TYRON Bands?

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Been thinking about getting TYRON bands fitted to the 14" wheels of our Venus 320/2 @ £138.00.
Has anybody any experience of these?.
Sound like a "must have" item!.

 

[Jaydug]

I have them simply because they were on the wheels when I bought the van. If they weren't there, I wouldn't bother. When it comes to tyre replacement time many tyre shops don't know how to deal with them. What I would suggest is to fit a tyre pressure system on the van's tyres. To glance down at the dashboard when you're on a journey and see that the van's tyres are all ok helps towards a relaxing drive.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Thanks for the info.
Can you recommend a tyre pressure monitoring system?
I have had a look on Amazon and as always there are a LOT to choose from.
Not worried about all the bells and whistles.......just something that is reliable and basic!.

 

[Jaydug]

Although my previous two cars had TPMS factory fitted, my present model hasn't so I went for a six sensor system. Without the caravan being attached, only four sensors show on the dash, giving pressure either in Bar or Psi and also tyre temperature. When I hitch on the caravan it's sensors are detected and the dash panel cycles between car and van. The kit which I bought over a year ago came from a supplier in China and cost me £93. Since I got mine Tyrepal has brought out a new model but the funny thing is that theirs is almost identical to the Chinese model - except that it's 50% more expensive. To see the model I bought see eBay item number: 142416551987 Edit: The item number doesn't seem to work. Put in the search - Solar Wireless TPMS Tire Pressure LCD Monitor System 6 Sensors for Car RV

The kit comes with the display which sits on top of the dash on a rubber pad so it doesn't slip. Then there's the six sensors which screw on to each tyre valve, plus a repeater device which relays the trailer pressures however, my 6.5mtr caravan doesn't need it. If any tyre begins to loose pressure or there's an increase in temperature, a pinging warning sounds. Because the display contains a solar panel it doesn't require being plugged into 12volts.

 

[otherclive]

I tend to agree that TPMS will deal with most instances of tyre deflation, apart from a a sudden blow out. On my first caravan I did suffer sudden blow out at near 60mph. The first indication was a wind-like noise (not from me) and then I could see tyre shreds in the nearside mirror. But otherwise the outfit remained stable and pulled up smoothly. This was my first caravan bought from a dealer some weeks before, and in those days I didn't have the benefit of Forums and so much advice, and whilst I had checked the tyres for tread, load and pressure I just couldn't see the thread-like cracks within the base of the tread. They were something like 7 years old if I remember correctly.
I haven't really seen any objective evidence that tyron bands work as stated and if there are any limiting circumstances. But sudden blow outs are rare and would normally be expected from old, overloaded or poorly maintained tyres. So even a large nail penetrating the tread should allow TPMS to react quickly enough to reduce speed and find somewhere safe to stop.

 

[DrZhivago]

Returning to the original question, I have them, being already there when I bought second-hand. I had a tyre deflate and must have driven half a mile before I stopped. Tyre was in pieces obviously, but still on rim and the wheel was undamaged.

When I got the tyres replaced, the tyre shop had a real struggle to put the new ones on with the band there, but they did it. Tyron recommend a special machine to fit tyres to the wheel with the band, but my shop used the standard machine.

I have heard claims that Tyron bands are no help at all, but I cannot see them doing any harm apart from the difficult fitment.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The stated purpose of tyron bands is to stop the beed of the tyre dropping into the wheel well if the tyre deflates. This was an issue with some older designs of wheel rim, but most modern rims have retention features which broadly do the same job as tyre bands rendering the bands virtually redundant under normal road conditions that 99.99% of caravanners would use.

With the push from insurers and industry watchdogs to improve car safety, if these bands were a real benefit, there would be far more products of a similar nature being offered and used. There aren't, so that must beg the question why not?

If you review the manufacturers own published material, non of the examples they show or claim are likely to occur to the normal caravan tower. The examples of blow outs are far more sever than would arise in normal motoring.

There is a case for this type of system for emergency vehicles where a puncture or deflation may compromise a security issue or rescue mission, but for normal drivers and caravanners no.

If you think you need them on your caravan then you should also have them fitted to your car!.

The lack of any competition to the product is not explained by patent protections, but its probably more a testament to realisation that the product does not provide a significant benefit to most drivers.

Let me stress, if you want that sence of extra protection then fine, but so far, and despite asking on several occasions no one has been able to show these or similar bands offer any real benefit to normal caravanners.

Perhaps if you were in Austrailian out back miles from help, they may have a practical use for these bands, but in the UK and most of Europe,I cannot conceive they will add any real degree of safety, and they will reduce your paylaod margin.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Although my previous two cars had TPMS factory fitted, my present model hasn't so I went for a six sensor system. Without the caravan being attached, only four sensors show on the dash, giving pressure either in Bar or Psi and also tyre temperature. When I hitch on the caravan it's sensors are detected and the dash panel cycles between car and van. The kit which I bought over a year ago came from a supplier in China and cost me £93. Since I got mine Tyrepal has brought out a new model but the funny thing is that theirs is almost identical to the Chinese model - except that it's 50% more expensive. To see the model I bought see eBay item number: 142416551987 Edit: The item number doesn't seem to work. Put in the search - Solar Wireless TPMS Tire Pressure LCD Monitor System 6 Sensors for Car RV

The kit comes with the display which sits on top of the dash on a rubber pad so it doesn't slip. Then there's the six sensors which screw on to each tyre valve, plus a repeater device which relays the trailer pressures however, my 6.5mtr caravan doesn't need it. If any tyre begins to loose pressure or there's an increase in temperature, a pinging warning sounds. Because the display contains a solar panel it doesn't require being plugged into 12volts.

The "FIT2GO" system looks a bit simpler, made in UK, great reviews, so am seriously looking at one of these now!

 

[Jaydug]

The "FIT2GO" system looks a bit simpler, made in UK, great reviews, so am seriously looking at one of these now!

Yes - I've had a quick look at it. I may be wrong because it was a quick look. The kit includes four sensors and the display for under £90. An additional kit containing two sensors for £37ish - but it doesn't say it has a display. So do you buy the four sensor kit with the display for £90 then the extra £37. If so it's more expensive than the ebay pack. It's confusing! .......................... And the big drawback is that having got a warning, you then have to walk around the vehicles checking which sensor is flashing.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Agreed.
I am looking at the two sensors plus windscreen display for £75.00.
Its available in so many different forms......so may be able to get it cheaper.
I have gone off the idea of Tyron bands.
At least with any of these TPMS, it is possible to be warned that something is going wrong eg; nail in tyre, before it all goes pear shaped, the tyre starts to fall apart and smashing up various other parts of the caravan!