Re: Tire Monitoring System

["Mark L. Chang" <mchang@ece.nwu.edu>]

> I've come across a Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring System here at 
> work and was wondering what Q-listers thought about it. A sensor is 

Well, the two types of tire problems that I've run into, in addition to
the "ran through huge pothole" one has been:

1) Tire blows
2) Tire slow leaks itself to death... ie. the "flat tire in the garage
when you are late for work" syndrome

I don't see this device being too helpful in either of these cases.

In 1), with the conventional tire, it's obvious that the tire is gone.

In 2), a visual inspection leaving and entering the car is just about good
enough.  I usually perform a visual inspection getting out of the car,
just because I've had really bad luck with bent alloys and construction
nails from neighbors building additions to their homes giving me the "slow
leaker".

And the pothole problem -- well, I always check immediately if it is
really bad, and soon thereafter to check for the slow leak.

As for the run-flat tires, I agree, they are a must.

Mark
874kcsq