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Hendrickson Unveils Watchman for Real-Time Wheel-End Insight
System Pairs With Tiremaax to Diagnose Leaks, Pressure Loss and Heat Issues
Key Takeaways:
- Hendrickson unveiled its Watchman wheel-end sensor system March 17 at TMC 2026.
- Watchman delivers tire pressure and wheel-end temperature data and generates alerts for leaks and low-pressure conditions.
- The system is designed as an expandable platform with future capabilities such as vibration and brake wear sensing.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Hendrickson launched its new Watchman advanced wheel-end sensor system, a technology the company says will help fleets take a meaningful step toward predictive maintenance.
Unveiled March 17 at the Technology & Maintenance Council 2026 Annual Meeting, Watchman builds on Hendrickson’s existing Tiremaax Pro and Pro-LB systems, expanding its smart trailer portfolio and setting the stage for more advanced sensing capabilities.
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(Hendrickson via LinkedIn)
Matt Wilson, vice president of the Hendrickson Vehicle Technology Group, said the system aligns with the company’s long-term technology road map and fleets’ efforts to shift from reactive maintenance to more predictive strategies.
Wilson said Hendrickson’s focus is on developing smarter, more durable and reliable suspension and wheel-end systems supported by field performance and technical expertise. He noted the company’s suspension lines, brakes, wheel ends, tire-inflation products, aftermarket parts and now sensing technologies all tie into that approach.
“These technologies are designed to support fleets in reducing tire costs, improving uptime and enhancing predictive maintenance,” Wilson said. “That’s the role of the technology we’re introducing today, the Watchman wheel-end sensor.”
Wilson described Watchman as an advanced sensor platform that provides real-time visibility into tire and wheel-end conditions while serving as the intelligence layer that connects Hendrickson’s systems.
“A simple way to think about it is Tiremaax inflates, TPMS monitors and Watchman interprets the data and connects it to fleet operations,” he said.
Data at Each Wheel Position
The system delivers tire pressure and wheel-end temperature data at each trailer wheel position and generates actionable insights from that information, including alerts for slow leaks, major leaks and low-pressure conditions. Hub-mounted sensors transmit data via Bluetooth to a receiver and the Watchman mobile app. The system is designed to be telematics-agnostic so fleets can integrate it with existing platforms.
Wilson emphasized that tires remain one of fleets’ largest operating expenses, noting that even slightly underinflated tires can shorten casing life, reduce fuel efficiency and lead to unplanned downtime.
Patrick Brennan of Cox Fleet talks about the common missteps that fleets make in planning for future maintenance and operational needs.Tune in above or by going to .
“By pairing Watchman with Tiremaax, fleets get a complete solution that automatically maintains proper tire pressure while providing intelligent diagnostics to identify the root cause of tire issues,” he said. “That reduces manual guesswork and better supports predictive maintenance planning.”
He added that Watchman is engineered specifically to work with Hendrickson trailer suspensions and wheel ends, giving fleets a unified, integrated system rather than separate components that may not communicate effectively.
Looking ahead, Wilson said Watchman is designed as an expandable platform that will add future sensing capabilities, including vibration monitoring and brake wear sensing, to deliver deeper diagnostics and further strengthen predictive maintenance programs.
“As our suspension systems and components continue to evolve,” he said, “Watchman will evolve right alongside them.”
