T IRE TAC TI C S
March 2018 | VehicleServicePros.com 31
Fortunately, there are now several types of
commercial tire pressure monitoring systems
(TPMS) available on the market to automatically
monitor tire pressure.
In addition to measuring tire pressure, many
systems measure temperature, and may also
integrate with third-party telematics companies
to provide data in real-time while vehicles
are on the road.
Valve-mounted options
are inexpensive and easy to
install, but fl eets may fi nd
the sensors can be damaged
by curbing. In some cases,
valve-mounted options
could also cause tire failure
if the valve stem is torn
during the event. It is important
to note tire temperature,
one of the key measures to
avoid tire blowouts, is not
measured by valve-mounted
systems, but rather calculated
via an algorithm, which in
some cases can lead to inaccurate
results.
Another type of TPMS
is wheel- or rim-mounted.
While protected from
damage caused by curbing,
this type of sensor may be
damaged during the tire
mounting or dismounting
process. In addition, the
metal band attaching the
sensor to the rim receives
heat as the wheel turns, causing
expansion and contraction
of the clamp. Aft er a
period of time, the clamp may
loosen and allow the sensor
to spin around the rim,
causing damage. In terms of
measuring temperature, the
sensor can be infl uenced by
heat from the vehicle’s braking
system, in which case it
would not deliver accurate
tire temperature data.
Th e third type of TPMS
uses a tire-mounted sensor
glued to the inner liner of
the tire. Th is sensor requires
dismounting the tire in
order to install the sensor,
but this protects the sensor
from damage and theft . Tiremounted
sensors eliminate
the need for a metal clamp
and delivers the most accurate
temperature data.
Th ese sensors can deliver
tire pressure and temperature
data wirelessly to the
vehicle or the fl eet terminal,
either by way of an
onboard control unit, or a
reader station mounted in
the fl eet terminal, respectively.
Th ere are oft entimes
options to integrate this data into a third-party
telematics system as well.
Summary
Regardless of what type of tire monitoring solution
you choose for your fl eet, it can provide
benefi ts by increasing uptime, extending the
usable life of your tires and improving safety.
With this technology, tire pressure can be
monitored accurately for all tires on the vehicle
simultaneously, eliminating the need for
manual tire pressure checks.
If your goal is to reduce roadside breakdowns
and save money on your tire program, then digital
tire monitoring might be just the solution.
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