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Mon Jun 21, 2021 11:28 am

Does anyone use an aftermarket TPMS on their vehicle? I recently got this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S7CP3PB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I didn't really get it so much to use while I'm driving my Bug, because if I have a sudden loss of tire pressure, I'll feel it, but more for when I am flat towing it.

I had an incident a couple weeks ago when flat towing it on the highway, when a tire shredded and messed up my fender.

I'm guess something punctured it while pulling it and of course I didn't know ... I saw the Bug moving a little side-to-side and just as I started slowing down to pull over, within like 3 seconds it got to the point where the top layer shredded off, causing the fender damage.

So I'm going to use this TPMS unit to prevent this from happening again, I figure it will let me know if a sudden loss of pressure happens ... was just wondering if anyone in here has any experience with them.

Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:21 pm

I’ve only had one major tire blow-out, and that was in a Karmann Ghia in 1970. I’ve also had a few flat tires since then, but not enough to warrant the installation of a system to warn me.

As the years roll by, sometimes shit happens. Concerning tires, I check mine once a week on all my cars, for damage, and air pressure. So, the shit doesn’t happen to often.

One blowout on the highway fifty-one years ago. Another blowout on a city street, fifty-one years later, while going 30 mph, a few months ago. Both times, I immediately knew what was happening. The two or three flat tires, I noticed while the cars were parked.

And in only once did I tow a bug. How often do you tow a car?

To be honest, I think TPMS is a waste of money, especially in new cars where you have to replace them when the batteries go dead. Expensive, a pain in the ass, and unnecessary.

Tim

Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:45 pm

Tim Donahoe wrote:

To be honest, I think TPMS is a waste of money, especially in new cars where you have to replace them when the batteries go dead. Expensive, a pain in the ass, and unnecessary.

Tim

I'm going to install a start/stop system on mine :P

Mon Jun 21, 2021 2:33 pm

I understand your concern: You can't feel the tires on a towed vehicle like you can if you're riding inside the vehicle.

That product looks intriguing. Apparently the range is sufficient that you can have the screen inside your truck, and the sensors on the bug's tires.

It says the sensor batteries last up to 2 years, so depending how often you tow, that could mean replacing them after a very low number of tows, but it could totally be worth it if it saves you from body damage!

Mon Jun 21, 2021 2:43 pm

Tim Donahoe wrote:

To be honest, I think TPMS is a waste of money, especially in new cars where you have to replace them when the batteries go dead. Expensive, a pain in the ass, and unnecessary.

Tim

My 2 Honda's just use wheel speed tracked through the ABS system-no batteries. So it's actually measuring differences in wheel speed due to under inflation and not actual pressure. More an occasional annoyance than anything else, but does randomly prompt me to check tire pressures when for some reason it's unhappy. TPMS is actually required on any car built after 2008 courtesy of the TREAD Act.

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Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:17 pm

Not sure how of if it would work on a Beetle because of their staggered tires pressures, typically something like 18 front and 24 rear.

Most systems I'm familiar with look for one low one compared to the others.

Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:19 am

61SNRF wrote: Not sure how of if it would work on a Beetle because of their staggered tires pressures, typically something like 18 front and 24 rear.

Most systems I'm familiar with look for one low one compared to the others.

From the description in the OP's link:

🚗Five Types Of Alarms And User-set Alarm Values🚗 Tymate Tire Pressure Monitoring System M12-3 Black equipped with five-alarm modes (high pressure, low pressure, high temperature, rapid air leakage, sensor low battery alarm), promptly reporting the abnormal tire condition to the driver to help safe driving. Drivers can set the maximum and minimum alarm values for tire pressure and temperature according to their own needs. (The tire pressure range that can be set is 12-87 psi)

Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:55 am

Paul Windisch wrote: 61SNRF wrote: Not sure how of if it would work on a Beetle because of their staggered tires pressures, typically something like 18 front and 24 rear.

Most systems I'm familiar with look for one low one compared to the others.

