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Donny Carlson
09-11-2004, 05:07 PM
I had a flat tire today, my first since I installed the Dakota Digital Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The system has worked better than I had expected - the pressure readings have been accurate (I verfied them a few times with a digital TP gauge, and recently Butler Tire checked the readings against their "pro" quality digital gauges). I'm also running nitrogen in the tires, so typically I see only a 1-2 PSI increase as the tires heat up, and less now that summer heat has broken. I digress.

Some where between home and work this morning I ran over a sheet metal screw which punctured the tread in the left rear tire. It must have been close to work, because I keep an eye on tire pressure readings and didn't notice any drop in this tire. 10 hours later, the tire is flat.

Oh, and let me stop right here and thank Ford and whoever put the jack kit in my car - all nice and wrapped up in a little grey carpet matching bag. Thanks for leaving out the jack handle/lugnut wrench. I could see the jack had never been used, the spare never used, everything clean and new. And a close search of the trunk yielded no jack handle. Oops! Good thing a co-worker had a small floor jack and x-wrench, or I would have been s-c-r-e-w-e-d.

Back to the subject -- so, the flat tire with the TP transmitter is in the trunk, and sure enough, it transmits a Zero tire pressure, which is below the alert threshold, so the gauge flashes the low pressure alert. Since this is, hopefully, a rare occurance, here are some pictures of the gauge showing the low pressure alert. It flashes and reverses the digits.

In case you are wondering, I run 33 PSI fronts, 39 PSI rears. These readings show a 2 PSI increase due to tire heating, which is normal.

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1136tp1.JPG

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1136DSC01295.JPG

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1136DSC01299.JPG

Bradley G
09-11-2004, 06:17 PM
Nice unit Donny C, why do u run different Pressure Front to back??

Donny Carlson
09-11-2004, 06:25 PM
Nice unit Donny C, why do u run different Pressure Front to back??
The rears tend to wear in the center, and some have found that increasing the TP to 38-40 PSI reduces or eliminates abnormal wear in the center of the tire. One thread on here not long ago explained this, something about how the higher pressure keeps the sidewalls in place, something like that. I'm trying it out for myself to see if it works.

Fronts are a little higher than spec, though I was running them at 36 PSI and hated the feel. I'm trying to prevent abnormal inner tire wear, though I must admit the alignment I got last time has really helped.

TAF
09-11-2004, 06:29 PM
Sorry to hear of your troubles Donny...now...go get one of these...INSTEAD of the "chaps"... :lol::lol:



http://www.carolinatoolswarehouse.com/images/3_ton_floor_jack.jpg

Bradley G
09-11-2004, 06:39 PM
I was taught that if tires are over inflated they wear in the center of the tread. I put mine at 35psi all around cause thats what it calls for on the sticker inside the driver door. I gotta read this thread see what'as changed.thanks Brad
The rears tend to wear in the center, and some have found that increasing the TP to 38-40 PSI reduces or eliminates abnormal wear in the center of the tire. One thread on here not long ago explained this, something about how the higher pressure keeps the sidewalls in place, something like that. I'm trying it out for myself to see if it works.

Fronts are a little higher than spec, though I was running them at 36 PSI and hated the feel. I'm trying to prevent abnormal inner tire wear, though I must admit the alignment I got last time has really helped.

TAF
09-11-2004, 06:46 PM
I put mine at 35psi all around cause thats what it calls for on the sticker inside the driver door.
Mine says 32#...

Bradley G
09-11-2004, 06:50 PM
Mine says 32#...as i read some of the other posts I learned '03=32psi and '04=35psi but I didn't read why. Whats the deal??

Silver_04
09-11-2004, 07:29 PM
Someone must be throwing screws on the highways and byways of Alabama because I picked one up last weekend. The Marauder just don't look right on a mini spare.

MARAUDERCHICK
09-11-2004, 07:46 PM
Someone must be throwing screws on the highways and byways of Alabama because I picked one up last weekend. The Marauder just don't look right on a mini spare.Chris.....were you in Alabama last weekend??? A co-worker of mine told me while on his way back to Georgia from Alabama, he saw a Silver Marauder on I-20 Eastbound!!! He and his girlfriend were arguing over it!!! The girlfriend insisted it was a Crown Vic but, he told her...."Believe me....Kathy has a Marauder and a thousand pictures of Marauders at her desk and on her wall....THAT IS MOST DEFINATELY A MARAUDER!!!"

:cheer:

Marauder04
09-12-2004, 06:22 PM
Where did u get tire monitoring system from? and hows the install?
Thanks

I had a flat tire today, my first since I installed the Dakota Digital Tire Pressure Monitoring System. The system has worked better than I had expected - the pressure readings have been accurate (I verfied them a few times with a digital TP gauge, and recently Butler Tire checked the readings against their "pro" quality digital gauges). I'm also running nitrogen in the tires, so typically I see only a 1-2 PSI increase as the tires heat up, and less now that summer heat has broken. I digress.

