TPMS On Boat Trailers

[Fishing_Fool_NC]

In 2024 Ford started offering an option for TPMS for dual axle trailers, & I'm interested in ordering the option on a 2025 F150. It appears to be compatible with my 2024 20XP & EZ Loader trailer w/ 17" wheels; however it seems the industry standard for the diameter of the valve stem hole is .453 while Ford says the requirement is .452.....any thoughts on that? My wheel is a 7x17 J series which meets Ford's requirement of at least a 3.5" J series. I'm hoping someone has had some experience with a TPMS on their boat trailer......pros & cons. Thanks for any insight.

[bloodman]

Dont know all those numbers but I have the 23 Ford superduty TPMS on my 17" stock Ranger rims with no issue.

[Bluzharp]

One thousandth of an inch difference on a rim stem hole is not an issue.

[flybyy1]

One thousandth of an inch difference on a rim stem hole is not an issue.

[Jrad76]

@bloodman, can you share details on the install. What parts were required and where you installed the sensor?

Joel

[shall36]

I installed a set of the GMTPMS sensors for their trailering package on my aluminumRanger wheels. It’s a pretty simple process. TheTPMS sensors, Ford included, basically have a stem that you unscrew. The body goes into the wheel flush against The rim on the inside, and you screw the stem on from the outside of the wheel. The stem holds the sensor in place. There’s a rubber grommet that seals the sensor inside the wheel.

I actually used the foot of my motor to break the bead on these tires. I put a block of wood Next to the rim and then trim down and used my Jack plate going down to break the beads. Once the bead is broken, you can slice off the standard valve stem and insert the TPMS. Using compressed air, I reset the bead and inflated the tires. I later took the tires back down to the tire shop to have them balanced.

make sure if you order sensors that they are the correct ones to work with your trucks system. GM uses a different sensor for trailers than it does for vehicles. There are two different GM stem sizes with the extra large size being designed for very heavy duty trailer wheels, such as heavy fifth wheel trailers. Also, the heavy duty GM sensors will register air pressures well above 130 psi. The standard sensors only go up to like 100 psi. I cannot tell you what Ford does, but I bet there are Ford truck forms where this has been discussed extensively.


Training, the sensors is easy on the GM, but you have to have a sensor tool. The tool itself is pretty cheap and is available on Amazon. You use the trailering app in the GM system to put the system into learning mode and you walk around the trailer with your device to activate each of the sensors. The system is supposed to honk the horn and flash the lights when the sensor is registered, but There is a bug in the software and those things don’t happen. it’s easier to have a person in the truck cab to verify that the system is registering each sensor as you go along.

[ThomasD]

I installed a set of the GMTPMS sensors for their trailering package on my aluminumRanger wheels. It’s a pretty simple process. TheTPMS sensors, Ford included, basically have a stem that you unscrew. The body goes into the wheel flush against The rim on the inside, and you screw the stem on from the outside of the wheel. The stem holds the sensor in place. There’s a rubber grommet that seals the sensor inside the wheel.

I actually used the foot of my motor to break the bead on these tires. I put a block of wood Next to the rim and then trim down and used my Jack plate going down to break the beads. Once the bead is broken, you can slice off the standard valve stem and insert the TPMS. Using compressed air, I reset the bead and inflated the tires. I later took the tires back down to the tire shop to have them balanced.

make sure if you order sensors that they are the correct ones to work with your trucks system. GM uses a different sensor for trailers than it does for vehicles. There are two different GM stem sizes with the extra large size being designed for very heavy duty trailer wheels, such as heavy fifth wheel trailers. Also, the heavy duty GM sensors will register air pressures well above 130 psi. The standard sensors only go up to like 100 psi. I cannot tell you what Ford does, but I bet there are Ford truck forms where this has been discussed extensively.


Training, the sensors is easy on the GM, but you have to have a sensor tool. The tool itself is pretty cheap and is available on Amazon. You use the trailering app in the GM system to put the system into learning mode and you walk around the trailer with your device to activate each of the sensors. The system is supposed to honk the horn and flash the lights when the sensor is registered, but There is a bug in the software and those things don’t happen. it’s easier to have a person in the truck cab to verify that the system is registering each sensor as you go along.

I have a '23 AT4X which came with the sensors. I put them on my Phoenix almost 2 years ago. No need for the sensor tool to program them. You can follow the prompts on the screen. IIRC select the wheel the sensor is on and deflate it until the horn beeps then repeat for the other 3.

[Jrad76]

Thank for the details shall36, I think the fords are slightly different. Clear on the need for the wheel tpms sensors, from what I can find online, ford requires a monitor to be installed on the trailer as well and plugged into the vehicle when the trailer is in use. Trying to determine if it is still needed with the newer super duty’s and if so, we it was installed to keep it out of the water during launching, yet close enough to pick up the wheel sensors.

[DaveBrabec]

Drove for over 40 years without sensors. All 4 in my truck are dead. One has never worked on one wheel on the travel trailer.

[BMCD]

I use a manual TPMS sensor, aka pressure gauge. one time i had a fancy one that had a digital readout.