Archives

Thats Tire Pressure Monitoring System for those doing a search.

Does anybody have information on specific brands of TPMS or even general info?

When it comes down to it, there seems to be 3 types of aftermarket sensors, stick in the rims, tire valves replacments including sensors, and ones that screw into the tire valves where the valve covers would normally go.

The last type, valve cover sensors, are both by favorite and most feared choice. Most of the brands of this type are very end user friendly for install, where the other two will at least require the assistance of a tire garage for installing sensors and maybe someone to wire up the receiver in dash. However I am somewhat afraid of them since they must hold the valve stem "pin" down in order to know what the internal pressure is. Seems like another place for a leak. Also, having something like that spinning on the edge of the wheel seem like a receipe for either damaging the stem or throwing shrapnel (the sensor) at high speed either into my car or anther.

So again, anybody use them or directly know someone using them and have an opinon?

Thanks!

My wife has an aftermarket TPMS on the Prius: me. :D I check her tires once a month, or before a trip.

I know it's not exactly what you were looking for, but it's what I can offer.

Thanks Michael, But having had 2 close calls with low pressure while driving or nearly driving, I'm really looking for a more technology based solution; Unless you know a way to take manual readings at 40/55mph....nah, my wife would never hang out the window like that.

Would this help?

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/technical/t-tire-pressure-monitoring-system-direct-type-install-5025.html

I installed this same system on a few cars already (two HCH-2's and one Prius II). I consider this system to be the best featured and fit for people with a paranoid edge about tire pressures ... ;)


Cheers;


MSantos

I wouldn't go anywhere near the hold-the-valve-stem-down
type, period. Fraught with peril. Even those little "green
dot" indicating valve caps leak -- best to just let the valve
do its job and stay closed.
.
Most aftermarkets are still the type that's at the base of
the valve stem inside the rim, although funny rim cross-sections
sometimes make fitting them a problem. There's also the other
type that attaches the sensor inside the main part of the rim
with a big hose clamp. Both require removing the tire, of
course.
.
I came up with a rather weird solution (http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/tpms/) for my Prius, but it doesn't
have any sort of audible warning threshold and if I'm not
paying it enough attention, I could miss a tire going soft.
.
_H*