Smartire Wireless Pressure Monitor System

[Jay Lopez]

Does anyone have experience with the Smartire Wireless Pressure Monitor System? It monitors the pressure and temperature in your tires. I was interested in considering it for my Viper. Their website is http://www.smartire.com

 

[Mark Young]

I'm thinking of putting this on myself as I'm about to put all new rubber on anyway. There was some post a while ago about the old system - the new system looks even better. I would think it would be especially good for things like the SilverState races.

Its available through the TireRack, and they have a lot of good information on it as well (better than Smartire's site I think).

TireRack

 

[JonB]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jay Lopez:
Does anyone have experience with the Smartire Wireless Pressure Monitor System? It monitors the pressure and temperature in your tires. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have seen numerous Viper owners at cruises, shows, etc, with underinflated tires. Smart guys, who did not notice the low-profile tire was low! I have seen 2 tires damaged by running at under 10lbs....... {Makes you wonder!}

The new lightweight SmartTire system (1 oz? sensors) monitors tires at SmarTire presets of 22lbs =warning light, 18psi = alarm.
The better option is the full-function monitor that takes YOUR program imputs and send warnings/alarms as YOU program in.

The sensors strap to the inner wheel hub, and have a counterweight on the opposite side.

Either display is a remote device that looks like a radar-detector size face. $225 from PartsRack.... +$45 for full-function. You can even add extra wheel sensors from a tow rig or a trailer to this wireless receiver!

We have NO experience w/ the new, improved lightweight system, but we do know of happy customers with the older system.

 

[Paul Hawker]

As a follow up to this thread...It is likely that the 03 Viper will be equiped with run flat tires and integrated sensors. Don't believe this will help handling or ride quality.

 

[Mark Young]

Since the system is designed to report low pressure warnings, I'd bet that it reports actual pressure vs. a calculated "cold pressure". If it didn't report actual pressure, I'm not sure I'd want it. In fact, the more I think about it, it would have to report actual pressure in order to be useful. We need to adjust the pressure due to the heat expansion, the knowledge that while cold the tires "would be" a certain pressure would be useless. I'll submit a question through their website and see what they say.

If I recall correctly, its Le Chatlier's (sp?) principle that dictates a gas's volume in relation to temperature - where's ben treynor when you need him, I'm sure he knows this!

 

[Mark Young]

Again, feedback only at startup wouldn't be useful. The system is used supposedly by a lot of race teams, so its got to be constant feedback. They also mention that the unit only turns off when the car is stopped - some sort of inertial switch.

With the extended unit, you can set the cold pressure, low pressure, deviance, and high temperature thresholds. It'd be cool to set a high pressure threshhold, but I guess feedback as to what the pressure actually is will do. The consumer unit seems to be designed around driver safety under low inflation conditions, as opposed to the needs in a racing scenario where we'd like to know as much info as possible.

 

[Jerome Sparich]

Let me start off by saying HI to everyone. This is my first post here. I have been reading your excellent board for months now. OK on to the subject at hand. I have the Smartire system on my 3000GT VR4. To answer one ? it will adjust the value of the airpressure its sensor is reading. Example: Mine is set to 40psi front and rear. When the tire heats up the System knows that at say 110 deg f. the pressure should be X psi. It uses this new value to tell you when it is seeing pressure outside of its given range. This system will tell you of all kinds of thing if you know what to look for. Such as a bad alignment or a brake hanging up. If anyone has any ?s about it just ask here or e-mail me at [email protected] I would be happy to help. Almost forgot , I have had one little problem with this in the 1200 miles I have had it on the car. One of the counter wieghts seems to have come loose inside of the tire. Causing a severe vibration in the car. Justed e-mailed Luke at the Tire Rack, my salesman, hope he can help me with this.

 

[Jerome Sparich]

JMcGuire

The counter weight is held on by the same giant hoseclamp as the sensor is. I have a picture somewhere of the whole assy. The counter weight goes 180 deg. from the sensor of course. It is a little block like thing-a-ma-bob.

About my problem, The Tire Rack gave me a local address of a shop approved by them to correctly remove my P-Zero without messing up my O.Z. wheel and reinstall the counterweight. This will be done on wednesday afternoon. I will post the results here at night.

All in all I have to say it is a very good system that is pretty easy to use. And yes I will buy one again when I buy my Viper.

Hope this helps.

Mark you have mail.

 

[Jerome Sparich]

Update

Had the tire removed and found that the extra length of the band clamp (18 in.) had broken off and was flying around inside of the tire causing in to go out of balance. The counter weight also moved do to the band coming loose.

The only way I can figure out this happened is the excess band was tight against the rim till moving then centrifical force would cause it to move outward against the tire. Slow down and stop and it would go back against the rim. Do this so many times and it would fatigue and snap.

Easy fix, reposition sensor, weight, and tighten clamp securely. Rebalance wheel and vibration is gone.

When I asked how much so I could pay then fax the biil to the Tire Rack I was told they would do that for me.

I hope this does not happen to the other three wheels. Why the Tire Rack did not cut off the extra part of the band clamp is another mystery. And even with this problem I still love this system.