Willum

Agreed, the TyrePal/whatever system is very good for watching gradual loss, the only awkwardness I found was that you either had to drive off, or walk round and wiggle all the sensors about manually to get them to trigger. Doubtless the internal systems will need some sort of motion trigger as well. The only reason I asked Falken about a safe temperature range is that it seems its shown on all the aftermarket TPMS monitors - and I'm curious. I've often seen tyre temperatures approaching 50°C in recent Spanish summers. It's not in the same league but from a previous life I know some motorsport tyres get hot enough to give a nasty burn on your hand if grabbed hold of without gloves too soon after stopping. Falken think it of no great consequence and I can understand that. I can also see that any road tyre that gets above 70/75°C figure, the default for most of these system, is going to have some sort of problem that should be addressed - so fair enough.

Hi Derek. I take the point ref internal versus external pressure sensors. Being one who trys to be keep tyre pressures properly set - and hence put the airline on them fairly regularly - I got fed up with getting black fingers, messing about removing the external sensors and refitting them every time I wanted to apply the airline. Hence the idea of using internal sensors. A 5 year battery life is quoted, so, thinking I'd swallow the £10/tyre remove and refit in 5 years time, I'd go down that route. I also have a manual tyre fitting machine and, although I find these big tyres quite hard work, the tyre doesn't have to come off to swap the sensor. Just (very carefully) push the tyre off the bead on valve side. There seen to be a couple of contradictions in the listing for the Excelvan but I suspect the '87 PSI!' exclamation mark bit is a result of the same limitation I found: they probably won't set higher than 87 PSI as a high pressure warning and the listing also notes they are not suitable for tyres inflated to more than 87 PSI. Altogether, not very confidence inspiring. As for working temperatures and pressures: I contacted Falken Tyres HQ (in Germany) and got an answer very quickly. I asked the questions ref correct inflation pressures for given axle loads, based on the tyres I've used. Here's their response: "We are glad that you are considering the use of Falken tires. Unfortunately, we do not have data limiting operation under lowest or highest temperatures. However, since these are extremely durable tires, I would not worry about this. The highest and maximum possible inflation pressure per tire is 575 kPa / 5.75 bar. According to your information, the required inflation pressures for 225/75R16C 121/120R VAN11 are as follows: Front = 1750 Kg = 3.5 Bar Rear = 2490 Kg = 5.2 Bar Please note: For a trouble-free and also safe operation of our tires, we always assume the application of the full load inflation pressures, regardless of the actual axle load driven." As yet I've had no response from Nankang, ref their seriously failing tyres that I've just taken off and replaced.

Whilst generally true, sadly my experience doesn't always bear out the phrase 'you get what you pay for'. My TyrePal (at well north of £100) has been back to Tyrepal because, despite being carefully looked after, it has become unreadable in bright light. Unfortunately they seem unwilling to accept it has dimmed and can see nothing wrong with it. I think the photos say it all. The first image is in the most shaded area of the dash, the second being dead centre but well back from the screen - and the TyrePal is turned on. A punt at less than £20 for the aftermarket option is no great loss if I can't manage to get around the software/awful description problem but as onecal says, a truck version will doubtless get me out of difficulty. The £20 punt will go nicely with the wife's Citigo, or my old Saab.

Interesting range of replies. The system was bought because, as Steve928 notes, it covered a range up to 116 PSI (8 bar) and well beyond my max requirements. There are plenty that offer a max of 46 PSI (3.2 bar) but this system is, in part at least, designed for high pressures because the sensors in the tyres are able to cope with the higher pressures, reading accurately at 76 PSI. The overpressure values are readily reset to 87 PSI (although no higher), so why cannot the under-pressure value be set above 37 PSI? It is, after all, probably the most important warning function of all! The original question was: Does anyone know what the routine is for setting the under-pressure value above the current 37 PSI limitation, as it's obviously nothing more than a software function. There may well be something in the less than informative and badly worded instruction manual - but it's beyond my ken to work it out. Yes, I have asked the seller the same question but since he probably speaks the same language as the instruction manual - I'm not holding my breath. Luckily, it's quite common to find some wizard who has managed to work out the frequent shortcomings of similar instruction manuals and we're often lucky enough to find that they have shared the results of their struggles on the likes of Youtube. That's all I'm hoping for - someone who has spotted the appropriate wizard offering an answer for my problem case and can point to said missive. 😃