From the description in the OP's link:

🚗Five Types Of Alarms And User-set Alarm Values🚗 Tymate Tire Pressure Monitoring System M12-3 Black equipped with five-alarm modes (high pressure, low pressure, high temperature, rapid air leakage, sensor low battery alarm), promptly reporting the abnormal tire condition to the driver to help safe driving. Drivers can set the maximum and minimum alarm values for tire pressure and temperature according to their own needs. (The tire pressure range that can be set is 12-87 psi)

Exactly.
Set it for 18 psi and you'll get a high pressure alarm for rear tires at 24.
Set it for 24 and you'll get a low pressure alarm for the front tires at 18.

I suppose for towing just set them all to 32 psi and it would work okay.
Where does the receiver go, in the tow vehicle?

Tue Jun 22, 2021 6:13 am

Most factory TPMS alarms are set for +/- 15-20%, so set the low alarm for 15 psi. The high alarm doesn't really matter, as that is more for overfilling, but I would set it at 28 psi. If the OP is utilizing this to monitor the tires while being towed, the high limit isn't an issue. ;-)

Also, the big advantage is the rapid pressure loss alarm. This will let him know right away that a tire experienced a major problem, and he can pull over before wrecking another fender.

Tue Jun 22, 2021 6:16 am

Another thing; I don't know unequivocally about this particular system, but since the sensors are fixed to a position (LF, RF, LR, RR) it might be the case that front and rear thresholds can be set independently.

Tue Jun 22, 2021 8:00 am

Or buy 2 systems. 1 for the front and 1 for the back. Cost a little bit more, but you would be covered on all 4!

Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:26 am

Tst 507 on my travel trailer. Color monitor, 2 styles of mounting, pressure and temp, rapid loss, scrolls to another tire every 5 seconds, comes with a repeater. Can monitor tow vehicle and multiple trailers, spares, over 100 sensors, and more my simpleton mind doesn’t need. $330 from tst.com with four sensors. Available are standard, flow thru, and waterproof sensors. Almost forgot, internal battery charged with usb cord. When charged there is no wire to the monitor required.
The cabinet and flooring ruined in my old tent camper cost far more money and effort.

Tue Jun 22, 2021 3:59 pm

Tim Donahoe wrote: I’ve only had one major tire blow-out, and that was in a Karmann Ghia in 1970. I’ve also had a few flat tires since then, but not enough to warrant the installation of a system to warn me.

As the years roll by, sometimes shit happens. Concerning tires, I check mine once a week on all my cars, for damage, and air pressure. So, the shit doesn’t happen to often.

One blowout on the highway fifty-one years ago. Another blowout on a city street, fifty-one years later, while going 30 mph, a few months ago. Both times, I immediately knew what was happening. The two or three flat tires, I noticed while the cars were parked.
I am 13 months into my Air-cooled VW career, and this is my 2nd major incident. First incident was 3 months after getting it when an a$$hole hit me in a parking lot then lied to his insurance about what happened and they denied my claim. Now this. I'm beginning to think this Bug is cursed!!

Tim Donahoe wrote: And in only once did I tow a bug. How often do you tow a car?
This was only the 2nd time I towed the car. If I am taking it to a car show far away, I dont want to drive it real far. This sho was like 2 hours away and it was bright, sunny, hot & humid that day ... not fun driving a bug that far in those conditions ... some people may do it, but I'm not as adventurous :P

kpf wrote: I understand your concern: You can't feel the tires on a towed vehicle like you can if you're riding inside the vehicle.
Yes, exactly this!

kpf wrote: That product looks intriguing. Apparently the range is sufficient that you can have the screen inside your truck, and the sensors on the bug's tires.
Yeah it says it goes 36 feet. From the top of my dash in my VW Atlas to the rear-most point of the rear tires of the Bug while attached to the tow bar is like 25 feet.

kpf wrote: It says the sensor batteries last up to 2 years, so depending how often you tow, that could mean replacing them after a very low number of tows, but it could totally be worth it if it saves you from body damage!
Well considering how it effed up my fender, I think $75 every 2 years is worth it.

Paul Windisch wrote: Another thing; I don't know unequivocally about this particular system, but since the sensors are fixed to a position (LF, RF, LR, RR) it might be the case that front and rear thresholds can be set independently.
Yeah I'm hoping this is the case

Tue Jun 22, 2021 4:57 pm

Here is the user manual (for the Tymate product linked above):
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/C1AUaW23pHS.pdf

I does have separate pressure alarm thresholds for front, rear, and spare (see the bottom of page 4 and top of page 5).