Think about it. The most important things you have are riding on your tires. Checked them lately? If you’re like most people, the answer is “no”. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than half of all RVs (motorhomes as well as people who tow travel trailers, boats, horse or utility trailers) have at least one dangerously low tire right now … and don’t even know it!

Why is tire pressure such a big deal? First, there’s the issue of safety. An under-inflated tire reduces the control you have of your vehicle or trailer. That means less responsive braking, turning and acceleration … and we all know how suddenly trouble can develop on the road. Then there’s the issue of hidden costs. Under-inflated tires reduce your fuel economy, taking a big bite out of your wallet at the gas pump. 

But the bigger impact is on the life of your tires. If your tire is just 10% below normal pressure, your tire life will be reduced by 30%. The life of a tire is nearly cut in half if the tire is 20% below normal pressure. That’s a huge hidden cost -- or if you can keep your tires properly inflated, a huge savings for you. 

Preventing a blowout can save you even more because blowouts often cause additional damage to wheels and to the vehicle itself. It is a fact that nine out of 10 tire failures are caused by low tire pressure. Camping World is now offering a tire pressure monitoring system, specifically designed for the recreational consumer, that addresses all of these problems.

The Hopkins Towing Solutions Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) continuously monitors the pressure of all your tires (your coach, truck or car, travel trailer, boat, utility or horse trailer). The green light on the face of the monitor indicates that all tires are reporting normal pressures. But if the pressure falls 12.5% below normal in any tire(s), the system alerts you with a yellow light and beeping tone. The monitor displays the specific tire or tires that are low and the exact pressures, so you know which tire(s) to air up. If a tire becomes dangerously low, a red light will flash and a constant tone will sound. A stop sign appears on the screen indicating that driving is unsafe and that you should get off the road at your first safe opportunity. Note that the flip-top monitor is designed to run closed to minimize driver distraction. But it can be easily opened with a press of a button so you can view actual tire pressures.

Perhaps the coolest thing about this system is the four memory positions. The monitor will guide you through a selection process where you choose the wheel configurations that mirror your exact driving situation. Driving a motorhome and pulling a car behind? No problem! Got a dually truck pulling a 5th wheel? No problem. The system can track up to 24 tires simultaneously (including your spare tires!).

Why memory positions? After using the system you‘ll appreciate the importance of this feature. Here’s just one example … select the first memory position to track the tires on your motorhome that is towing a car. When you reach a campground, you may want to sightsee for a few days. Just press a button and switch to memory position two (where you’ve programmed the tow vehicle). Take the monitor with you and sightsee for a few days. When it’s time to move on to the next campground, just press a button and go back to memory position one. The system instantly reacquires the motorhome and car sensors and monitors all of the tires as you head off to your next adventure. This feature is particularly useful for people who tow trailers because your truck is often used daily.

Hopkins has really made this easy. This system installs in three easy steps.  The first step is to make sure your tires have the proper amount of air. In the second step, simply choose the vehicle/trailer types that match your particular situation. For the third step, sensors simply replace the cover on your valve stem. If you can replace a light bulb, you can install this system! Since the sensors don’t go inside the tire, there’s no breaking the tire seal or paying a professional to install the sensors. Another savings for you! 

The sensors send a radio frequency (RF) signal to the monitor on your dash. The sensors work on tires ranging from 10 PSI to 150 PSI. That should cover every application. Just make sure you have the proper pressure in your tire before you put the sensor on, and it memorizes the pressure for that tire. That’s smart. This allows you to have varying pressure levels for any and all tires. And if PSI is not your first language, the system lets you choose between PSI, BAR or kPa … whichever you are most comfortable with.

The Hopkins TPMS lets you monitor tire pressures from the convenience of the driver’s seat. Keeping your tires properly inflated will get you better fuel economy and longer tire life plus it will keep you safer on the road.