Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) have become an integral part of travel these days. All vehicles made after 2008 are required to have some kind of onboard TPMS, and there are lots of aftermarket options available as well.
But why is having a good TPMS important? How do you choose the best one for you? And, most importantly for our purposes, how does a tire monitoring system interact with you when you're flat towing a car behind your motorhome?Why Is TPMS Important?
The most obvious answer is safety. Tire monitoring gives you a "heads up" when it comes to blowouts and other related issues (Did you know that over 200 million flat tires are reported in the US every year?). Making sure your tires are properly inflated also gives you better handling, which is especially important during bad or inclement weather.
Another safety scenario we've seen on RVs specifically is with the dually tires in the rear. If one of your inside tires blows out, you likely wouldn't realize it for hundreds of miles (the outside tire is capable of supporting all of the weight on that side) - all the while that destroyed tire is whipping around, causing damage to the wheel well and the underside of the RV. In some cases, we've seen this rack up thousands of dollars worth of damage.
Rare? Yes. Scary and not worth the risk? Also yes.
But beyond safety, there's another reason that TPMS is important - and it's an economic one.
Having TPMS on your vehicle can actually give you better fuel economy. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that, on average, having some kind of tire monitoring system will save a typical passenger vehicle almost 10 gallons of fuel over the first few years of use. That may not seem like a huge amount, but in a world where every penny counts, it adds up!
All of that to say, having a good TPMS is very important. When you add a big Class A or Class C RV into the mix, the safety risks associated with traveling go up just due to the size and weight of things. That means the benefits associated with TPMS are amplified as well.TPMS & RVing
Sadly, there are very few tire monitoring systems that are designed for the RVing world.
Most systems on the market are designed for trailer towing or for 16-18 wheel trucker setups. These setups have different needs than an RVing setup. For example, with trailers or truckers, you never really have to remove your sensors - so individually identifying/marking sensors isn't important. However, if you're an RVer, you may not travel outside of the typical RV season - and, in some cases, maybe you only take 1-2 trips a year. In these cases, you'll typically want to remove your sensors from the tires in order to save battery life. Non-identifiable sensors make it hard to re-install your system when it comes time to travel again - you'll likely be stuck having to re-pair your entire setup.
Meet Tire Patrol
Our Tire Patrol Tire Pressure Monitoring System is a new kind of a tire monitoring system - one specifically engineered for you as an RVer.
Sensors are individually identified for different vehicles (we have a 6-pack for your motorhome and a 4-pack for your towed vehicle, as well as add-on packs for motorhomes with additional axles) to help make setup a breeze. Additionally, our Command Center monitor helps you to eliminate screens on your dash by also allowing you to monitor your RVibrake3 or RVibrake Shadow on the same vibrant, LED display. There's truly nothing like it on the market today.Conclusion
Tire monitoring is very important - and the need for it is only amplified if you're an RVer. You don't want to get caught out on the road without one in today's day and age.
That being said, most TPMS systems are not designed for an RV towing a car. But with Tire Patrol, you get a reliable, simple-to-use system that's tailor-made to your lifestyle. Check it out today!
(And, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to let us know!)
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