TPM Sensors on winter snow tires on replacement alloy rims

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chrisslondon @ Sep 21 2007, 06:26 PM) [snapback]515963[/snapback]</div>

As far as I know, you have to take it into the dealer. I have heard it's about 50 USD to reprogram the TPMS for the different sensors. Plus the sensors coat $85 EACH. After considering it all, if I can find the wheels, I will mount them without the sensors, since I regularly check my tire pressure. The only downside is that another light will be on my dashboard. Will use the CarTalk fix on that (black electrical tape).

 

Leave the sensors off for the season. All you will get is the idiot light on the dash, which you just ignore until you have the standard tires put back on.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(firepa63 @ Sep 30 2007, 05:01 PM) [snapback]519569[/snapback]</div>

I second the motion. My winter tires are mounted on steel rims w/o the sensors. I expected that having the warning light constantly on would be major nuisance, but after a week or so, it was a non-issue.

BTW, people have suggested covering the warning light with black tape. I didn't find it necessary, but it's an option.

 

My solution was to just junk the OE tires and put on Nokian WR all season tires. They are supposed to be as good as ice tires, yet they wear like normal tires and work well in summer as well.

So I don't worry about changing wheels, TPMS, weather, etc. I just drive.

 

Re: TPM Sensors

I have been running on snow tires this last winter without the sensors. I don't really want to pay the ridiculous cost of re-installing the stock summer tires and would like to do it my self with my new air ratchet. Is there anything I need to be aware of when re-installing the summer tires??

Buck

 

Re: TPM Sensors

Buck

Don't use the air ratchet to put the nuts back on. Use a torque wrench at the proper setting. Otherwise you run the risk of warping a brake rotor

jay

 

Thanks Jayman, I'll do that.

Buck

 

So, what is the problem with installing the winter tires on the OE rims?

That is what I did....any known problem with that?

 

Well, I took back my pneumatic impact wrench and bought a torque wrench in stead. It took all my power ( and I'm not a small guy) to undo the wheel nuts. Now I've found that the wheel is seized onto the hub. I'm afraid to hit it too hard with a hammer, but that's about all I can do at the moment. I have put some WD40 on it to loosen the rust. Is there anything else I can do?

Buck

 

Buck

On both the FJ and the Prius, the very first time I took off the lugnuts they were fairly easy to loosen. I used a 24 inch breaker bar, and although the nuts "squeaked" coming off, no issues

On the Prius, only one wheel was "stuck" after all the nuts were off. On the FJ, for some reason *all* the wheels were rusted to the flange. Making sure the vehicle was solidly supported, I just gave the tire a damn good kick.

That taught it a lesson

I'm guessing the liberal application of road deicing salt caused your trouble. Go easy on the wd-40 in case you get any on the brake rotor. Just make sure the Prius is solidly supported, and then with the tire off the ground, give a very firm kick

You obviously don't want to try the kick with just the jack holding up the car. Otherwise the car could slip off the jack and you'd have damage

I always put a dab of anti-seize compound (Locktite Nickel Grade) on the studs and smear a *very* light coating on the flange.

Not sure if I mentioned this, but if you're using steel wheels, do *not* use the Toyota lugnuts that came with the aluminum wheels. I've found they dangerously loosen up. I went to Napa and got proper "acorn" or conical seat lugnuts, cost a whopping $20

jay

 

Well, at one time it was pretty common to take off the "all season" tires and slap on the snow tires, on the same rims. It's thought that repeated mounting/dismounting can damage the bead area of the tire, and the rim itself. You also run the risk that - sooner or later - some doofus won't properly balance the wheel and you'll have vibration

I prefer steel wheels for winter. That way, the road salt doesn't have a chance to turn my nice looking alloy wheels into pieces of crap. I do know with the huge factory tires on my FJ, I'd hate to trust anything but a Hunter Road Force balancer, it's hard to balance such big tires

You also have control of when to swap tires. If you have to have them mounted/dismounted, you have to make an appointment and hope you haven't underestimated the weather

 

Hey Jayman,
I was very careful not to get WD40 on anything but where I wanted it to to, but the wheel just did not want to come off. Instead I took off each nut, one at a time and put some special goop I got from an old engineer. I've used the stuff before on stubborn nuts and it works like a charm. It allows the nuts to be tightened right up, but come off easily without loosening. The manual says to set the torque wrench to 75 foot pounds, but I'd be darned if I could get it to click. I was putting almost everything I had into it, but it just didn't want to click over. I have decided to leave it to the "experts" at the dealership to deal with them. When I get them back I'll prep them for next season. I'd like to be able to save myself some coin now that I'm retired.

Buck

 

Buck

Nope, that doesn't sound right at all. Once you're used to what 75-80 lb ft "feels" like, you realize that it isn't a lot of torque. Maybe you have a bum torque wrench.

Set it for some very low value, say 30-40 lb ft. If it doesn't click then, return it. If you live in a metropolitan area check the yellow pages for shops that calibrate torque wrenches.

If you paid less than $50 for the torque wrench, it's cheaper to just return it or throw it away and get another one. Not worth snapping a stud or warping a rotor

jay

 

Hey Jayman,
I just came back from getting my snow tires taken off and the summers put back on at the dealer. For some reason I though it was going to be a lot more expensive, but it was only $20!! So took my torque wrench and floor jack back to the store where I bough it and saved almost $100!. Incidentally, I watched the mechanic remove my tires. He too had a bit of difficulty taking the snows off as they had become rusted to the hubs. But a good couple whacks with a big sledge and they came loose. I did note however that he re-mounted the summer tires with a pneumatic nut driver. I don't know if they can be calibrated to a certain torque or not, but he reefed them up pretty tight. I'll keep an eye on things and see how they go.

Buck

 

Buck

Geez I *hate* it when they use an impact gun to *tighten* wheel nuts! Yes, they might be using a special torque-limiting adapter

Professional torque sticks, sockets, multipliers and extention bars - 10 PC (TIRE SERVICE-MASTER KIT) 1/2" DRIVE TORQUE EXTENSION BARS SET 65-75-80-90-100-110-120-130-140-150

Of course, the real test will be at 2am somewhere in BFE with a flat tire. Let's hope you can get the nuts off

jay

 

Jayman,
You got that right! I had a heck of a time getting the nuts off to lubricate them. But what I did might save in in the long run. Incidentally, the flat indicator on the dash went out when the summers were re-installed.

Thanks for your help.

Buck