Beware those Tyre Pressure Monitors

Calamaster

Calamaster

Free Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2019
Posts
166
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Location
Surrey, UK
Funster No
61,603
MH
Autotrail Cheyenne 6
Exp
Since 2017
Bought a set of these 2 years ago. Early this season all did not register on Monitor. Changed batteries. Well tried to and one looked dodgey. Would monitor to device intermittently. Went out this weekend and the 'dodgey' one was showing '--' i.e. no response. Was only 1 hour drive but on arrival FL was down to 17PSI!! The thing not only failed, but let air OUT. Had pump to reinflate and no tyre damage luckily.
Now that I understand how the internals of these tyre monitor devices work.... BE VERY CAREFUL when you change batteries... Connectors can break!!
I have bought a new set with a PROPER HEX NUT type undo to get to battery...
Will let you know...

Learning: Take batteries OUT of every device when wintering... Clocks, Alarms, Tyre Monitors, Cams, Wifi... whatever... My MoHo will be DEAD as a door nail when she sealed in bunker this winter!
 
Figaro said:
Was that a tyrepal system or one of the cheapie immitations ?
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To be honest I don't know... Prob imitiation... All I had left from box was the spanner....
 
Had Tyrepal for 6 years. Thought I had a slow puncture this year so took the sensors off (to make it easier for them, I thought) and drove the van to a tyre bay. They couldn’t find a leak but did scratch the alloy and dented the chassis by not using the jack point.

I mentioned Tyrepal and they said they often saw leaks caused by screw-on sensors. I checked Tyrepal’s website and bought a couple of sets of tyre seal washers which fit between the sensor and the valve. Replaced all four seals and I no longer have a slow puncture. I have a spare set if it happens again. £5.40 including delivery for two sets.
 
Can’t understand why people fit them!Whats wrong with a tyre pressure gauge and check Pressure regularly!Having had campers\motorhomes for over 40 years holidaying in this country and Europe and lugging my race car all over the place I have never experienced a blow out or even had a puncture!Perhaps I have been very lucky!Having just had new tyres fitted I am glad I Havnt had a puncture!The spare is fitted underneath middle of chassis and is lowered onto road.Try sliding a wheel out from underneath!at 75 years old☹️☹️

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Have them on the motorbike. Not had a puncture to date , but mate had two on recent trip to Scotland . Gave us enough notice to get to somewhere safe to sort them out rather than being stuck at the side of the road. Just ordered the tyrepal monitors for the Van.?
 
Have the cheapos on. 15k and still working perfectly. Finding a tyre inflator in Europe is a challenge. Most garages don't have anything and any that do need special connectors. Luckily my pressures have been constant for all 15k so not had to add any air
 
I've had a set of TyrePal tpms for about 8 or 9 years, and they still seem to be working OK.

I've had to change the sender batteries a couple of times, but that's it.

The system pre-dates the current solar version, but still charges fine.

So very happy with the kit. (y)
 
If you had dual rear wheels with bolted on stainless wheel covers that require to be unbolted and removed to check pressure of tyres you just may change your mind.

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WonkyBass said:
Had Tyrepal for 6 years. Thought I had a slow puncture this year so took the sensors off (to make it easier for them, I thought) and drove the van to a tyre bay. They couldn’t find a leak but did scratch the alloy and dented the chassis by not using the jack point.

I mentioned Tyrepal and they said they often saw leaks caused by screw-on sensors. I checked Tyrepal’s website and bought a couple of sets of tyre seal washers which fit between the sensor and the valve. Replaced all four seals and I no longer have a slow puncture. I have a spare set if it happens again. £5.40 including delivery for two sets.
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I have a spare set of seals for my Tyrepal sensors as well as the only problem I've had with them is when I've removed them and the seal has fallen out. Obviously I'm a bit more careful now when taking them off but I wouldn't be without the system which alerted me to a puncture before setting off and on another occasion a bad puncture whilst driving and the tyre temperature warning sounded (tyre was unrepairable). Invaluable.
 
