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An opinion....for whatever it's worth... Posted by Herb Hirsch [Email]  (#114)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Herb Hirsch) on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:25:29
In Reply to: Looking for Tire Pressure Monitoring System - TPMS, KevinH, Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:26:47 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
IMHO.....I would not spend the money on a monitoring system. Buy a tire gauge. An effective one will run $5.00 or $10.00. A fancy digital one will run a more.
For the last 20 years or so I've checked my tires every 1-2 weeks. I used to drive 40K-50K miles each year. Results of this are as follows.
1) If I had picked up a nail, this would show up as tire pressure 5-10psi less than the other 3. Immediate addition of air and quick repair would almost always save the tire. In one case, I had a nail in the sidewall which is not repairable. Usually, I would accomplish the repair myself with a plug; this was 90% effective.
2) On 3-4 occasions I hit a pothole or other large object. This is where a $250 tire monitoring system is of no value although it will register the complete loss of air. When a tire fails suddenly, it's ruined; don't harbor delusions that it can be repaired. I've always driven slowly to a really safe off-road place to mount the donut (these should be checked every 1-2 months since they don't hold air forever). With the type of catastrophic failure I've described, I've consistently found holes 1"-4" long; these are not repairable.
ALTERNATIVE: Ignore the tire pressure check...it does take 5 minutes after all. The results are fairly consistent; repairable tires are ruined or compromised.
FINAL COMMENT: Even if you drive very little, check tire pressure at least monthly. Tires do lose air due to a less-than-ideal seal at the rim or a leaking valve. If one tire is consistently low, check it out; a new valve and remounting may be needed.
Finally, if you're driving very little, tire life is time-limited. Dry rot and a weakened side wall occur even though the remaining tread seems adequate. 5-7 years seems to be the life.
FINAL POINT: Properly inflated tires perform better, yield better fuel economy and provide an added measure of safety.
Herb Hirsch
South Brunswick, NJ
, Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:17:56, Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:25:29 <-- Viewing This Message
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