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Herkbubba
07-12-2013, 05:17 AM
Hey all - just wanted to give a shout out about our recent trip.

2000 miles round-trip over the 4th of July pulling a 2008 Sprinter 311 BHS.

Several months ago I bought the RV TPMS system ftom TST:
http://www.tsttruck.com/RV_Tire_Systems.html

Got the display unit with (4) flow-through sensors - means you can check the pressure and/or fill while they're attached. This was our first long trip with it installed....

Anyway, after travelling about 350 miles, had a catastrophic blowout on the right-front tire. NEVER got any indication from the TPMS that the temp was high or the pressure was low. Felt the "tug" when it blew (we were at hwy speed) and a person came up on my left and pointed... I knew what it was.

Looked at my TPMS display... everything was normal.

Pulled over - two good Samaritan's also pulled over (two college-age guys) in a Jeep... they said they heard the explosion (top was off) and figured I could use some help.

Fortunately, just the tire exploded - no damage to the fender wall.

We changed out the tire and nervously finished our 800 mile drive.

I called TST and told them of my situation. I drive a 2010 Ram 2500 Megacab and the TT is 31-foot long.

I spoke with Mike at TST... he listened to everything I described (seemed like the signal was being dropped en route / no indications prior to or after the blowout) and he asked me if I had a repeater. He told me that most likely the issue was signal strength. While the system advertises 50' of signal, he told me that long TT's are having a problem and they recommend a repeater. He said he'd send me a repeater with a discount.

I then reminded him of the blowout and how even after it blew I got no indication... He explained "THAT'S RIGHT!! I forgot you said that!! We'll comp you a repeater, and I am going to send you the commercial grade receiver as well. Free of charge!!"

I asked how long it would take to get to where I was at. Gave him my zip code... He checked for a second and said, "Ummm, how does tomorrow sound?"

So - bottom line that I got a repeater and a new receiver overnight.

Followed the directions (you have to sync up the repeater to the receiver - and reset the sensors to the receiver) and wired the repeater to the battery.

Got the tire replaced (better quality / higher load bearing - $119) and we made it home without issue. Never once lost signal - saw the tires temp and pressure increase or decrease as the trip progressed.

Bottom line: I'm pleased with the TPMS but I'm even --MORE-- pleased with the customer service provided by Mike at TST. Buying gizmos for our toys is great... but when you get awesome customer service to back it up, just makes the purchase that much better.

Thought anyone looking for a TPMS might be interested in this... I also went to the TST website and provided positive feedback because I have noticed over time people are quick to complain but seem to forget praise.

Safe travels... hope this helps someone!

Herk

SAABDOCTOR
07-12-2013, 08:00 AM
Glad to hear about some good service. one question how far are the trailer tires from the reciver? i have the same system if i put the monitor down low i get weak signal so i moved the monitor up by my rear view mirror and have no issues. the temps change as well as pressures. so i think i am ok.

hankpage
07-12-2013, 08:56 AM
I have been thinking about this or similar system but can't seem to find any info on how the sensors effect wheel balance. Do the wheels have to be rebalanced after install???? ....... I am also awaiting an answer from a vendor.

SAABDOCTOR
07-12-2013, 09:40 AM
yes you should rebalance the wheels.

W.E.BGood
07-12-2013, 09:45 AM
I have been thinking about this or similar system but can't seem to find any info on how the sensors effect wheel balance. Do the wheels have to be rebalanced after install???? ....... I am also awaiting an answer from a vendor.

Funny you should ask, hank. I have a TST507 system I got about 3 1/2 months ago in preparation for a 1,500 mile round trip I was going-on. It did its job on the trip by alerting me to "over-pressure" on one tire which was caused by the difference in temps from when I aired them up at the start (40's) and what I was driving in one day on the trip (90's).

Back home, discovered that the sensors had all chewed a little bit into the aluminum rim edge from "wobbling" from the centrifugal forces and the rubber valve stems allowing too much flexing movement.

I finished yesterday getting brass "high pressure" valve stems installed at a dedicated tire shop...asked for metal ones, the ones they got were either too short or too long. The high pressure ones are still rubber, but MUCH stiffer.

I had them balance the wheels WITH the sensors attached as they each weight 18 grams (about 5/8 oz.), and I had them use "sticky" weights on the inside of the wheel instead of clamping big chunks of lead onto the nice looking outside rims.

It'll be a few weeks to a month before I get it back on the road for the next trip, so we'll see how it does.

Regards, BGood

ps. I talked to and emailed pictures of the rim damage (it's largely cosmetic) to Dan Covington at TST and STRONGLY suggested they tell their customers that they likely will need something stiffer than standard rubber valve stems.

pss. Here's the link to the thread where I posted the pix here http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11217&highlight=tpms

hankpage
07-12-2013, 09:54 AM
Their FAQ section recommends not putting them on rubber stems but says nothing about balance.

hankpage
07-12-2013, 10:03 AM
This is the response I received from the vendor:
Yes you can rebalance them, but I have not had any complaints from RV or Semi Truck drivers who do not. They are pretty lightweight. a ounce or so. If you are installing on a car contact me so that I get you one with ultralight sensors..............

Sounds like typical CYA statement to me. I'm no rocket scientist but it seems to me that adding or removing "a ounce or so" weight from a wheel is taking it out of balance. :confused:

Herkbubba
07-12-2013, 10:54 AM
Glad to hear about some good service. one question how far are the trailer tires from the reciver? i have the same system if i put the monitor down low i get weak signal so i moved the monitor up by my rear view mirror and have no issues. the temps change as well as pressures. so i think i am ok.

