Pretty cool gadget

[Fastdoc98]

I stumbled across a discussion on TPMS on another forum (motorcycle related) and it got me thinking about use when trailering boats and I decided to try one of the suggested units:

https://a.co/d/hbnKUVu


I tried it out trailering my Sunfish about 5 hours on a family vacation and I have to say it was a game-changer.  I had a lot of concerns about the tiny little tires on that Sunfish trailer on the interstate but being able to monitor pressure and temperature really made it a lot more comfortable.  I realize that the temp gauge is not actually measuring temps at the hub, but I figured if the temp on just one wheel was going up out of proportion to the other it would indicate a potential problem.  It comes with 4 units so I'm going to put the other set on my Eclipse trailer and swap the first set between my Sunfish and my cargo trailer.  For anyone who does a lot of trailering, I would highly recommend something like this.

[Cpy23ecl]

I've had a TPMS on my travel trailer since the day I bought it and would never be without it on a heavily loaded trailer.  Be aware that temps on the side being hit by the sun on a hot summer day will be noticeably warmer than the other side. 

I don't have a TPMS on my eclipse trailer but have thought about it.  I don't feel its as critical as on the travel trailer because a blowout on the travel trailer can cause thousands of dollars of damage but with diamond plate aluminum fenders on the boat trailer the chances of serious damage from a blowout is minimal. 

I do however use an infrared thermometer on both trailers to check actual hub temps periodically when trailering any distance.  It gives you a much better indication of how the bearings are doing.  I had axle issues when my travel trailer was new and even though tire temps didn't vary much between both axles I had one axle that had hub temps more than 60 degrees warmer than the other.

I agree that having TPMS does give a great deal of peace of mind while running on the interstate. 

I would strongly recommend changing to metal valve stems.  The extra weight of the sensors on the valve stems causes them to deflect enough that I saw wear on my alloy rims on my travel trailer where the sensors rubbed on the rim because of bending of the valve stem at speed.

Fred

[Fastdoc98]

I'll have to take a look at the valve stems; thanks for the tip!  I used them on my cargo trailer last week for a 500 mile trip and they seemed to do ok but now I'll look closer at the alloy wheels.