im getting aftermarket wheels to run only spring-fall. If I can save close to $300 on tpms id like to. Whats the trick with tpms and keeping them on or near your spare tire in the trunk? Can someone explain how this is done? Do you just tape the sensors around the rim or something? im not sure how the sensors actually work. thanks

 

Sensors are selling like hotcakes on ebay for ONLY $50-60 . Save yourself the trouble and just install them onto your aftermarket rims.

 

i see that but i was going to get my set up from tire rack and have them mounted and balanced. If i do that then id have to have a shop take the tire off and mount the ebay ones them remount and balance the tire. Dont want to go through all that. Tire rack is charging $78 for each sensor

 

I see your point. It would really boil down to having a reliable shop. My local shop remounted and coded the all 4 sensor to my car for only $60 CDN. I believe I spent a grand total of $120 and change.

How are the one's from tire rack coded to the vehicle?

 

just buy oem sensors on ebay. you have to take out the sensors in your current wheels. so that's gonna cost money too. might as well buy new sensors.

you have to install the sensors INSIDE the spare tire.

 

You're trying to do what I did when I had wheels that didn't support TPMS. Take all your sensors and put them in your spare tire (no need to "mount" them, just deflate the tire & toss them in, reinflate). Works like a champ - it's the same principle as the "TPMS Pipe Bomb".

And in case you're wondering, I actually DID have to use my spare tire once will the TPMS still in them. Surprisingly, they survived the ordeal.

 

i did the same thing and put the sensors in my spare tire. works great.

I also tried the pipe bomb DIY. That worked for a a while but the air kept leaking out somewhere, so i gave up.

 

What if u put all 4 sensors into the spare tires and pump it up to 35psi and keep it in ur trunk? Would that keep the tpms light off? Have anyone done this? I have the same issue I guess, cost for the new tpms then the bracket adapters, mounting, and balance again. That could be easily $300.

 

Sorry being on an iPhone sux, didn't read the above comments. I have no tpms on my aftermarket wheels right now and my oem wheels are in my garage so when the light turns on once I get back to my garage it went off.

 

I'd say putting the sensors in a pipe is a much better idea than in the spare tire. What if you need to use your spare tire?

Jeff

 

Like I said in my earlier post, I successfully used my spare tire even with the TPMS sensors in it. It is not ideal and I don't recommend it, but it can be done.

As an alternative to the spare tire & the TPMS pipe bomb, I recall one member shutting off the error light by zip-tying the sensors together.

Here's the link:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/is-...-tie-tpms.html

 

thanks

also i keep seeing people writing about "programming" the sensors first. Do they have to be programmed in any way?

 

The sensors don't get programmed, the car gets programmed with the sensor's ID.

There is a reader to read the ID after the tires are mounted, or (preferably) you can write down the ID before getting them mounted. It then gets added to the car's computer as either the main or sub set.

Jeff

 

Can any shop program the ID's in or do you have to get it done at a stealership?

Anything wrong with these? Others on ebay are selling for much more...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Set-4-New-OEM-Lex...item43a495e6ce

just looking for a set for my winter tires on stock 17's 225/45 all around... thx

 

I bought a dollie tire and put the sensors in the little tire and inflated it. That was kept in the trunk. (with tire shine as well).