Before I retired I used one daily and found it invaluable in many things I did. The gun I used to use came from the food service industry and was an expensive one. I recently saw an inexpensive one on sale for $25 and added it to my Christmas list, it's accurate to 2% + or - 2 deg and will read in F or C.

My plan is to leave it in the glove box of the truck and use it monitor tire and hub temps while towing. I have never had a tire problem while towing but last fall I had my 14,000 lb gooseneck loaded and ready for an early morning departure on a 14-15 hour trip when I noticed 2 roofing nails embedded in one of the tires. I probably wouldn't have noticed it until the tire shredded in the middle of nowhere.

Does anyone else use one or have other suggestions on how to watch for bad hub bearings or slow leaker tires?

 

IMO, your idea to use the IR thermo. and visual inspections is probably as good a check as you can make without pulling the wheels. I keep one in the truck and try to run a check on all tires and hubs at each stop. I've found that tires on the sunny side of the rig are a little warmer than the other side but you can get an easy comparison with the other tires to pinpoint a problem. Since I try to make a stop every couple of hours to stretch and walk, I don't travel too far without a check.

Dan

 

I got one from NAPA. A liitle more cost. Since i don't have guages yet i also use it for turbo shutdown after a long haul with trailer.

 

Well, you can always install aftermarket TPMS, but that wont really tell you alot until its too late. I'd say the IR is prolly the best you can get for roadside checks. If a hub or tire is thinking about taking a coffee break, its gonna be hotter than Hades and it should stand way out.

 

Is this an IR camera with a display screen or a laser thermometer?
if it's a real IR camera, where do I get one cheap enough to keep in my truck, or bedroom..

I like to know how cold the shower is before I get in...

 

I carry one when I haul a loaded trailer. I don't remember using it to check the tire temp but it's great for checking hubs and bearings.

 

are you able to aim this at a hub and determine the temp of a bearing?

can you check brake temps as well and maybe find out that a brake is not functioning/performing as well as the others?

 

I've been using one for years while on the road. I usually turn off the trailer brakes right before pulling over so the hub temp is from the bearings.

One trip, I caught a separating tire before it exploded and a bad bearing on another.

To me it is an invaluable tool and great for piece of mind.

You can use it to find a cylinder misfire or one running a little warm from an sticking injector.

 

You can aim it at most things and it will tell you the temperature. The temp of a hub, tire or brake may not mean that much by itself but when you compare it to the others one would stand out if there is a problem.

 

I have been using a IR gun for a few years to check bearings and tire temps. Three years ago I checked the temp of my boat trailer tires as I always do and five miles later one of them grenaded. I know it was not running hot and reinforced my belief that Carlisle tires are junk. As a side note, I run LT tires on all my trailers now with no problems.

 

Good tool, always use to check temps on bearings and tires. Additionally, I've used it to find how well your windows and doors seal to your house, or check to make sure my beer is ice cold... I'm sure its got tons of uses...

 

ok now i can use the temp. gauge for something other than taking up space in tool box,what is the temp. on hubs that are not overheating

 

Any suggestions on a good IR gun to get without breaking the bank? I have a sears gift card I could use in the "craftsman" store.....but im not opposed to going another brand. Ideas?

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I got mine (actually 2 different ones) from Harbor Freight. Yeah, I know, cheap, inaccurate, etc., etc,...
All I needed to know was the difference between the wheels. Besides I found them to be accurate enough for anything I'm apt to do including checking the temp of my smoker when making sausage.

Dan

 

That is prob all I need too. Is it "Harbor Freight" brand, or is that just the retailer?

I am looking for happy customers of particular brands/models if you don't mind sharing your experiences/price. TIA.

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