WRT how far are the tires from the receiver?? Dunno and the RV is at the lot. Maybe 30 to 35 feet?? (ballpark total guess)

I place the receiver in the center of the dash above the radio... in my truck I have a little space for pens/business cards/etc that the receiver base fits perfectly in. No glue, tape or Velcro required...

The repeater definitely throws the signal better / makes it stronger, and the return trip was perfect - never lost a signal.

As far as balancing the tires... Probably not a bad idea - I think I may have metal stems put on there and the get rebalanced as well. All good ideas!!

DocData757
07-12-2013, 12:13 PM
Doesn't this system give any indication that you are not getting signal from one or more tires? If you have 6 sensors, wouldn't the screen show 6 signals vice having 4 sensors/signals or is this something you configure on the monitor?

This is very odd. What would happen if for some reason, you lost one of the sensors enroute? You would not get any warning at all?

Herkbubba
07-12-2013, 12:25 PM
Doesn't this system give any indication that you are not getting signal from one or more tires? If you have 6 sensors, wouldn't the screen show 6 signals vice having 4 sensors/signals or is this something you configure on the monitor?

This is very odd. What would happen if for some reason, you lost one of the sensors enroute? You would not get any warning at all?

That was part of the troubleshooting and symptom that I talked to Mike at TST about.

I have 4 tires on twin tandem - so the receiver sequences between tires for the display... if you have 6 or more - it would do the same thing... The receiver is set up for a max of 36 tires, I think... each tire would need a sensor, obviously. You set the receiver to the number of sensors you want - each sensor has a discrete ID...

Occasionally, one of the tire sensors on the receiver (display unit) would blank out... with an associated "beep". What I mean by blanking out is the pressure and temp info is gone...

Whet it happened, I'd shut the receiver off (at highway speed) then turn it back on... it would take a while for the sensors to be picked up by the receiver. At times, one or more never got picked up.

Therein lies the situation: it was a signal issue. The sensors were throwing the signal out, but the receiver wasn't able to pick it up enough. At rest, when the system was turned on - everything was fine (not moving / no interference from other cars / frequency noise / etc). But over time - for various reasons - the weak signal got unlocked from the receiver. Maybe it could pick up the signal... maybe it couldn't.

Another thing I told Mike was that as I was replacing the tire on the side of the highway - when I pulled the sensor of the destroyed tire, that's when the alarm finally went off on the receiver and I had to reset it.

Mike explained it to me like this: If the signal is lost, the receiver holds the last parameters if knew were correct as it "seeks" for the sensor. After a while, when the receiver figures it cannot find the signal, the display blanks for the associated tire. If the signal comes back - all is well. If not, then it remains blank.

The repeater boosts and throws the sensor signal up to the receiver. Smaller RV's don't really need the repeater but a big honkin' fiver of a 30+' TT probably do need one.

Your mileage may vary... my situation was wholly due to signal strength and the repeater fixed it.

And to answer your question - if the signal strength is good to go, and you toss a sensor, the alarm would go off. Well, that's how it is designed anyway.

Herk

DocData757
07-12-2013, 05:17 PM
Is your system the TST 510 or 507?

Herkbubba
07-12-2013, 06:26 PM
Is your system the TST 510 or 507?

I have the 507 Starter kit...

http://www.tsttruck.com/Product_List.html

The flow-through sensors with ability to replace the batteries are on the above link.

The website shows it for $259 with the old sensors... I called and asked for the flow through in place of the old one...

diugo
07-12-2013, 08:13 PM
The flow-through sensors weigh much more than the regular ones and exert several pounds of centripetal force on the valve stem at 65 mph. So metal stems are strongly recommended over rubber ones.

Re balancing, consider that stick-on balancing weights come in 1/4 ounce sizes, so the sensor is equivalent to several of them. Ergo, balancing also recommended.

T11ravis
08-05-2013, 12:13 PM
FYI, Bought a 507 system a few weeks ago and was talked out of the new, flow through caps as I had rubber stems. She said those caps were much heavier and not recommended but the old, lighter caps would be fine.
This is after a 700 mile test run with my cargo trailer last weekend:
http://www.keystoneforums.com/attachments/photobucket/img_90530_0_c105e5b14d04ff108c4e3dd6262c318c.jpg (http://s266.photobucket.com/user/t11ravis/media/rim_zpsb7ae1567.jpg.html)
http://www.keystoneforums.com/attachments/photobucket/img_90530_1_237d06d4b563b8e9cf94b48978555cb9.jpg (http://s266.photobucket.com/user/t11ravis/media/rim2_zpsd7e05d3b.jpg.html)

I'll be replacing all my stems in the next week.

Herkbubba
08-05-2013, 12:51 PM
Travis - thanks for posting... I forgot to post an update after our latest trip.

Following the advice of some of the people here, I had the rubber stems replaced with metal stems on all 5 tires (4 + spare). Also - had them all balanced with the TPMS sensor installed.

We took a trip down to Myrtle Beach the other week... about 400 miles roundtrip.

No issues whatsoever. The TPMS system worked like a champ.... no hiccups. Tire temps and pressures all looked great throughout the whole trip.

Best of luck...
Herk

T11ravis
08-05-2013, 01:51 PM
No issues whatsoever. The TPMS system worked like a champ.... no hiccups. Tire temps and pressures all looked great throughout the whole trip.

I meant to mention that as well as we had the same experience. I'm very pleased with the product, it worked well and the peace of mind is worth it!