going straight the car drove normally, and that's where TPMS shines. When going straight you don't know anything's wrong until it's too late, either you turn and feel it possibly losing control, the stress of turning finishes it off and it blows, or still going straight it gives way which is usually a surprise.

When it's a trailer, it's even worse. I've seen (And tried to flag down) people pulling trailers with one tire gone and they have no idea.

Now, delaminations can happen suddenly and are often called blowouts. That's where the tread separates from the tire and flaps around like film at the end of the reel. That causes serious damage.