A "HOT" right-front tire

johnschnee · July 27, 2017

While driving 2014 Bounder 35K for about an hour in some moderate "stop & go" traffic recently my TPMS notified me that my right front tire was about 20 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than all the other tires! It stayed about that much hotter for the rest of the 5-hour trip (even while highway driving). I had the motorhome weighed just over a year ago & I'm not overweight & weight is well balanced & my tire pressure is spot on where the Michelin chart says it oughta be (90-95 PSI FRONT, 100 PSI REAR).

My "uneducated" guess is either a problem with the wheel bearings or with the brakes on that wheel, but before I take out that 2nd mortgage & start selling my Picassos I was wondering if anyone here might have any suggestions" THANKS!!!

Al F · July 27, 2017

Was the tire pressure in that hot tire quite a bit over the tire on the left side? If it was the same pressure as the left, I would think the sensor was incorrect (assuming both were the same pressure at the beginning of the day). The hot tire should have been 4-5 psi or maybe more than the left. Was the right front tire on the sunny side?

Buy an infrared temp gun so you can measure the temp of different parts of the tire and wheel.

Or drive the MH 3-4 miles and then lightly and quickly touch the tire. If not really hot, touch a little longer. Work your way off the tire onto the wheel. Be vary careful not to burn your finger, maybe even take a spray bottle and lightly spray the metal parts, if the water sizzles or very quickly dries, you have a problem. If all the parts on the right tire feel about the same as the left, the sensor is bad. Or maybe the sun was shinning on the sensor???

Make sure your parking brake is on and perhaps block the rear wheels and lift the front tires off the ground enough to spin the right front by hand and listen for any problems.

I wouldn't drive the MH any significant distance without finding out what is wrong. If the bearing it bad, the wheel could come off at highway speeds.

Kirk W · July 27, 2017

If you have access to an infrared temp sensor, check the wheel bearing temperatures on each side and compare them and do the same with the brake disc on each side. If the brake is dragging just a little it could account for the difference.

johnschnee · July 28, 2017

Al & Kirk: I very much appreciate you guys taking the trouble to respond to my post.

Ai: Yes, the pressure in the "hot" right-front tire WAS a few degrees higher than the left-front tire, as one would expect it to be with the temperature increase. When I got home after 3 hours of mostly highway travel the higher temp & pressure still existed & when I felt the hub, while it wasn't "scorching" hot it certainly felt hotter than the left side hub.

I've got an appointment to have it looked at next week (hoping it's just brake calipers needing adjustment, but prepared for some bearing work). We'll be on the road for about a 45 minute drive to a PA TT campground next weekend: a good chance to see that all is in good order before the much longer trip a few weeks later.

THANKS AGAIN!