Review: Tire Traker TT-500 TPMS

[John E Davies]

I started this as a PM to GeronimoJohn and it got so wordy, I decided to post it here.

 

I researched these systems a long time and decided on the Tire Traker. They have stellar customer service and are sometimes at (really) big RV shows and places like Quartzite. The sensor batteries are to be replaced annually, but may last longer - they use cheap button cells. I bought a repeater in case the distance was too far but have NOT needed it. I suggest that you buy the four sensor set, an extra sensor for the spare tire, and the maintenance package.

 

 

The only thing I did not like was that the trim on the perimeter of the display is bright and it reflected sunlight in the windshield. I painted the upper part on mine flat black. Some electrical tape would also work.

 

The display is rechargeable and runs up to a month, and in sleep mode it wakes up when there is a signal from the wheel sensors. They too wake up when moving, to save the batteries. I try to remember to shut my display off every evening. The mount is a suction cup and very nice. There is no case for the display; I use a soft cloth drawstring bag from a set of sport goggles for storage.

 

The system shows individual tire pressures and temperatures. There are preset alarm levels for both. If you get a slow leak, the alarm will come on at a reduced level to let you know that you need to pull over. By watching the display you can tell if it is slow or a big one. If it is a big leak the alarm is more intense.

 

The sensor on the spare tire lets you know that it has not gone flat, since it is a small PITA to check. If one of the main sensors fails, you can swap the spare onto that wheel until you can get a replacement. Or just order an extra sensor now...

 

The temperature display is useful since it shows the temps increasing as the tires heat up during towing, which is completely NORMAL, and if there is one that is abnormally warm, you can stop and see if there is a brake or bearing issue on the hub. NOTE: because the sensors are spinning in ambient air on the end of the valve stems, I doubt that the displayed temps are especially accurate. A sensor inside the wheel would be a much more reliable and accurate system. I honestly don't see how the external sensors could read inside temps, but they do to a certain degree (pun intended).

 

I don't think that the display dims, I have never used it at night. I suspect you would want to take it off the windshield and just set it in a low cupholder. It would still alarm if needed. If somebody knows if the lighting dims, please comment.

 

The system gets very good reviews, you can get from Amazon, but I ordered direct from Tire Traker.

 

Setup: Charge the display several hours. After first checking and adjusting your COLD tire pressures (I use 60 psi), it will take you about ten minutes to set it up, there are many videos showing how. You have to set the alarm threshold (enter the cold tire pressure), install batteries into sensors and put them on the wheels one at a time. As each one "wakes up" it will show up on the display and you can adjust its position of the vehicle diagram, for example "left rear" on the trailer drawing.

 

Position of the display: I mount mine at the lower left corner of the windshield. It is easy to see, but neither in my direct line of sight, nor close to my Garmin gps. Aftermarket devices like a gps that use radio signals may possibly cause interference. My RV 660 is mounted along the center of the windshield and I have noted no interference when using my Garmin remote (trailer backup) camera. If you have trouble with the TT-500 signal, you may need to mount their booster inside the trailer connected to an always-on power source. If you have the factory backup camera, the area behind the switch would be a great location, and you can use the switch to power on the booster when you switch on the camera.

 

https://www.tiretraker.com/proddetail.php?prod=TT500-4

 

https://www.tiretraker.com/proddetail.php?prod=TT50

 

https://www.tiretraker.com/proddetail.php?prod=TT-MAINT

 

Installation video:

 

 

If you are driving an older tow vehicle without its own TPMS, you can order extra sensors and use the Tire Traker to monitor those tires also.

 

This system is versatile and mine has been reliable for a year. It gives great peace of mind when towing, especially in inclement weather and in remote areas, which is priceless. Anything you can do to reduce your anxiety level while towing is a good thing.

 

HIGHLY recommended! I towed trailers for 45 years without TPMS, and I am very glad I invested in this.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Geronimo John]

John D.:  Once again you have gone above and beyond in the good advice category!  Many thanks.

 

New Ollie Owners.

 

I checked out the videos and the Tire Traker TT500 comes in various capabilities.  With a reasonably new vehicle with it's own tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), for the Elite II application I believe we would want the TT500-6 to be able to monitor six tires.  They likely would be the four on the ground under Ollie and its spare.  Having a spare sensor in the glove box is a good idea.