I bought a cheap ebay set for my car and one caused loss of pressure.
 
jezport said:
I bought a cheap ebay set for my car and one caused loss of pressure.
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If the seal is damaged or missing the tyre will deflate, could it be that?
 
Calamaster said:
Was only 1 hour drive but on arrival FL was down to 17PSI!! The thing not only failed, but let air OUT. Had pump to reinflate and no tyre damage luckily.
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Driving a Motorhome on a tyre inflated to 17 psi there is a very high chance the tyre is a right off.
You say no tyre damage, the only way of checking for tyre damage is to take the tyre off the rim. Assuming you did this and all was well, no signs of small rubber beads or marks indicating the tyre has overheated fine.

If you haven't checked the tyre properly you are risking your life as the side walls could be subject to sudden failure where they have been weakened.
 
We had them on our tag Hymer and just about to fit a set to our twin wheel Carthago, it’s not so much the tyre I am bothered about but the massive amount of damage a tyre can cause to the wheel arch/ floor and bodywork.
 
When the batteries get low do you get some kind of warning? If not how can you tell?

Wyn
 
Lenny HB said:
Driving a Motorhome on a tyre inflated to 17 psi there is a very high chance the tyre is a right off.
You say no tyre damage, the only way of checking for tyre damage is to take the tyre off the rim. Assuming you did this and all was well, no signs of small rubber beads or marks indicating the tyre has overheated fine.

If you haven't checked the tyre properly you are risking your life as the side walls could be subject to sudden failure where they have been weakened.
Click to expand...
We think that it happened just as we were reversing into our bay as the wife saw it visibly going down and heard the hissing!

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Calamaster said:
We think that it happened just as we were reversing into our bay as the wife saw it visibly going down and heard the hissing!
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I had similar in a traffic jam only drove 20yds to the side of the road.
When I took to the tyre fitter when they took the tyre off there were little rubber marbles inside from overheating. The tyre had done less than 50miles.

For the sake of £15 to get the tyre off and checked not worth the risk of ignoring.
 
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I have a Tyrepal system for a year or so, working well but when I take one (only) off fully the valve continues to leak. Stops when I put it back on. Is this a common event and is it related to the TPMS?
tk
 
Probably valve not seating correctly because it has been held open by Tyrepal. Press valve in and release to allow it to seat properly.

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New TPMS set arrived today. Look considerably better than current trash. Changing battery is much easier with a hex nut to turn gently. Wish these things were made of metal though. A plastic M12 Nut is going to fail I'm sure when all the grime gets into the plastic threads.... We'll see.
 
The very same thing has happened to me at the weekend. I have Tyrepal sensors on my Smarty and van. Thought I had a puncture as tyre was virtually flat. When I went to pump it up I noticed the sensor was lose. Pumped the tyre up and its still up now. The sensor had worked lose and let the air out slowly.
Got to admit I'm at fault. I did away with the locking nut as I could never find the little spanner. Needless to say locking nuts are back on and spanner in van glove box.
 
I think problem here is that some do not understand how Tyre Pal works
Without Tyre Pal the valve on tyre is closed and therefore airtight (the pressure on back of valve holds it shut). This is covered by a dust cap...which is exactly that.. a dust cap and does not stop air leakage from dodgy valve.
HOWEVER fit Tyre Pal and that physically holds tyre valve open so if there is a bad seal between Tyre Pal and valve then your tyre will go down....eventually.
Always have spare seals and ensure TP head is securely fitted and locked in place with locking nut.👍👍👍👍👍
 
Interesting. I've just checked all the tyre pressures and the front offside was well down - in fairness the TPMS did warn me but I thought I'd been having problems with that particular sensor, losing around 3 psi every trip. So rather than asking the garage to check it out on it's service in a few weeks time I'll try changing the seal.

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