Any updates on TYRE MONITORS from users ?

I got the Tryedog brand, with the sensors which screw onto the valve stems. Because I have split rims and tubes this is the only type that will work for me. The display has a motion sensor in it and it 'goes to sleep' if the vehicle is not moving so I have left this on AA batteries even though it comes with a 12 volt adaptor. The wheel sensors can be locked on with an allen key and have not been stolen yet. The system seems to accurate within about 2 psi, it also show temp of the tyres. I did get a puncture out bush and the unit beeps every time the pressure drops 1 psi. What this meant to me was I could get the jack under the axle before the tyre went flat. (The stupid landcruiser jack is too tall to get under the axle when the tyre is flat). My set has a 6 wheel display with four for the car and two for the caravan, they also come in other combinations. The sensors at <10gms seem to make a very slight difference to wheel balance, but not enough to worry, I am thinking of sticking adhesive wheel weights opposite but haven't got around to that yet. I have brass valve stems and they do not flop around with the sensors on. I have heard that tubeless valve stems do have some movement. So far I am happy with the product.
Mike.

Hi Willie.

I'm running "smartire", not cheap but no problems with them falling off, which happen recently to others on a CSR trip.
Temperature reading is accurate as well as pressure.
Install is more involved than some others.

regards

Wim

Hi Mike,

I'm using the Sensatyre system with the internal tyre sensors. This is a 4 sensor unit and I have the unit hardwired into the vehicle. It's been a great system that has saved my tyres on a few occassions. Only downside is that you have to take the sensor out of you want it in the spare, you have to recalibrate the unit when you rotate the tyres and I don't know how the sensor would take a "Butane" reseating explosion.

I've decided to go over to steel rims and different tyres for my next outing so will get the Tyre-dog 6 sensor system and leave the Sensatyre on the alloys for road use. In hindsite, if you anticipate doing a few tyres changes and are doing a lot of off track work, I'd probably go an external tyre sensor system. Are you heading off looking for that elusive gold stuff again?

Cheers

Mick

G'day Willie

Not only g'day but all the very best for 2009.

I run the Smart Tire monitoring system on all wheels of my 80 Series Cruiser.

They are quite accurate once programed correctly, but that was one of the systems dramas, setting it up correctly.

Since fitting the sensors inside the tyre cavity, one battery has failed and one sensor fell off inside the tyre, but still gave a signal.

The loose sensor was due to poor workmanship by the tyre fitters when I had all new tyres fitted a couple of years back.

These tyre/tires are the Mickey Thompson MTZ'ds.
63,000kms and still in good shape, and you know the country that I operate in almost on a daily basis.
Yes, I'd buy Mickey T's again.

The Smart Tire system has been in use on my Cruiser for around six years, no tyre failures at all, but I did and still do stop and investigate a tyre problem warning when it comes up on the monitor screen.

Yes I would by the product again and yes I would stand~over the tyre fitter too.

Regards : Joe PICTOURS

I have a Chinese Securetire system with stem mount senders.
Have 4 0n the car and 4 on the van and got 2 spares just in case.
Have done about 12,000 onroad k's and no probs so far.

The alarm for low pressure is set at 4lb under regular and it works cos at 4 am when i went to work on a cool morning it was chirping away when I turned it on.Tyres were under pressure due to temp I would say.
Havent put them on the van yet but will be at the end of the month.
Car ones set at 40lb and van at 50lb.
Will just wait and see
Set cost me $385 Inc postage for 10 senders and screen.

I have the tyredog system which I have used in all sorts of offroad situations and has been very good.
Unfortunately the locking nut does not work on 2 of my tyres because the stem is too short. Recently (last 2 weeks) those sensors were stolen and guess what I had a flat yesterday while driving 2Klm from home on the black top. Will now have to order replacements

G'day Willie,

I too have Tyre Dogs.

Was unable to lock these due to my valve stem, but have been on there for about 12 months. Its worthless knicking them without the receiver in the car.

Quiet accurate, and also handy with the temps...picked up a very warn bearing on the garden trailer due to higher temperature.

Recently did the CSR and gave me a lot of confidence is pressures, and saved me from one flat. Very quick to respond to pressure changes.

Batteries have not been replaced since new and they are still going fine.

I highly recommend these little units.

Brett...

A member (Turist) of the Bushtracker Owners Group forum, gave me the following interesting info.

"The Smartire company has been sold to the Bendix Group, sale took affect December 8th last.
Rumour is that Bendix will concentrate on the commercial vehicle products and drop the RV models.

No dealers that were selling Smartire in the US are currently stocking the product.

Internet sales outlets that previously listed Smartire no longer do so.

The Australian importer (Autron, not the sales outlet in Willie's link) no longer imports the product."

Are truckers aware of these products ?

Seems every where I drive the roads are scattered with bits of shredded tyre carcasus.
Would probably save these guys a bundle.


Cheers......Lionel.

I had a set of the ones that screw onto the valve stem for a year or so. (Jette 400B)

I'm damned if I could be bothered spending half an hour sitting and fiddling with the damn control unit, trying to alter the settings once I'd adjusted the tyre pressures to drive on different terrain etc.

I lost one of the monitors on gravel roads; smashed off by a rock presumably.

There were small aluminium locking devices provided that could be clamped onto the valve stem with 3 VERY small Allen grub screws. I never bothered fitting those bits, cos it would take 15 minutes to get each one off whenever you wanted to air-up/down. The only way to fit these IMHO would be drill another hole in the rim and fit a second valve stem....preferrably a steel one as used on mag wheels, so that there was less chance of the sensor breaking the valve stem. Breaking of the stem never happened to me, but I believe it could be an issue.

Anyway I've sold mine.

I still like the idea of these devices and I'm hoping that the next generation will be a little more user friendly.

My idea of how they should be able to be programmed is:

1). Adjust the tyre pressures of all tyres to suit the terrain.

2). Fit the sensor units to each tyre (or preferabbly have them permanently fitted as mentioned above)

3). Jump up into the cab and press a button on the monitor unit. Holding this button for (say) 30 seconds, it would go about the task of seeking the signal from each sensor, registering the present pressure and temperature of each tyre in turn. I would imagine that a LED/beep would alert me to the fact that all 6 (or 8 or whatever) sensors have been re-programmed to the current pressures

4). Drive off......... Knowing that the monitor will alert me to any tyre that changes by more than 4psi (or similar), or by more than ?oC......

That is when i will invest in another set of these ....

Roachie

I use the Jette Tiregard system which I bought from Pride 4WD in Fyshwick ACT. $299 for a four wheel system. I think it comes from South Africa (but made in China). I have been very happy with it. The senders screw onto the valve stems like dust covers. They have survived the E Kimberley and Great Sandy Desert. Only concern is theft in town. Good reason to stay bush.

Before that I had the Smartire system which also performed well but attachment to rim required removal of tyre, and were fatally damaged when tyres were replaced in Kalgoorlie in May 07. At least they couldn't be stolen.

I now think of driving without knowing the temperature and pressure of each tyre akin to driving without knowing the coolant temperature.

Thanks heaps to everybody who answered this post with good info.

I think I will get Sensa Tyre or Pressure Pro . Neither are cheap, but they seem to have the best reputations.

I will get metal valve stems fitted and remove the senders when not on a trip.

Cheers,

Willie.