IT'S 'NO GO' WHEN IT'S LOW
We have discussed the ill effects of low tire pressure before. Apparently, the U.S. government now feels strongly enough about the issue, in terms of wasted fuel and safety, to at last come along for the ride.
A new NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) rule requires the auto makers to begin installing one of two types of pressure sensors -- direct and indirect. The direct type fits inside each wheel as a part of the valve stem assembly. There are a number of high-range vehicles already sporting such devices. They let you know when any tire is 25 percent below its recommended cold inflation pressure.
The indirect sensor lets you know when a single tire has lost more than 30 percent of its pressure compared to its cousins. Hmmm. So if all four tires are low, there's no warning? Guess so. Maybe it's only flat on one side, too.
If you don't have designs on a luxury vehicle or want to retrofit some rubber band -- a.k.a. low profile -- tires that are critical regarding pressure, there are aftermarket systems available that can be fitted to light trucks with up to six wheels. There also is a deluxe system for passenger cars that even tells you the temperature of each tire. Cool, eh?
The basic system uses transmitters that are secured to the wheel via what looks like a big hose clamp along the inside flat spot. It then uses a radio frequency to transmit the pressure and temperature data to a receiver-display unit you install somewhere on the dash. Even the deluxe system costs less than $300. See tirerack.com/smartire/ for more details.
(Comments? Questions? Roll them on over to [email protected])
