Tire Temperature

[Richard Cooper]

I'm sorry gentlemen.  I am hard headed at times.  You are right --- shoot the thing at all the tires and see which one(s) vary from the rest.

I'm an accountant and we don't think on the same side of the brain as those who understand mechanical things.  

[Bill Sprague]

Richard,

Next week I'll be driving to Quartzsite.  I will try to remember to point the meter at the tires and give you a number.

Bill

Oops!  I can't find my meter.  I may have loaned it out.  If I did, it was so long ago I don't have a clue who it may have been!

[Dick Simonis]

Just program your TPMS for 137 and if the alarm never goes off, you're good.  Personally, I've never paid any attention to the temps on my car tires nor do I on the MH.  If the pressure is up the temps will be good.  Pressure is the key.

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Gentlemen, I have spent over 25 years in the trucking industry and sat on numerous miantenence councils on the ATA. I have never been exposed to anyone in the industry that tests tire temperatures. Trucks run a 100,000 miles per year and haul 80,000 pounds. I for one  will not concern myself with tire temperatures outside of touching the tires on occasion.  

Having said that I know others feel otherwise and if you do test away.  But keep in mind to do accurately you will have to know what position the sun is in what surface temp the road has and what lane you drive in.  All,of these factors can effect your temperature readings.

[Joel Ashley]

I usually allow for ambient conditions when using my sensor, including the sun and shade, etc.  What I'm looking for is one tire with a significantly different temp. from the rest, which may be a clue that it has low pressure for some reason.  The sensor is easy to use use, so in a few minutes I can walk the perimeter and ease my mind, or find an issue that needs more attention - out comes the tire gauge, and further inspection and tests upon complete cool down.

Given the number of "alligators" along our roadsides, I'd say more in the trucking industry should be using more reliable methods, whether bare hands, tire thumping rods, or heat sensors, to check their tires.

Joel

[Tom and Pam Brown]

The gators are the result of using poorly made recaps.  Not new tires.  

Again, if folks feel the need by all means temp test. I was just trying to put some who read these posts minds at ease.

[Sean Donohue]

I had a low tire blow on a travel trailer many years ago. I touch the remaining shreds and they were pretty hot to the touch. I can not say it was low pressure but after that, I check the tires by hand. It they are warm enough to comfortable touch then I assume they are OK. If they are hot, which knock on wood they have never been, I would guess I'd have to have a cup of joe and think about the issue and wait till the tire cools a bit to check the pressure. I guess this thread is making a great aurgement for auto tire sensor systems...

@ Tom, would overspeed recaps make gators too? And are the truckers I see hitting the tires checking for an underinflated tire, I sure see a lot of them doing it in the truck stops on their walk arounds. And while I hopfully have your expertise, what did or would, you look at when you walked around your rig? I ask just to be educated...

[Dick Simonis]

Hitting the tires checks for under-inflation.  Under-inflation causes high temps as the belts start to flex and rub across each other.  A properly (or even an overly) inflated tire for the load will not overheat unless something else is going horribly awry inside the belts which is why most good TPMS systems have that function.  On the other hand, if you don't have a TPMS checking the temps may alert you to an under-inflation condition.

I know a lot of folks so check temp but no one has every mentioned that they found a "hot" tire.  I'll use the back of my hand on the wheel which can warn of a dragging brake or a bearing problem but have never found anything so it's just in my "feel good" wheelhouse.

[Tom and Pam Brown]

Sean, my walk around includes using a tire knocker to detect a low tire.  I touch them as well to check for excessive heat.  I also check toad connections and proper settings in the toad.  I scan underneath the engine compartment for obvious leaks and make sure the belt is still on. I check the compartment doors as I make my way around as well.  Finally I get the DW to operate all lights especially the brake lights on coach and toad to make sure they are functioning.

I also before I move the coach I give a light toot on the horn to make sure no one has approached from blind spots before I release the brakes. Then I grab a beer and drive on!  (Ha,ha)

Nothing too glamorous just want to make sure everything is aired up and closed before I depart.  I do this at every stop even if I have been there only a few minutes.

As far as overspeed causing gators it's hard to say.  They are required to cap ties with like rubber. I guess not all do.  Most of the gators are from poor prep on the casing or taking the tire out of the oven before its cured. Or just plain poor quality.

[Tom and Pam Brown]

I personally like tire equalizers for the rear tires.  Excessive heat can be the result of one tire being more inflated than the other causing more load on the tire with more air. It also when inflated to the correct pressure will give you a slight increase in fuel economy.  Not to mention you have only one air fitting to inflate both tires. And yes there are check valves that prevent both tires from going flat.  

[Joel Ashley]

Tom brings up a point that I realized after I got my sensor "gun".  It's only useful within a short while of pulling off the highway.  The tire-thumping technique will find aberrant tires whether warm or cold.

Joel

[Sean Donohue]

Thanks Tom for your post. I do the same basically. I check the tires by hand, but will add a thumper as well, I do look for obvious leaks and disconnects on the toad, run the toad as required by manufacturer, and any open compartments. I then depart for the intended stop purpose (read nature break for me and the dog )

I can't recall if I ever shared here before, but when we had our old rig we stopped so the DW could look, (HA), around a shopping outlet mall in Texas. I elected to catch a nap in the RV. Before I could settle into sleep, the dog began barking and I saw a head pass by the dinette window heading to the back of the rig. I had parked as the mallsecurity weenie wanted, by the outside edge of the back of the parking area. I initally thought the guy was going to take a leak on my tires so I popped out to chase him off. I heard a whistle as I stepped out the door and looked in that direction to see a doo rag wearin fellow look right at me then the back of my rig. Not thinking I went to the back to see what was going on, was halfway there when the first guy stepped out from behind my toad in a casual walk and never looked back. When I looked for Mr Doo Rag, he was gone too. I looked at the toad doors and it was still locked and check and all the compartment doors were locked and not tampered with that I could tell so I returned to calm down the barking dog. An hour later the wife returned and we left. I stopped at Sam's club a few blocks away to top off. While there I did a walk around and noticed that the brake emergency clip was on the ground as was the electrical conncetor for the lights, the driver side pin was partly removed and the safety cable D ring was opened on the driver side only... Those two were about to steal the toad.
 
It never dawned on me that I should have checked for the toad but with the key needing to be in to tow, we all forget to remove it when we stop for lunch or whatever. The other thing that sticks with me is that I should have not left the RV without calling the security or police. I also should have grabbed my defensive tool as well, I do since then.

[LEAH DRAPER]

STEALING YOUR TOAD??

Anyone would be hard pressed to steal my "toad" as I have two sets of keys and lock the doors with the ignition key inside the car.  Also have locks on the "hitch pins" so even if they got in the car somehow, they would never go anywhere.

[Sean Donohue]

Leah that is what I use to do, lock the toad with the keys in it... but not any more. Getting into a car for a thief takes seconds for a good one. A car with keys means idf they get stopped they don't have to explain why the ignition is ripped out. But I hope with all the bait cars the police are using, keys in the ignition will be a warning sign...

As for the locks on the hitch pins... Not something I want to do. I now just take the keys out when we are going to be away from the rig for any length of time.

[Joel Ashley]

But a few more minutes with you napping or whatever, and your boys woulda had your toad, Sean.  The never-used locks that came with my Roadmaster hitch kit wouldn't take but a few seconds to put in place, discouraging thieves that might notice keys in the ignition, locked door or not.  Breaking into the car is one thing, but taking umpteen minutes more to bust off a hitch lock or two might be incentive to pass on by.  Removing my keys while parked is one option, but forgetting to put them back again and reset my neutral tow kit before driving off...hmm.  Probably wouldn't happen since I do a walk-around as routine before camp departure;  but in some other non-camp circumstances (like an en-route restaurant stop) I might not.

Reckon I might put my locks into service from now on, rather than continue my lazy habit of ignoring the threat. Kinda dumb anyway... I have locks in place at the motorhome end of the hitch, and leave the car end undefended.

Joel