# Incident with tyres: AP 68 near Bilbao



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

At about 11 am on 10th December we stopped for coffee at the first service station soon after leaving the A8 round Bilbao and joining the AP 68 towards Zaragoza.

The service station is a Petronor one, at Arrigorriaca ( Barrio de Lupardo) 

N 43.19066
W 2.89757

We left the van, among lorries, across from an ITV testing station and close to the petrol station / cafe. 

When we got back and drove off, within 10 feet, it was clear we had a completely flat tyre. There was no-one around trying to hassle us or similar scam. 

We called Red Pennant who were brilliant and soon had a truck out and changing the tyre. We followed the truck to a big commercial tyre garage at a small town off the motorway. They were closed by the time we got there and did not open until 3 pm but, once open they also were efficient and helpful. They had a spare new camper tyre- though a C not CP type - so this is now our short-term term spare. It seems the tyre had had a screwdriver hammered into the wall. No possible chance of it being accidental damage.

We were finally able to leave after 5 pm, about 180 Euros less well off, and spent the night at Vitoria Gasteiz not Cascante as planned. 

The rescue company informed the police - their suggestion- but I gather it was not unknown at this service station. The tyre firm who share the service station area have closed down so missed a trick.

We are still not sure what exactly was meant to happen: a possible theft ? a blow out on the motorway and theft ? Whoever did it did such a good job that we stopped in front of the petrol station so well in view. 

I know from talking to people here that this sort of thing happens around Barcelona but clearly in other places as well.

The Spanish AA equivalent were also excellent even to the extent of texting us at 4.45 am next morning to ask if there was anything else they could do for us and were we sorted.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Bad luck Griz, I just do not like stopping at any of the Spanish service areas and would certainly not leave the vehicle unattended. Sounds as though you had good service from both your insurers and the breakdown services which is good to know. I assume you had a spare wheel and that the tyre could not be repaired?
peedee


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Perhaps the perpetrators are in the tyre replacement business??? Just a thought...


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Grizzly

Not a good experience but I am glad the relevant services responded so well and sorted you out OK.

Just to make you feel a bit better about it you might like to read another MHF Member's experience below, of being involved in an horrific tower block fire in Dubai last evening.

http://forums.motorhomefacts.com/26-off-topic/169345-hope-your-new-year-better-than-ours.html

Enjoy the rest of your trip and the rest of the New Year.

Geoff


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Thanks all, and, yes, we are counting our blessings. The New Years Eve hotel fire in Dubai must have been terrifying and it is remarkable that there was not a considerable loss of life.

The tyre was a total write off to the extent that where the van had settled into the road the rim was cutting into the remains. Annoyingly enough we fitted a Tyre Pal monitoring system last year but of course it did not have time to register a problem as we literally were only able to move a very short distance. All 5 tyres were only a year old as well !We do have a spare but that had to go on the running tyres and, if we need the spare for use we shall only be able to go slowly as it is not the same as the others. 

Still, looking on the bright side all who dealt with it were absolutely first class, it happened where we were safe from traffic etc, there was a commercial tyre place not too far away with a camper tyre and the sun was shining not pitch dark and raining. 

We now have coffee in the van however.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Your Tyrepal SHOULD have alerted you to a total loss of pressure before you even moved off, well that's what my system does. It alerted me to a puncture (only partial deflation but to a point below what I had it set at) a few weeks ago before I even started the engine. 

Andy


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> Your Tyrepal SHOULD have alerted you to a total loss of pressure before you even moved off, well that's what my system does. It alerted me to a puncture (only partial deflation but to a point below what I had it set at) a few weeks ago before I even started the engine.
> 
> Andy


Interesting Andy. Ours takes at least 5 minutes of reasonable speed travelling before it begins to send readings to the dashboard unit. I'd always assumed this was a feature not a fault. The only time we have ever had a warning from it we stopped, spent ages testing tyre pressure and, in my case, worrying, but found nothing wrong.

We' ll take it up with Tyre Pal when we get home.