Some where between home and work this morning I ran over a sheet metal screw which punctured the tread in the left rear tire. It must have been close to work, because I keep an eye on tire pressure readings and didn't notice any drop in this tire. 10 hours later, the tire is flat.

Oh, and let me stop right here and thank Ford and whoever put the jack kit in my car - all nice and wrapped up in a little grey carpet matching bag. Thanks for leaving out the jack handle/lugnut wrench. I could see the jack had never been used, the spare never used, everything clean and new. And a close search of the trunk yielded no jack handle. Oops! Good thing a co-worker had a small floor jack and x-wrench, or I would have been s-c-r-e-w-e-d.

Back to the subject -- so, the flat tire with the TP transmitter is in the trunk, and sure enough, it transmits a Zero tire pressure, which is below the alert threshold, so the gauge flashes the low pressure alert. Since this is, hopefully, a rare occurance, here are some pictures of the gauge showing the low pressure alert. It flashes and reverses the digits.

In case you are wondering, I run 33 PSI fronts, 39 PSI rears. These readings show a 2 PSI increase due to tire heating, which is normal.

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1136tp1.JPG

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1136DSC01295.JPG

http://www.mercurygallery.net/mmnet/data/500/1136DSC01299.JPG

03SILVERSTREAK
09-12-2004, 06:36 PM
Where did u get tire monitoring system from? and hows the install?
ThanksWhat he asked please. ;)

Marauderman
09-12-2004, 07:44 PM
....actually...Donny is the guru of gagets--so he is best known for the MM with the most ...gagets --at least..you really should see his display--it's somethin to be enjoyed--but to each his own as they say---he is full of ideas--hope to see him again in Oct. and his newer gaget installs myself.....he is truely a unique and cool guy!!!.....Tom.....

Bigdogjim
09-12-2004, 08:18 PM
Donny: Look into a "AAA" membership:)

You also have 3 years, 36,000 miles free road service on your Marauder:)

Donny Carlson
09-12-2004, 11:15 PM
Where did u get tire monitoring system from? and hows the install? Thanks
Dakota Digital makes the system, which modifies a Smart Tire pressure/temperature monitoring system to work with their gauge.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/Detail.cfm/-/Category=134/PartNumber=ODYR-22-1/product.htm

The install is easy, though it's not something you could do at home by yourself, at least not all the way. The gauge has a single data cable that runs down to a control module. This connects to the data plug on the back of the receiver, which also has a 12 v power cord. That's it as far as the cabin goes. Each wheel has a trnasmitter attached with bands, and each has its own frequency. You R&R the tires, which will need rebalancing. That's it. Once sending units detect a change in pressure or temperature, they transmit data to the receiver and the gauge displays the info.

It is a pricey system, but not so when compared to factory tire pressure system options, and considering that you get four transmitters, a four channel receiver, and a multidigit display, it aint too bad.

Donny Carlson
09-12-2004, 11:17 PM
Donny: Look into a "AAA" membership:)

You also have 3 years, 36,000 miles free road service on your Marauder:)
There wasn't any need to wait for road service. With the help of a coworker, the tire was changed in 10 minutes. If I were alone and had no jack handle, I would have called for help on my cell.

metroplex
09-15-2004, 04:07 AM
The optimal tire pressure is 0.75 times the max cold psi rating on the sidewall of the tire.

For my Dunlop SP Sport 5000s, its 51 psi * 0.75 or approx 38 psi.

And the way you have it set up now, less air up front and more in the back, will increase the understeer condition of your vehicle.

If you increase the front pressure and decrease the rear pressure, it will tend to reduce understeer (TCCoA has a neat chart that shows what to do to adjust handling) but to a certain extent.

My recommendation is to just follow the 0.75 rule (3/4 of the cold psi rating).

BTW

I think we tried to remove Constable's or Mike's spare tire at E-town during the MMFF Luxobarge shootout of 2003... and we determined that it would be extremely difficult even for 4 guys to get out the spare tire w/o using tools (to loosen the holding nut) and maybe killing our backs in the process lifting out the huge wheel and tire.

michburt
09-15-2004, 08:15 AM
Not to completely change the subject, it is tire related. Have any of you guy and girls (see - politically correct) ever had a problem with a tire valve that would not let you check or air up a tire? First time in ___ years of driving.

Mike:stooges:

MENINBLK
09-15-2004, 08:26 AM
Here in the POTHOLE State, ya gotta run a little extra air in the tires
so the Pothole Demons don't kill your wheels !!! :sweat: