Want to get the best out of your tyres? The Oricom TPS9 External Tyre Pressure Monitoring System could be just what the tyre doctor ordered.
There are a bunch of different types of tyre pressure monitoring systems and thanks to legislation in both Europe and the US, many new cars sold in Australia have them as standard. These are usually an Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring system which runs off electro-trickery like the ABS and will usually have things like ‘vibration sensors’ to keep from going off prematurely.
We’ll go into more detail about these types of sensors another time. For now, let’s explore the benefits of a tyre pressure monitoring system. We all know that while we’re meant to check out tyres weekly almost no one does and that means we’re all likely driving around on tyres that are either under or over inflated.
And that can have a disastrous effect on road-holding and handling performance and also their longevity. More than that, by running under inflated tyres you increase the pressure on your engine because it’s working harder to turn the soggy tyres, and that means it’ll use more fuel (up to 5% more fuel).
So, think of a tyre pressure monitoring system as cheap insurance. And that’s where the Oricom TPS9 External TPMS comes in. These are a Direct Pressure Monitor type meaning they replace the valve cap and contain a battery (with a life expectancy of around two years in this case) and are sealed to protect against dust and water ingress and won’t rattle off when you’re off-road, says Oricom.
The Oricom TPS9 External TPMS is currently on-sale for $199.20. In the box you get:
- Instruction manual;
- 1x display unit;
- 1x anti-slip mat;
- 4x sensors (FL, FR, RL, RR);
- 4x locking nuts;
- 4x dust covers;
- A locking nut tool; and
- A sensor tightening tool.
Once the valve cap is removed, a locking nut is placed onto the valve stem and tightened, the sensor then screws on and a dust cover is tightened in place. The sensors then sync up to the in-cabin monitor which is only small and can be mounted on the dashboard without getting in the way of anything.
There are a bunch of different external TPMS offerings but this Oricom unit has a good reputation, so it’s worth a look. Stay tuned for our full test of the Oricom TPS9 External TPMS…and if you’ve got any questions, ask us below and we’ll be sure to answer them in our review.
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