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This is a genuine issue with external sensors, but I think is easily fixed. Just place a ring of foam rubber insulation (the type used to insulate hot water and air-con pipes) around the stem. This limits the vibration and keeps the sensor from rubbing against the rim. I’ve had no issues since doing this over 6 or 7 years. This wouldn’t fix the “valve stems being pulled out of the wheel”, but I’ve never heard of this happening and maybe the supplier was exaggerating? Or maybe he’s talking racetrack speeds.
I’m surprised that manufacturers don’t mention this and include suitable rings with the product.
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Re the centrifugal force causing valve stem loss, I am quite certain that the owner of this tyre business would not have warned me about it if he did not have certain knowledge of it happening. My other consideration is that in his business the sample of users that he obtains information from is well in excess of one.
The consequences of “valve stems being pulled out of the wheel” could be pretty catastrophic so it would be good to get more information on this. Perhaps you can point to these reports or get more info from your tyre business … I would genuinely appreciate to learn more about the likelihood and the speeds at which it occurs, and sure other potential purchasers would too. When I say “I’ve never heard of this happening” I’m not reporting my own experience with only three TPMSs, but the outcome of a fair bit of reading and research on TPMS before buying, including discussions with clubs and individual owners about internal vs external and other issues. As I said, for some reason I didn’t hear or read of any reports of such a catastrophe, so would like to understand this risk.
There are reports of valve stems developing cracks and leaks but: a) these happen with and without TPMSs fitted, and b) when TPMS are involved it is assumed that the extra waggling around/bending due to the extra weight might be the cause. This seems to be fixed by using the collar I mentioned in earlier post, which is why I use it. If this is insufficient it would good to know.
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Does anyone have experience with remote car tire pressure monitoring systems?
I was looking into buying one, but then it occurred to me they might be more trouble than they’re worth when it comes to regularly adding air to the tires.
Any experience or observations would be helpful.
Thank you
BB
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I have moved your post into this existing one about the systems you are inquiring about. You may find enough information in this topic already but if you have more specific questions, please ask and I hope you will receive responses that help your decision making…
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In the same position as your thoughts. From the issues with transmission and failure user report, decided to forego any tyre monitoring equipment. People have battery troubles/failure, sensor failure, loss, transmission failure. With the high standard of tyres today, and have found listening to others, it does pay to buy the better known brands of tyres and always have done - except once which was a bad move. However in saying that I do use Diamondback on my caravan and have done for must be at least twenty years. Diamondback is a Chinese tyre manufacturer and heard is the biggest single tyre manufacturer in the world - Triangle Tires. They also make tyres in less popular sizes for the major brands I am told. Fitted the Diamondback on high recommendation from a source I respected of proven value. They have an excellent towing tread pattern, don’t think they are the best wearing tyre, but have excellent road holding and braking, and handle well in the wet and gravel roads. Don’t care they may not be the longest wearing, they have proven highly durable and suited to purpose and inexpensive.
I am absolutely PARANOID about checking my tyres on vehicle and caravan. Also inspect the tyres regularly due to the condition of many roads travel on. Always ensure running correct tyre pressures for road conditions. I would also change tyres before others would consider doing so. Caravan tyres will only wear down to an absolute maximum of three quarters wear and will change them - all three, as regularly rotate wheels on vehicle and caravan. Always buy five tyres for my vehicle as well.
So no tyre monitoring equipment here. I can see my caravan tyres in my rear view mirror and always have my eyes scanning.
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I’ve had one fitted for about six months.
I don’t need to regularly add air to my tyres, but it would be a bit frustrating to do so with the sensors I have, as I would need to loosen the lock nut with the provided tool and then remove the sensor from the valve stem on each tyre.
Similarly, if I wanted the tyres ‘rotated’ ( I would only swap front-to-back and vice versa, never side-to-side ), I would need to remove the sensors and put them back onto the relevant tyres, otherwise the in-car monitor screen would not show the right data for each of the four tyre locations ( my car doesn’t have a spare wheel - and that is one reason why I decided to try a TPMS ).