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## Revise (May 13, 2012)

Our Tyrpal does not register for 1-5 minutes after driving off from a start. Unless we leave it switched on from when we were last driving. So if we stop for an hour or two the tyre pal is still switched on. But if we stop overnight and switch the tyre pal off or it goes into standby then when we move off it can take from 1-5 minutes before all tyres are reading on the monitor.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Revise said:


> Our Tyrpal does not register for 1-5 minutes after driving off from a start. Unless we leave it switched on from when we were last driving. So if we stop for an hour or two the tyre pal is still switched on. But if we stop overnight and switch the tyre pal off or it goes into standby then when we move off it can take from 1-5 minutes before all tyres are reading on the monitor.


And that guys is where you are going wrong!!!

The display unit should never be switched off!!!

It has a sensitive movement sensor so if the vehicle doesn't move for about 5 minutes it goes into standby mode, just opening the door will be enough to spur it back into life, you will then get readings almost instantaneously!! And I can confirm that's exactly what mine does (6 wheel system for car and caravan)

Try it and see, you have nothing to lose!

Andy


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Thanks Andy: good advice ,will do this in future. So long as we remember to recharge it...

G


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

There is a small battery symbol in the bottom right hand corner of the display that shows the state of charge. 

If mine is getting low I usually plug it into the 12v socket in my caravan that's permanently live overnight, that's plenty long enough to ensure its topped right up. 

Andy

Ps
Be VERY careful when plugging the lead into the head unit, it's very small and VERY easy to dislodge the socket from the circuit board. It's a VERY fiddly job to re-solder it, you need a very small soldering iron, a very steady hand (and very good eyesight!!!) Yes I speak from personal experience, it's a bit of a design flaw in my view.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Very, very good advice.


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

I thought it was the actual sensors in the tyres that had to power down when not rotating to save the batteries in them? When the vehicle starts rolling the batteries come back on line and the unit can transmit.
If the transmitters are active all the time they won't last long. No use having an active receiver if the transmitters are asleep.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Tyrepal sensors replace the valve dust caps, and, according to Tyrepal, they also have movement sensors in them to power down after a period of inactivity.

When in use they send data to the display unit every five minutes UNLESS the pressure drops below the user defined alarm point or the temperature rises above the user defined value at which point they send an instant alert. I can vouch that the "below preset pressure" alert works on mine!!

They also send an instant alert in the event of sudden rapid pressure loss. 

Remove one of the caps and providing the display unit is not in sleep mode the alarm will activate instantly (as it should do) try it!

Andy


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

Grizzly said:


> if we need the spare for use we shall only be able to go slowly as it is not the same as the others. .


Just because it is a 'C' and not a 'CP' does not mean that you will have to travel any slower. They will have fitted a tyre that is the same size, load index and speed rating, so although a different make it will be fine.

JohnW


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## wug (May 19, 2011)

"C" means "Commercial", while "CP" means "Camping" - I understand. Graham


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I always fitted commercial (not camping) tyres to my MH's and I was always close to MGVW.

Same speed rating, same load index, 100% safe and legal! but lower cost! Never had a single tyre incident in all the years (and no flat spots either)

Andy


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## bertieburstner (May 1, 2005)

I purchased a TB99 at the NEC show October2014 On using it in France June last year the RR sensor warning went off. The pressure reading was set at 75 psi for my motorhome. The reading went to 96 then 104 then 106. You can understand I was very concerned., so I let some air out of the tyre. The reading was then OK for a while but soon whizzed up to 108! then it went to 54 in a few seconds. I turned the system off. When i was able i checked the pressure and sure enough it was down a few PSI, so there was nothing wrong with the tyre at all.

I contacted Tyrepal who suggested I rebooted the sensor (take the battery out)

I now do not trust the system, it can be a guide.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> I always fitted commercial (not camping) tyres to my MH's and I was always close to MGVW.
> 
> Same speed rating, same load index, 100% safe and legal! but lower cost! Never had a single tyre incident in all the years (and no flat spots either)
> 
> Andy


We always understood that there was more reinforcement on a CP tyre so that it could take standing idle for longer periods without deforming as opposed to a C tyre where the commercial vehicle gets daily use.

Possibly the commercial garage near Bilbao were being a bit cautious when they gave us advice about running on the C spare if needed but, since we were about to go across some quite lonely areas, we wanted a spare and that was the only one they had or could get in reasonable time.

The Tyre Pal was bought for me as I get anxious about punctures but, watching it fluctuate as we drive ( and then miss a complete flat ! ) does little to reassure me.


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