Need some input. Purchased a Truck System Technologies,Inc Air and Temperature monitoring system for my 5th wheel & truck. Question is -at what temperature do you set the monitor for a high temperature alarm? The tires on the 5th wheel are BFG LT235/85R-16E. On the truck are BFG LT265/70R17E. I tried to look up this info on the net and only found info for racing. It said temp range is OK if between 160 and 230 degrees. Any help is appricated.

 

I do not have one on my 5er, but I do use a heat gun to check the tire temps when I stop. The most I have ever seen is 115F on one tire. I am more concern if there is more then a 10 deg difference between tires on the same side. The side of the trailer that the kitchen is on will run hotter then the other side. So I just check each side and try to see if there is a lagrer difference between tires on the same side.
Hope this helps.

 

160-230 seems awfall high.110 to140 seems right

 

Perhaps there is a difference in the measuring systems. Internal vs. External temps?

 

Well I found out that the default setting on the system is 157. Several RVers that have this system say leave it there. I have asked BFG what they think. Hope this thread will help others who may have the same question.

 

Get a thermal gun and compare the system readings to the gun readings. I suspect quite a bit of difference.

 

Friend set his temp at 100 on a summer trip from San Diego to Vegas. Alarm went off before noon.

I agree with Jim W....Look for differences. I set mine at 120. I don't wait for the alarm, I prefer to scroll through every half hour and compare temp/press readings to look for one out of synch with the others. Generally the sun side runs 2-4 degrees/1-2 psi higher than the shade side.

The audible alarm is good for a catastrophic failure (blowout or shot bearing) that you don't recognize on the scroll through every half hour.

 

I'm glad to see this thread as this is a box I want. Good info, above.

On my #7,500-lb truck (scaled) with stock MICHELIN LR- E highway rib tires I was seeing 127-F on a hot Texas day (100F) at 60-mph with IR Thermo at shutoff (US 59 from Victoria to Humble) where tire psi was cold, perfect, at factory recommended 50FF/70RR for a full load. All four trailer tires [7,500-b, scaled) LR-D were at 117-F. Both numbers are averages, across the tread and sidewalls, less than 5-F variance.

I am told (needs verifyng) that tires start deteriorating at [165F, 175F, 180F ?], and that one wants a reserve to know where the warning should be set. Might it be that temps rise slightly at shutoff for a few minutes? Or is cooling fast and instantaneous? (Internally, versus externally).

I am also told to look for a 3-psi rise in tire pressure when that number is perfect. 5-psi is too much (but acceptable). Above that is obviously wrong. And that best performance is finding the ideal number, not overinflating. My plan is to find a PER WHEEL weight number and contact manufacturer for psi recommendation. Every big truck company I drove for was religious about this subject, and it was always interesting to see other, competing companies have different numbers even when all else appeard exactly the same.

Look forward to more on this. Tires are too expensive, and potential damage is too great NOT to have one of these, IMO.

 

What size tires?

My 265/70/17 OE PSIs are 60/75 for a full load.

 

DODGE numbers are:

50 FF
70 RR

full load; whereas light load is

50 FF
50 RR

I have the stock size MICHELIN 265/70/17 AT.

 

Hmm.. different than the sticker on my truck. So those are not all DODGE numbers. Front GAWR is the same for a 2500, SRW 3500 and DRW3500 so psi should be the same. I could see rear GAWR accounting for the slight differences on rear psi.. But the light load pressure being lower on a heavier truck is interesting; as the same psi for the front axle on light and max load. 50psi isn't enough to support 5200lbs.


Hard to read, but as you can see.. the numbers I quoted are DODGE numbers too.

 

My MegaCab has 2 stickers for tire pressures. I'll try to get some pics tomorrow.
I usually run 80 psi in the rear when heavily loaded. That's the max on the tire sidewall.

 

OK this is what I found out in the last couple of days. First I run my BFG's at 60 Front and 70 Rear per sticker. I sent a e-mail to BFG website and there reply only addressed PSI NOT temperature. Seems they would NOT commit to temperature recommendations. Seems strange but o well!! Next I went to Discount Tire and talked to the store manager (who also tows) and he recommended the default temperature of 157 and for PSI 10 PSI over /under sticker. Hope this helps.

 

I would say to go off the default temp too.. For psi run the most you can and get a flat tread pattern.

 

It's got to do with weight distro. Scaled my front axle empty is 4,220lbs. With a 1.35K trailer (2700lb pin weight) my front axle only goes up 240lbs! Therefore the PSI is good to either way (loaded/unloaded) at 50PSI.

The rear axle empty is 2940lbs and loaded with 5er, 5,600lbs (therefore I need to go up to max pressure of 70psi from the empty 50.

That Cummins engine is heavy!