 

I would suggest a slightly different upgrade.  I would put all six sensors in play.  Of course the five on Ollie, but the sixth one on the full size spare tire of my Sequoia ..... that also is a PITA to check the pressure on!   This is value added as most of us do not bother to change out our spare tire sensor when we buy four new tires for the Tow Vehicle (TV).  For peace of mind, knowing that my TV spare also is road ready would be very nice.

 

That said, I agree with John D. that purchasing a spare sensor beyond the six they send with the TT500-6 unit is a good idea.  How many of us have a son/daughter that helps with our set up?  It would be good to have an extra sensor in the glove box to keep handy for when they back the trailer tire into a curb and eat the rear Ollie tire sensor.  Or as John D. suggests, just to have an extra one should it be needed.

 

The TT500 - 6 is $359 at both their site and Amazon.  Extra sensors are $35, Sensor caps replacement is $5 for 12, or better get the Maintenance Pack at $29 as suggested by John D.

 

Wishing you all a great season!

 

Geronimo John

Tire-Tracker-TT500-6-Tire-Monitoring.docx

[Mike and Carol]

I agree that a TPMS is a critical safety addition. While I went with the TST product a couple of years ago there are a number of good systems out there, the Tire Tracker is certainly one of them.

 

I check it before starting any drive and I glance at the display periodically as we travel. It’s interesting to watch both pressure and temperatures increase as we drive. It also shows higher temps on the sun side of the trailer.  Mike

[John E Davies]

Thank you GeronimoJohn for the kind words.

 

Forgot this;

 

Free shipping over $100 from Tire Traker.

 

Lifetime warranty to the original owner. Does not include trashed sensors, I think they are considered to be disposable.....

 

https://www.tiretraker.com/about.php

 

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Commanche]

John, Your review came just in time. I have been researching TPMS this week and it can be very confusing, prices range from $50. to $350. , direct or indirect, inside the tire or on the valve stem. Geez, what's a person to do? My Durango came with the in tire style and I like seeing the pounds in each tire, it would be nice to see the temps also. So, now it's time to get a set for the trailer. I would have saved a tire 2 years ago when I picked up a sliver of steel and ruined the tire before I realized I had a flat.

 

Anyone else out there with their favorite brand for comparison?

 

Stan

[KountryKamper]

I have used the Dill 1504-416 on our last 3 trailers and now on the Oliver. The sensors are mounted inside the tire so it requires removing the tires and having a shop install them and rebalance. It also has a antenna the can be mounted under the tow vehicle and ran up into the cab if you have reception problems. All in all a little more work to install but a very nice and accurate system. It is available from tire rack.

 

http://dillaircontrols.com/dill/category/products/tpms/trailer-tpms/

 

 

[Mike and Carol]

John, Your review came just in time. I have been researching TPMS this week and it can be very confusing, prices range from $50. to $350. , direct or indirect, inside the tire or on the valve stem. Geez, what’s a person to do? My Durango came with the in tire style and I like seeing the pounds in each tire, it would be nice to see the temps also. So, now it’s time to get a set for the trailer. I would have saved a tire 2 years ago when I picked up a sliver of steel and ruined the tire before I realized I had a flat. Anyone else out there with their favorite brand for comparison? Stan

Stan, we’ve been using the TST system for a couple of years.  Very happy with it. There is some more discussion on TPMS in an older thread here:

 

http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/tpsm-to-use-or-not-to-use/

[DavidS]

There have been a number of discussions of TPMS on the Oliver Forum. In addition to the one Mike and Carol mentioned, there are threads here and here. Coy (@hardrock) posted providing info on a web site that compares the features of different systems, and this was quite useful to me. I then found other product comparisons at motorhome.com and trailerlife.com.

 

After my research I got the EEZTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System - 4 Sensors at $269. Excellent reviews, and good features. While there are some systems that use sensors that are internal to the tire, I got a system with external sensors. There are some sensors that are flow thru, meaning they do not need to be removed before using a tire pressure gauge or adding air. I got the version with the non flow thru sensors, which are easy enough to remove, but have an anti-theft feature. I also liked the fact that these EEZTire sensors are light enough that the tire does not need to be re-balanced. (As it turned out, I put the sensors on before I finally got the tires balanced.) I found it easy to use, especially with good how-to videos (

and

) that showed how to program the system and link the individual sensors. The video had several good ideas, including putting clear nail polish over the number tags that identify each sensor, and using Anti-Seize Lubricant when attaching the sensors.