I’ve found it interesting to observe how much hotter the front tyres get compared to the rears. Apart from that, it is just giving me peace of mind in letting me know that I don’t have a slow leak in one of the tyres.
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Do any car manufactures include TPMS with spare tyres? I presume they don’t.
Ideally, spare tyre pressures should be checked intermittently. A yearly check at service time seems insufficient. I wonder what proportion of car owners actually check the pressure of their spares (if they have one).
I posted the above in the topic ‘Alloy vs Steel Wheels’ in 2021. It is so much simpler to check the spare’s pressure via an extension tube. I had to also buy a short right-angled connector to avoid bending the valve stem too much. Some spare wheel wells may not have enough room for the above, but I have used it in 3 different cars. It is better than risking a back injury in myself or the car service workers.
A quick online search shows up OEM replacement sensors for spare tyres, so it seems that some do.
Some aftermarket TPMS can monitor a spare tyre, but sensors are often only active when the tyre is rotating, so a different type of sensor would need to be used on the spare.
I can’t picture what you have described re the extension tube as I have never had an issue accessing the valve on a tyre that was stored in a well in the boot ( about a dozen different cars since the late '70s ). It may help others if you could post a photo of your extension tube in situ.
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Thanks Scott. Unfortunately, posting a photo isn’t in my skill set. My last 3 new cars over the last 28 years have all been designed so that the spare tyre is positioned valve-side down in the wheel well. The spares could be stored valve-side up, but the central bolt attached to the floor has not been long enough for the nut to screw onto if the spare is stored that way. Maybe your vehicles have had the spare stored valve-side up. My wife’s last 2 cars have had the same issue as mine but my first vehicle, a Beetle in the 1970s, did not have this problem. I presume that there is good reason for the spare to be screwed to the wheel well floor in case of a high speed MVA.
I used to have to unscrew the nut and lift up one side of the spare wheel to get to the valve when I checked its pressure. I have not been strong enough to do so for many years and so I have used a valve extension tube, about 30cm long, for the last 13 years. I just screw it onto the valve and poke it through one of the holes in the spare wheel and leave it attached. So much easier. The car service people are certainly appreciative. My current car needs a short, 90-degree angled connector between valve and extension tube. Each arm is about 2-3cm long.
I just showed my spare tyre’s attachment to a visiting tradie. He was impressed. He rarely checks his spare tyres’s pressure, but I’m not surprised. He has to remove it from under his ute to check its pressure.
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Now I understand the issue. Thanks Tim.
I used to own a passenger van that had the spare tyre under the back. I used to use a crawler to roll under and check the pressure when it was in the garage. Thankfully, in that position it was valve-side-down.
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Hi All,
I’m a bit late to the party but I only discovered this thread just now.
About centrifugal force causing stem loss, a quick thought about the configuration of the valve stems make that simply impossible. The valve stem faces the centre of the wheel so centrifugal force tends to seat it tighter into the rim. At no time can it ever be forced out of the rim coz that requires the centrifugal force to be reversed which is not possible in a system where the object faces the centre on the wheel.
The idea of reinforcing the valve stem to support the weight of any sensor fitted thereon makes very good sense. Think vibration and unbalanced forces in the rotating mass making the sensor vibrate and it can get ugly quickly even with only 10g or so sensor mass.
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Very good point! Probably explains why no one was able to find hard evidence that valve stems were being spun off as reported. However on a car the stems don’t sit exactly radially, they point sideways to some extent. So as well as, or related to, the vibration and unbalanced forces you refer to, there is a centrifugal sideways force on the stem that could be a problem if not controlled, which is what the suggested collar will achieve. Mine are still working after 11 years with no (touch wood) issues (apart from sensors failing, but that is another issue).
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