Cheap vs Expensive Tire pressure monitor

[tbodine88]

I have made four trips this year with my Nimble 26. I've read she weighs 7400 lbs on the trailer.
I have had three blow outs this year. About the same last year, but I only took her out four times.

So I am considering TPMS for the trailer.

etrailer has them for $400
ebay has chinese specials for $24

I bought a solar water pump automatic switch from china 4 years ago, still works fine.

Any one have a favorite trailer tpms. I worry that if its blue tooth it will not see the rear tires which are around 30 feet from the truck Cab.

[pgandw]

3 blowouts in the same year is an indication of a tire problem.  Some suggestions:

• A TPMS will not prevent a blowout.  A blowout by definition may/will happen too fast for the TPMS (and you) to react to the rather sudden loss of air pressure.  Only a slow loss of air will be detected soon enough to prevent tire failure.
• Trailer tires almost always age out before they wear out.  After 6-7 years (see date code stamped on tire), a tire is not expected to carry its full rated capacity or to maintain its shape integrity.
• I would ensure your tires are rated to carry the load of the Nimble 26 plus the weight of the trailer.  If your tires are less than 6 years old, and are rated to carry the load, and are inflated to the pressure needed to carry the load, you will seldom have a need for a TPMS.  Checking inflation and adding air (if needed) are on the start checklist before I travel with any of my trailers.

It's painful to buy new trailer tires every 6 years, but it's even more painful to have a blowout because I'm using an internally rotted tire.  Don't ask me how I know this.

Fred W
Stuart Mariner 19 #4133  Sweet P
Yeopim Creek, Albemarle Sound, NC

[Krusen]

Time to uprate your tires.  More plies, wider cross section, and higher  pressure rating.  With your history of failures, do all three, as you are well beyond the rating of the present tires.

Make sure that they are trailer rated tires, not car or rec vehicle tires.

The total tire rating, sum of all the tires, should be no less than 150 % of the total load, 2 times is better.

On my small john boat trailer, the tires were un inflated for several years, but held air until I reached home.  They were rated about 125 % of the total load, trailer, boat, and motor.  No fishing gear, etc.

I replaced them with 1 size wider, 6 ply rating, and 50 # air pressure.  That almost doubled the capacity, to twice the actual load.  The tires come off in the winter, out of the sun, and have no cracking of the sidewalls at 10 years.  The pressure is checked 3 or 4 times a year, and topped up if required, usually down to 40, and checked at 50 just before each trip.

The road bumps cause much higher momentary loads on the tires, and a marginal tire can be expected to fail, even if new.  Monitoring the average pressure will tell you nothing.

In the last two years you have paid for a set of very good tires, but do not have them yet...........

Time to change what you are buying.

KRUSEN, who does his preventive maintenance in the driveway.

[tbodine88]

My trailer tires are ST205/75D14 which are rated at 760 lbs. I figure each tire supports 1475 lbs. But I can not find a 14 inch tire that is rated to carry that weight. There are 15 and 16" tires that will, but as it is the truck is half drowned when I launch the boat, I am reticent to go up a size with out totally inundating the truck upon launching

Here is my TPM

[pgandw]

My trailer tires are ST205/75D14 which are rated at 760 lbs. I figure each tire supports 1475 lbs. But I can not find a 14 inch tire that is rated to carry that weight. There are 15 and 16" tires that will, but as it is the truck is half drowned when I launch the boat, I am reticent to go up a size with out totally inundating the truck upon launching

The Carlisle ST205/75R14 load range D tires on my camper are rated for 2040lbs at 65PSI (I have similar on my boat trailers).  I just bought these at Discount Tire for $105 each.

Fred W