 

I urge everyone to get a TPMS system, as this provides an important margin for safety while towing. I expect all of the TPMS products work well, so don't delay. Choose a system and get it installed.

[Geronimo John]

Moderator, this is a tad off topic, but related.  Please move it as you deem appropriate.

 

Thanks

 

+++++++++++++++++++++

 

John and Fellow Owners:

 

Now that I in the TPMS group, I was wondering about current thinking concerning a rapid tire pressure loss event.  What are your thoughts about this video?

 

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-tire-blowout-tip/

 

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-tire-blowout-tip/

 

Geronimo John

[Geronimo John]

 

 

 

 

Drats. It will not let me add a hyper link to the video!

 

GJ.

 

Trying again:

[Try2Relax]

GJ- just copy the link and paste it as text, we can copy the address and go from there..

[Geronimo John]

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-tire-blowout-tip/

 

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/rv-tire-blowout-tip/

 

Thanks Randy! I totally missed the "LINK" meaning.

 

Geronimo John

[topgun2]

Boy!  That's weird!  I click on that link and am taken back to another topic.

 

GJ - can you simply post you "link" without trying to make it a link.  That way , as Randy said, we can simply copy and paste.

 

Bill

[Rumline]

Bill, the text of the URL shows up for me.  You can just copy and paste that text into your address bar and that will take you to the page.

 

/

[topgun2]

Rumline - tried that but it doesn't work for me.  As I said - Weird!

[donthompson]

The Dill system arrives tomorrow with an install scheduled for Wednesday. I like the idea of having the TPMS sensors inside the tires like the ons that are standard on my tow vehicle. I’ve been tempting fate for a couple of years—decided it’s time to add this safety feature. $279.00 from TireRack for the 4-tire system.

[John E Davies]

The Dill system arrives tomorrow with an install scheduled for Wednesday. I like the idea of having the TPMS sensors inside the tires like the ons that are standard on my tow vehicle. I’ve been tempting fate for a couple of years—decided it’s time to add this safety feature. $279.00 from TireRack for the 4-tire system.

 

How come you didn’t include the spare? Do you not rotate your tires? It is rather hard and time consuming to check the spare’s pressure.

 

Are you comfortable with the very short warranty (90 days)?

 

Please post a review when you are done.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Try2Relax]

Yes, I'll be interested to read what you find on it. Which specifics are you going with? When I looked at the Dill site I didn't see an in wheel configuration for a trailer, only stems. All the in wheel stuff says works with oem systems, which sounds like they are made to work with nearby sensors, am I not understanding something correctly?

[KountryKamper]

I know some will disagree with me on this but this is what works for me.

 

I am on my 4th Dill system on the Oliver. This time I just purchased replacement sensors and stems as I kept my head unit from the system on our Escape. I have never added one to the spare and I don't rotate the spare to the ground. I have never found a need to rotate trailer tires. On a properly set up trailer they should all wear the same. There are no driving wheels or turning wheels on a trailer. I keep my spare at 80 psi and since I run my tires at 60-65 psi, I only need to check it once a year. I am from the school that unless you put on lots and lots of miles you will not wear out trailer tires. They will usually age out first. I replace all my tires on a 5 year cycle. I have been using the Dill for 11 years and never had a problem so I am very comfortable with their warranty.

 

Here is the proper page for the Dill trailer systems.

 

http://dillaircontrols.com/dill/category/products/tpms/trailer-tpms/

 

More info

 

http://www.trailertpms.com/home.html

 

The one for 4 tires is the 1504-416 and I purchased it from Tire Rack. The head unit will monitor up to 10 tires depending on how you program it. Just buy extra sensors.

