Tire Pressure Monitoring systems for trailers - what's good and what's bad?

[newbury]

I've come to realize I want one.

Reviewing the offerings on the web there seems to be 2 main classes - the sub $100 w/ 4 sensors and the $300 plus with 4 or more sensors.

Some of the cheap ones are laughable - On Amazon for one brand the same seller responded "good for trailers" and "only good for compact cars" a few months apart.

I've a 21' CC dually towing a 24' trailer so I could use 10 monitors and that tends to run around $500 plus.

So what's good and what's not in the TBN'ers experiences?

Are all the caps the same? Can one mix and match brands?

 

[orezok]

I towed my RV trailer for 20 years without a single tire problem. I finally decided to buy a TPMS. On my very first trip as I was 1 mile from getting on I-40, I got a Rapid Deflation alarm. I pulled over and one of my tires was rapidly deflating but was still visually good. Pressure was down about 20# by the time I stopped.

Changed the tire and was on my way in 15 minutes. If I had gotten on the freeway, th tire would have blown and could have caused $$$$ in damage.

Later inspection revealed road hazard damage.

I have a TST 507 which is one of the most promoted units on the RV forums. This unit lets you set both high and low pressure alarms and give a tire temperature reading. Useful if you have a stuck brake or bearing problem.

 

[Silvic]

I have an older Tire Minder model TMG400C Monitors up to 22 tires 0-145 psi.
It is fantastic and can say nothing negative about it. I got it after I had had trailer tires that were going at about one per month on my equipment trailer (long story) and then my RV bumper pull had one tire do a violent blowout on the interstate. It may or may not have been avoidable but having the TMS would have given it a chance.

 

[timswi]

I also posted on your other thread--I bought an 8 sensor Bellacorp TPMS from Amazon and so far I love it. No repeater needed and it reads temp and PSI. Think I paid around $350 for it. Much cheaper than the damage that occurred in the spring due to a tire blowing apart on my 32'TT. Past weekend leaving camp, the alarm went off. The valve guts on one of my car trailer tires was leaking. That could have been a mess. I'll never be without one again.

Needless to say, I'm having bad luck with trailer tires this year.

 

[newbury]

I have an older Tire Minder model TMG400C Monitors up to 22 tires 0-145 psi.
It is fantastic and can say nothing negative about it. I got it after I had had trailer tires that were going at about one per month on my equipment trailer (long story) and then my RV bumper pull had one tire do a violent blowout on the interstate. It may or may not have been avoidable but having the TMS would have given it a chance.

I like the Tire Minder Smart TPMS because it should work with my phone. But it seems to require the signal booster to get back past the truck bed.

I towed my RV trailer for 20 years without a single tire problem. I finally decided to buy a TPMS. On my very first trip as I was 1 mile from getting on I-40, I got a Rapid Deflation alarm. I pulled over and one of my tires was rapidly deflating but was still visually good. Pressure was down about 20# by the time I stopped.

Changed the tire and was on my way in 15 minutes. If I had gotten on the freeway, th tire would have blown and could have caused $$$$ in damage.

Later inspection revealed road hazard damage.

I have a TST 507 which is one of the most promoted units on the RV forums. This unit lets you set both high and low pressure alarms and give a tire temperature reading. Useful if you have a stuck brake or bearing problem.

The TST 507 was my first choice, but no PDA use.

I also posted on your other thread--I bought an 8 sensor Bellacorp TPMS from Amazon and so far I love it. No repeater needed and it reads temp and PSI. Think I paid around $350 for it. Much cheaper than the damage that occurred in the spring due to a tire blowing apart on my 32'TT. Past weekend leaving camp, the alarm went off. The valve guts on one of my car trailer tires was leaking. That could have been a mess. I'll never be without one again.

Needless to say, I'm having bad luck with trailer tires this year.

This looks a lot like the TST but no theft deterrent caps.

Thanks for the suggestions guys, obviously I need more research before I pay the equivalent of half the price of a small disc harrow, which I also need.

 

[timswi]

True on the theft deterrents but I really didn't see the need. After reading comments on the deterrents, many said that feature was more trouble than it was worth and if someone really wanted them they could be removed with little difficulty.

Also, I have tested to reception at around 65' and they read perfectly so the repeater expense is null.

 

[Silvic]

I like the Tire Minder Smart TPMS because it should work with my phone. But it seems to require the signal booster to get back past the truck bed.
.

I require no signal booster on my system even though the manual does address the potential need for one. My tow vehicle is a long bed crew cab so not a short truck. My RV is 35 ft long, my one equipment trailer is a total of 24 feet long and then there is this sucker which has a pretty good length as well (20 ft bed plus superstructure so about 31 feet)



and I have never had a problem with signal strength. Maybe I have been lucky. Trailers longer that what I have I can't guess.