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Newell Gurus
Air Pressure - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Air Pressure (/showthread.php?tid=610)


Air Pressure - whatsnewell - 03-17-2013

Over the 13+ months we have been on the road I have only had to add air once, or twice when checking the coach tire pressures. Today I had to add 5 lbs psi to the right front....all the others were just where they were the last time I checked.....back in mid January. I've only had one tire fail, and that was right after we bought the coach....the cause was age. Some of you will recall the prior owner of my coach was sold tires off the rack that were 7+ years old according to the date codes, even though the bill of sale was less than a year old.

I know there are folks here that check air pressure every day they are on the road, and many have tire pressure monitors that give you continuous updates.

Okay, I probably should check the pressure more, but over the past 5 years I check the pressure less often, not more often. I probably check the oil level more often than tire pressure. I do check the temperature of each tire days we travel each time we stop at a Rest Area. I'm getting out to stretch my legs anyway, so this seems a good time to do this.....as long as I'm getting consistent temp readings on the tires I see no reason to check the air pressure too unless I'm getting a hot reading on a tire(s). I think checking the temperatures (and I check the trailer ones too) is a good middle ground to checking the pressure on 10 tires every day. Keep in mind that each day before we roll I do a visual inspection of the tires checking for obvious low pressure, damage, etc.

Now regarding the trailer, I have had to add air to individual tires every week, or so. When one of them is running hot in relation to the others I then check the pressure, and find it is a little low, so I add air on the spot using my bicycle floor pump.....it takes a while, but it is good upper body exercise, and handier than getting out the compressor.

I have three questions:

1) How often do you check your air pressure?
2) Have you still had tire failures in spite of regular air pressure checks, and tire monitoring systems?
3) Am I the only one who takes this laissez-faire (hands off) approach?

RE: Air Pressure - rheavn - 03-17-2013

Clarke,
#1 I check the pressure before I leave and then once a week. Most of the time when I add or let out air it is due to outside temperature change. I do check tire temperatures every time I stop while traveling with a heat gun.

#2 In 33 years of owning motorhomes I have had 5 tire failures. All were while traveling at 68 mph & higher. Two were for age before I knew better. Two were left front tires that were both about two years old. Both of them were cases of throwing the tread off. Total bill to fix the two coaches was over $60K. The last one of these I had checked tire temp about an hour prior & it was fine. At this point I slowed down to 63 mph. I have not had a tire failure in 8 years.

#3 No I did it for many years too. With experience comes knowledge---that's why I travel at 63 mph!

RE: Air Pressure - folivier - 03-17-2013

When you check the tire temps make sure you do at the same spot on each tire, also remember if a tire is in the sun the temp could be hotter which would give you a higher air pressure, remember Boyle's law.

That said I need to buy a new tire monitor system. I left the old one on the '93 since its 4 years old and I've had a few problems lately. Any recommendations?

RE: Air Pressure - ron skeen - 03-17-2013

(03-17-2013, 03:07 PM)folivier Wrote:  When you check the tire temps make sure you do at the same spot on each tire, also remember if a tire is in the sun the temp could be hotter which would give you a higher air pressure, remember Boyle's law.

That said I need to buy a new tire monitor system. I left the old one on the '93 since its 4 years old and I've had a few problems lately. Any recommendations?

Pressure Pro, I have used for the last 10 yrs and I total have faith in the reading. I never check air or temp unless the P/P give me a low air warning. I do check the air pressure with the P/P gauge before I start on the road after every overnight stop.

RE: Air Pressure - prairieschooner - 03-18-2013

I check the Tire Pressure every day prior to getting on the road. Not hard but I am still using a Digital Pressure Gauge.

I may one day get one of those fancy thingies.

You may be, with all of the talk about the damages caused, checking the Individual Tire Pressure just seems to be easy and possible way to alleviate potential issues.

RE: Air Pressure - whatsnewell - 03-18-2013

(03-17-2013, 04:24 PM)ron skeen Wrote:  [quote='folivier' pid='4654' dateline='1363558042']
When you check the tire temps make sure you do at the same spot on each tire, also remember if a tire is in the sun the temp could be hotter which would give you a higher air pressure, remember Boyle's law.

Yep, I am sure to check the same place on each tire. On the sunny side, and there is almost always a sunny side, I check them the same spot on each tire....again, I'm just looking for the tire reading a lot hotter than the other two on that side. On the dualies I check the top of the tire on the tread of each tire shaded by the wheel well. The same with the steerer tire....top of the tire tread in the shade of the wheel well.

RE: Air Pressure - folivier - 03-18-2013

I knew that you knew Clarke. I was trying to help out any newbies.
Sitting here still at MOT waiting for them to fix a few issues we found over the weekend. Getting anxious to start rolling again. No problems, no worries. So far this has been a pleasurable experience dealing with MOT. I'll post more in a few days.
Just heard the 8v92 crank up so they could move it to start getting it cleaned. Gonna miss that rumble!