Has anyone any experience of doing battle with one of these aftermarket TPMS systems? They are listed as being capable of dealing with 8 bar (116PSI), so well within my max of 76 PSI on the rears (yes, I have got a max rear axle load of 2490Kg and 120/121 LR tyres👍) Apart from the following issue, I'm very pleased with the result, the pressures are shown clearly and accurately and the display is much brighter and easier to read than the Tyrepal I had previously. I've struggled through the minute print in the (dreadful Changlish) instruction leaflet and managed to activate the sensors OK and adjust the rear overpressure warning up to 87 PSI. Whatever I try, I can't see how to get the under-pressure warning above 37 PSI - or the overpressure above 87 PSI, for that matter. If anyone has experience on how to solve the problem, or seen anything on Youtube/whatever, I'd be very grateful for a pointer? Will

Just a quick update, since this has popped up again. Sorry I can't offer any better than this, but: We don't have the creaking awning any more - not because it's cured but because we sold the POS it was attached to. To be candid, in the end the creaking awning was the very least of the problems attached to it - or part of it. The lovely old Frankia we bought to replace it and recover our sense of humour still trundles us around for months at a time, currently moving north through France, keeping ahead of the heat and fires. As for Omnistor: We bought a new awning for the Frankia to replace the original 'LB' Omnistor which had suffered damage in a former life. The build standard is NOT the same, plus the clots who delivered it, contrary to instructions printed all over it, propped it across some boxes and bent it. It's a long story (as is usual, with any of my projects :-D ). A lot of effort was put in by the retailer and me to sort out the problems with it (mid-Covid). I was given some accessories as a compensation but the problems are still there. Two years later and after asking several times, I still do not know where the front and rear brackets should be placed - because all the screws were loose when it was delivered and they all moved. Trying to get the Omnistor UK rep to do anything about it was like drawing teeth - without anaesthetic. In the end I really got the impression I was disturbing his round of Golf, or something similar. In other words, from my experience, if you have a problem and you want an answer from Omnistor - don't hold your breath. ................... but this one is an 8000 series and doesn't creak .................. :D :D Will

As with Will86's previous suggestion of silicon spray, I'm wary about spraying anything on the canopy material. Probably neither silicon or WD40 will hurt it but both are almost certainly propelled by something nasty and hydro-carbon based. Both will probably leave a residue that grit and dust will stick to - so I'm cautious. I'd certainly use either on the metallic moving parts, it's just nervousness of anything on a vinyl canopy. Will

I'd thought about a thin strip of felt-type material where there is no gap to see if it stopped, so a similar approach. The plastic 'keeper' bit touches for about half of the length of the canopy, so a few thin strips attached to bits of some sort of card should do. I'll try it - after the mess gets cleaned up and the brickie starts getting the fireplace rebuilt............... :-D Will

If I find a solution, Gary, I'll be more than happy to share. :-D My first attempt will be to put a strip of soft cloth - microfibre, or similar - in the bit between the plastic 'keeper' and the canopy material. I'll let you know what happens but it will be a couple of days.............. whilst we fill the house with dust building a new fireplace........ :-S Today might not be the best of days to see the result, anyhow. The weather's turned as calm as a millpond. Will

I know the very straps you mean - and I have a set and now only use them over the front rail. It works well but I found it actually stretched the sides of the canopy fabric after a while if placed over the canopy itself. I think it might ease the noise a bit but I also fear it wouldn't stop this thing creaking. Even the tiniest bit of movement produces a creak - from the canopy fabric moving relative to the plastic 'keeper'. Since posting the original question, a braincell has sprung to life and made me consider a thin, closed cell foam strip to push into the area with no gap, to be taken out before rolling the awning back in. We use the awning a lot, sometimes for months at a time, so the thought of that noise all night isn't a welcoming prospect. Will

Fingers crossed. It's doin' me 'ead in. :-( Will

Has anyone else come across a significant creaking coming from the area marked on the attached photo? I've stood inside the awning and listened carefully and there is a lot of noise coming from the area where there is no gap between the plastic 'keeper' and the awning material. Even with the slightest air movement - nothing that would worry even a nervous awning user - it creaks loudly: annoyingly loudly. Our old (6 meter) awnings on the Burstner A747 and A748 were 2009 and 2013 vintage respectively, a slightly different design and only ever clonked if the wind really got up. This is a last year's model, only 4 metres long and much noisier. The 'keeper' is there, I assume, held upwards by the annotated springs to help keep the fabric roll good and tight as it's wound in. My awnings are always well secured, fitted with storm rafters and wind blockers and have never been as noisy as this. Apart from 'don't wind it out', has anyone any ideas, had an issue like this, or tried removing the 'springs'? Will