TPMS dropping sensors during transit

EPaulikonis

Well-known member
Been working with Don from TPMS...great service; very responsive!

Wondering if anyone else has had issues with sensors not responding during travel while Don is working with engineering for possible solution(s). I have a Ram 3500 crew cab dually long bed connected to a Landmark Savannah. TPMS antenna is at the farthest and lowest point possible on the TV, right underneath the receiver hitch. I can pick up all 4 trailer tires when connected, but not moving. As soon as I start to travel, I'll see at least one tire stop responding and sometimes there are up to 3 that stop receiving signals. Display will reflect all dashes "- - -" and "000.0" at different times on the display. Seems like it's an antenna issue since I receive signal when stopped. Figure I would see bad data on the display if it was a bad sensor or some type of physical blockage occurring.

Appreciate any recommendations to resolve the data dropout.
 

Valor-Don

Member
In reply to EPaulikonis - As we discussed on the phone, please move the antenna to the side of the receiver tube. My senior technician indicated that the antennas are programmed to read at any angle and by mounting horizontal to the bumper and ground, the radio waves should be read stronger from the sensors.

In reply to Bohemian - the Valor system does not require repeaters. Our system is programmed to 433.92 mHz which is the FCC official TPMS frequency. Systems that require a repeater transmit at other frequencies and sometimes encounter inferences.
 

Garypowell

Well-known member
This happened on one sensor of mine about a month ago when I went full time. Just as we were leaving on the first leg of our trip the back right tire on the rig went into alarm mode. Started to slow down while I looked at readout.....I could tell one sensor dropped out but pulled over anyway.

Checked temp and pressure at tire and all was ok. So turned the unit off and back on and all was well.

It it only happened once so did not contact Don. Most everything we (I mean all of us not just me) is fairly complicated when you think of ALL that is involved getting us down the road....so I don't get overly excited.

Don on has never failed to be there when I really needed him.
 

Birchwood

Well-known member
I removed my TPMS as it activated often in error .Who needs this stress !!! TPMS is just another sales gimmick and they rarely work properly.
 
I've been very pleased with valor and the peace of mind that I've got with this system. I've been having the same/ similar problem with my off door rear tire. I'm going to try mounting my antenna on the side of the tube next time I pull, and see if this helps. I was thinking that maybe the limits on the unit were set wrong?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

SilverRhino

Well-known member
I removed my TPMS as it activated often in error .Who needs this stress !!! TPMS is just another sales gimmick and they rarely work properly.

My TST 507 system has warned me of problems on two different occasions that allowed me to pull over into a safe area and take care of a tire issue. Without it, I would have had a blowout that could have caused who knows what type of damage. Not a gimmick, just another method of keeping track of things that could go wrong. I've been using this system for over 4 years and have never had an issue! Never leave without it being hooked up.
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
The only time I had a problem with a sensor dropping out of comms it turned out to be a prematurely low battery . . . I just replaced all of the batteries and no problems since.
 

Manzan

Well-known member
Every once in awhile, our 507 drops a sensor at random. Restart the monitor and all is well. First time that happened made this old heart beat a little faster but since everything was normal before it dropped, figured out it was some sort of anomaly. It is time to change the batteries so glad this thread came along!
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
I removed my TPMS as it activated often in error .Who needs this stress !!! TPMS is just another sales gimmick and they rarely work properly.
X 2!! I've sent mine in so many times to get it working right and every time it was returned it still wasn't right. It gets pretty frustrating. I've never made a single trip where it worked correctly. Buy a good set of tires, a good tire gauge and take your chances...Don
 

Valor-Don

Member
This is Don from Valor. I would like to clarify many of the messages received concerning dropped sensors. Manzan referenced the 507 which is the external system provided by TST. I cannot address their issue. However, the original message from EPaulikonis is the Valor system and I am working to solve that issue. Once corrected, I will post the results on the forum. Normally the Valor system does not experience the dropped readings once the system is operational.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Sir:
I have the Tire Tracker TPMS system and was curious about your statement that " the Valor system does not require repeaters. Our system is programmed to 433.92 mHz which is the FCC official TPMS frequency. Systems that require a repeater transmit at other frequencies and sometimes encounter inferences." According to this pdf document I found on the net, the Tire Tracker System is also on 433.92 Mhz, and they DO sell a repeater for that system: http://www.tiretraker.com/tt_manual.pdf .


In reply to EPaulikonis - As we discussed on the phone, please move the antenna to the side of the receiver tube. My senior technician indicated that the antennas are programmed to read at any angle and by mounting horizontal to the bumper and ground, the radio waves should be read stronger from the sensors.

In reply to Bohemian - the Valor system does not require repeaters. Our system is programmed to 433.92 mHz which is the FCC official TPMS frequency. Systems that require a repeater transmit at other frequencies and sometimes encounter inferences.
 

TandT

Founding Utah Chapter Leaders-Retired
X 2!! I've sent mine in so many times to get it working right and every time it was returned it still wasn't right. It gets pretty frustrating. I've never made a single trip where it worked correctly. Buy a good set of tires, a good tire gauge and take your chances...Don

My TPMS. No dropped signals. If it doesn't sound right, pull out the tire gauge. Trace
 

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Valor-Don

Member
I apologize, my answer was not complete. The Valor system is 100% programmed to 433.92 mHz. Our antennas and sensors are synced to the FCC frequency. The system we supply to Heartland is the same Heavy Duty quality we offer to the Commercial and Mining industry which is a very harsh environment and are not experiencing the issue as indicated in this thread.
 

Valor-Don

Member
That may work when the trailer is stopped. However, blow outs occur while you are driving on the road. Thumping the tires with your mag light at 55 MPH is difficult. The safety and cost effectiveness of the monitoring system pays for itself if it saves 1 blowout. According to the National Highway Safety Administraion, 90% of all blowouts are caused by under inflated tires. The mag light is not always calibrated correctly and can result in under inflated tires.
--Don R.
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
That may work when the trailer is stopped. However, blow outs occur while you are driving on the road. Thumping the tires with your mag light at 55 MPH is difficult. The safety and cost effectiveness of the monitoring system pays for itself if it saves 1 blowout. According to the National Highway Safety Administraion, 90% of all blowouts are caused by under inflated tires. The mag light is not always calibrated correctly and can result in under inflated tires.
--Don R.
I've already spent the money for a TPS, then I spent more money several times over to send it in and have it repaired. Never made one trip where it worked properly. Maglight and my tire pressure gauge works every time. Just not when I'm moving. I would rather blow a tire than go through the frustration of trying to depend on something that doesn't work..but that's just me...Don
 

TandT

Founding Utah Chapter Leaders-Retired
I have seen a fair number of posts here where it was stated the user "never got any warning from a TPMS before the tire blew."

I agree that (working correctly) TPMS can warn of a slowly developing problem.

After talking to many people, it seems about half of their trailer tire blowouts occured without any warning. Trace
 

Valor-Don

Member
I cannot speak for my competition and how their system reports low pressure or how quickly they notify the driver. But the Valor sensor monitors pressure and temperature every 4 seconds and reports to the display every 10-16 seconds. If there is an issue, the Valor monitor responds immediately and notifies the driver which wheel position has the issue. I have not heard from anyone where our system failed to notify them. I do have a testimonial from a Fifth Wheeler (not Heartland) who had a high temperature warning and found out his brake was hanging up. If not warned, he would have had an accident.
 
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