I removed my Tyredog TPMS before doing the Gibb River Road

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Originally Posted by Oztourer

I'm looking at 6 wheel TPMSs at the moment and am still not decided on brand or style yet.

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Safety

This is the system I've been running for the past three years or so without any problems at all. Available from Landybitz - a member on this site. ;)

No issues with valve stem damage, grooves worn in wheels, or sensor units getting damaged by rocks or nicked by kids, as the sensor units are mounted inside the tyre strapped to the rim. :D

At the time of purchase, I looked at the available options. I would never even consider anything with a sensor that just screws onto the end of the valve stem. I was also working in the mining industry at the time where TPMS is a common feature on both heavy equipment and many site light vehicles. The companies I was involved with at the time also ALL chose TPMS systems using sensors inside the tyres, as these are the least likely to be damaged.

The only risk of damage to this type of sensor would be a tyre fitter who was not being careful during tyre repairs / replacement. However, if you mount all sensors in the same easily identified location in each wheel rim and inform your tyre fitter of the location of the sensors, this should not be a problem. My sensors are all mounted directly behind the valve location.

I have a Tyre Dog TPMS with internal sensors ( replaces the air valve) and they have been great, 50,000km with them an no problems and they have given me warning of slow leaks twice.

I had the external tyre sensor on my Discovery, and they only lasted one serious trip (about 10,000km) before one by one the sensor started to fail. Like others have found, corrugations and rubber valve stems allow them to flex, and the sensor wore the paint off the rim. It was during the Birdsville floods 2010 when we went down the Birdsville track just after they opened the roads to let everyone out and they probably spent quite a bit of time under water which could have been part of the problem.

I have this system for my Unimog, Steelmate Australia & NZ- TPMS, Parking Sensor Specialist which works with the monitors in the overhead console. I would love to have internal sensors, but I have internal beadlocks (Staun ones).

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Originally Posted by Iain_B

... I have this system for my Unimog, Steelmate Australia & NZ- TPMS, Parking Sensor Specialist which works with the monitors in the overhead console. I would love to have internal sensors, but I have internal beadlocks (Staun ones).

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I like the idea of the Steelmate linking up with the AV input on the in-dash GPS. Pity it doesn't come out in a 6 wheel version for my caravan.

Well, I must add my 2 cents worth. I have the Tyredog 'screw on the stem' system.

No problems. Have driven to Mt Dare where I reckon some of the worst corrugations can be found. Crossed the Simpson, driven mud, beach rock etc. I have the silicone protective covers. No marks on the rims. Valve stems replaced when tyres wear out but do not show any signs of fatigue.

Main advantages for me. I can swap the sensors to what ever trailer I'm towing. I have a set of 6 OEM 19 inch wheels and a set of 6 GOE 18 in wheels and I can easily swap the sensors around. I don't have to remove a tyre to get to the sensor. Batteries are cheap and easy to replace. The tyre fitters can't break them and neither will I when I use my bead breaker kit.
For me it's an easy choice made a while ago and never regretted.

An interesting discussion and reflects the widely varying experiences of users so always a valuable part of this forum. So let me add our 15 years of outback tours to this. We started using TPMS back in 2000 and have worn out plenty from then to now. We have used internal and external sensors and with the D4 and Ultimate have chosen to use the external sensors from LMS which we have tested over around 6,000km of outback travel with no issues. One issue in this thread has been comments on valves bending and we have seen that with rubber valve stems and so chose short metal ones on our GOE rims. But we have the OE valves on the 19" rims and the camper and no problems on dirt and rock roads either. So go figure that perhaps only time and a killer rock will tell. One of the reasons we chose the LMS setup is it can handle enough tyres for two spares on the car and camper if we need them as well as the fact that the sensors are programmable to a wheel and can be re-programmed. This has not been the case for many others in our experience so a note of caution when choosing. We have seen failures with client vehicles and they are very annoyed to find the LHF must be replaced with a LHF and as their "spare" is a RHR things can get teary.

So in our view both are great but one thing in this space is you pay for quality in our view

Rob

Attachment 99254

As mentioned above I have alson had troubleb with the sensor damaging the wheel
At some ones suggestion I got some rubber insulating tube from bunnings a have put some on the van and one tyre of the car to see if any other issues



How do you load more than one pic

Second pic on van


Attachment 99260

I have just returned from a two week trip which included Coongie Lakes and about 2000km of dirt with a lot of corrugations. My GOE rims now show some marks where the sensors have rubbed. The marks are superficial and don't bother me, but I felt I should let you know that my previous post was perhaps premature and after a few years and a lot of travelling on corrugated roads, some paint has rubbed off where the sensors have bounced on the rim.

I've had a 4 tyre set of tyredogs for over 10 years now. I use the 4 on my vehicle, and when towing, move the front sensors to the trailer. I hope I'll feel a front tyre deflate. So far the standard sensor and receiver have saved me twice with deflating trailer tyres. I use the short (about 20mm) valve stems and was advised by tyre shop to describe them as 'gocart' valve stems, as they are the shortest rubber available.
Given that I have multiple sets of wheels, the external sensors made sense.