What's new in: Tire pressure monitoring

Users of tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) and automatic inflation systems are finding multiple benefits from the solutions, including improved fuel economy, according to industry experts. “TPMS improves tire inflation, which results in better fuel economy,” says Peggy Fisher, president of Tire Stamp. “Tests of systems at two fleets by FMCSA resulted in a 1.4% improvement in fuel efficiency.”

Frank Sonzala, executive vice president at Pressure Systems International, which makes the Meritor Tire Inflation System by P.S.I, notes that fuel economy can drop by as much as 3% if tires are running at reduced air pressure. “One of the primary reasons a fleet should spec automatic tire inflation systems is because rolling resistance increases as tire pressure is reduced,” he says, “and that means poorer fuel economy.”

Properly inflated tires can also experience longer tread life. By some estimates, every 10 psi of underinflation causes tire tread to wear between 9% and 16% faster. Likewise, 10% overinflation will cause 5% faster wear. Either way, faster wear leads to premature removal of tires, increased maintenance costs, and unwanted CSA violations for low tread depth.

“Tire pressure monitoring systems allow fleets to take early action with regard to tire problems before there is a safety or maintenance issue that has to be corrected,” says Alex Chmiel, director of truck tire marketing for Continental Tire the Americas, which introduced its ContiPressureCheck system earlier this year. “In many cases, the cost of at least one service call per year can be avoided by maintaining tire inflation.”

Chmiel also notes that safety factors associated with proper tire pressure include shorter stopping distances, fewer sudden air losses that can cause accidents, and less hazardous tire debris on roads. Tire pressure can also affect a truck’s handling, traction, steering, alignment, and braking.

Matt Wilson, business unit director–controls at Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems, says advanced TPMS can prevent overinflation, which can occur when the outside temperature changes. The company’s TireMaxx PRO, an option on Intraax and Vantraax trailer suspension systems, monitors and inflates or deflates tires based on changing environmental conditions.

Bob Montgomery, vice president-Intelligent Transportation Systems at Stemco, points out that while TPMS makes it simple to know when a tire is not inflated properly, the system should also make inflation information available to maintenance personnel. “Most of our customers have told us that the system has saved them road calls because it notified them in transit that a tire was losing pressure.”

The BatRF TPMS by Stemco uses RF-enabled sensors mounted on the outside of the tire. In addition to flashing a red LED when a tire is below a target pressure, the system can also show the last three low tire events stored in each sensor and transmit that data to an accessible database.

ContiPressureCheck includes sensors that measure inflation and temperature in tractor and trailer tires, and a communications system that sends real-time data to an in-cab display. The reusable sensors are located inside a protective rubber container and are glued to the inner surface of the tire.

SmarTire TPMS by Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems provides real-time tire alerts such as pressure, and temperature data through an integration with the manufacturer’s SafetyDirect system. Information can be viewed on an in-vehicle display or OEM dashboard, or by remotely using the SafetyDirect portal. The latest version of SmarTire for tractors automatically detects the SmarTire Trailer-Link TPMS, which wirelessly transmits information on trailer tires directly to the tractor.

Tire Stamp’s TireVigil TPMS and TireVigil TPMS Trailer, which automatically connects to the tractor system, combine TPMS with vehicle tracking to provide remote diagnostics.

“Mechanical TPMS introduced in the 1980s and electronic TPMS which have been in use for about 20 years are driver-centric,” says Peggy Fisher. “They do not provide fleet managers with intelligence that can be used to improve tire programs. The real power of TPMS is in delivering information to fleet managers, technicians and outsourced tire service providers.”