 

https://www.tirerack.com/tpms/detail.jsp?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnqzWBRC_ARIsABSMVTM9ccVW2wjNOaeifeSdQNCVQOhltY4JXiwVrpbRJmdkv0GNLkTfpeQaAnACEALw_wcB&ID=2179&cat=Aftermarket+Systems&affiliate=HM5&ef_id=Wq-U_QAAAMrVVkN7:20180409131828:s

 

Replacement parts

 

https://tires.tirerack.com/tires/Dill%20Tpms

 

 

 

 

[donthompson]

I can’t provide better information than what is quoted below. I’ve never rotated, don’t plan to rotate, and I check the air pressure in the spare before I leave home. It’s unlikely to lose much air pressure in a month or two which is usually the length of my trip. I’ve never had an issue with TPMS systems in my cars and that provides confidence in the Dill product which is the same or quite similar to what auto manufacturers install in new vehicles. I’m also reassured by the fact that Dill has been in business for more than 100 years. Finally, I purchased the system from TireRack. TireRack and eTrailer have been the two best companies for customer service I’ve dealt with in the automotive/camper world.

 

I know some will disagree with me on this but this is what works for me.

I am on my 4th Dill system on the Oliver. This time I just purchased replacement sensors and stems as I kept my head unit from the system on our Escape. I have never added one to the spare and I don’t rotate the spare to the ground. I have never found a need to rotate trailer tires. On a properly set up trailer they should all wear the same. There are no driving wheels or turning wheels on a trailer. I keep my spare at 80 psi and since I run my tires at 60-65 psi, I only need to check it once a year. I am from the school that unless you put on lots and lots of miles you will not wear out trailer tires. They will usually age out first. I replace all my tires on a 5 year cycle. I have been using the Dill for 11 years and never had a problem so I am very comfortable with their warranty.

Here is the proper page for the Dill trailer systems.

http://dillaircontrols.com/dill/category/products/tpms/trailer-tpms/

More info

http://www.trailertpms.com/home.html

The one for 4 tires is the 1504-416 and I purchased it from Tire Rack. The head unit will monitor up to 10 tires depending on how you program it. Just buy extra sensors.

https://www.tirerack.com/tpms/detail.jsp?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnqzWBRC_ARIsABSMVTM9ccVW2wjNOaeifeSdQNCVQOhltY4JXiwVrpbRJmdkv0GNLkTfpeQaAnACEALw_wcB&ID=2179&cat=Aftermarket+Systems&affiliate=HM5&ef_id=Wq-U_QAAAMrVVkN7:20180409131828:s

Replacement parts

https://tires.tirerack.com/tires/Dill%20Tpms

[KountryKamper]

A couple notes on the Dill I forgot to mention. The sensors are mounted inside the tire so the tires do have to be removed and rebalanced. Also it comes with a optional external antenna that can be mounted under the tow vehicle and run up into the cab. This is optional but I have found it eliminates any false alarms. False alarms tend to scare the heck out of you because they seem to happen at the worst time in heavy traffic from signal loss. They did not happen often but a couple times was enough for me to install the external antenna.

 

This extra work would make the Dill system not the ideal system for everybody. Most of the other systems like TST and other described here are much easier to install with screw on sensors.

[donthompson]

Sensors installed yesterday and wheels rebalanced. Monitor connected with sensors almost immediately. Didn't have time to do the programming--will get to that later. Impressed with the quality of the materials, design, etc. of the monitor.

[Try2Relax]

I just received my Dills today, now I have to get them installed. I have no idea how long that will take though, now that I have no way to safely get the tires off the trailer.....

[KountryKamper]

I just received my Dills today, now I have to get them installed. I have no idea how long that will take though, now that I have no way to safely get the tires off the trailer…..

 

Yeah, well I used the trailer jacks anyway. :-) I used the spare and 1 tire. Had those 2 done and then took the other 2. I had to make 2 trips to the tire shop which took a little longer but that way I left the trailer with at least one wheel on the ground and the jack not holding as much weignt.

[donthompson]

I programmed the Dill TPMS system before I left Iowa a couple of days ago. Simple process. Discovered that you can rotate the tires without creating problems with the info provided on the monitor. When you rotate, you can make adjustments in the monitor hardware to identify the new locations of the sensors. I’ve traveled about 800 miles with the Dill system and I’m very happy with the setup. I feel very fortunate that I towed my Ollie over 20k miles without a TPMS system without having any issues with my tires. What convinced me to buy a TPMS system for the Ollie was the fact that I’ve had issues with slow leaks in tires on my tow vehicle while traveling with the Ollie. Without the TPNS system in my Touareg, would I have noticed the low tires in time-probably not despite the fact that I know I should check tire pressures each day before starting out.