Normal valve stems in a TPMS wheel?

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Feb 27, 2018
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Idaho
After living in Idaho for 6 months and just recently having a record snowfall it is clear to me that I need to get a set of cheap wheels and some snow tires to have ready to bolt on when I need them.

I plan to get a set of 18" wheels from a lower trim level Pathfinder and right now walmart has 235/65/18 Blizzaks on clearance for $70 a piece.

I don't want to spend the money on a whole new set of TPMS sensors so I wanted to know if it's possible to put a normal valve stem in a wheel that is technically supposed to have TPMS sensors. I can deal with my idiot light being on for a couple months.
 
I have on a set of Honda steel wheels. I think the only downside is it will require more weight to balance. TPMS wheels are usually weighted to account for the sensor.
 
I have on a set of Honda steel wheels. I think the only downside is it will require more weight to balance. TPMS wheels are usually weighted to account for the sensor.
I don't care about that as long as I'm not spending hundreds on new sensors I'm not going to be using for 3/4 of the year
 
After living in Idaho for 6 months and just recently having a record snowfall it is clear to me that I need to get a set of cheap wheels and some snow tires to have ready to bolt on when I need them.

I plan to get a set of 18" wheels from a lower trim level Pathfinder and right now walmart has 235/65/18 Blizzaks on clearance for $70 a piece.

I don't want to spend the money on a whole new set of TPMS sensors so I wanted to know if it's possible to put a normal valve stem in a wheel that is technically supposed to have TPMS sensors. I can deal with my idiot light being on for a couple months.
Totally doable. Like you said the light will be on , but no harm will be done.
 
Tire Rack lets you make a package that comes pre-mounted and ready to install :)

The price for the TPMS sensors on TR is only $130 for the set of 4, which is a lot less than most cars.

A package of ASA wheels, VikingContact tires, and the TPMS sensors is $1488 pre-mounted and ready to install on your car upon arrival.

The cheapest option would be to get takeoffs from a junkyard and install new winter tires on those
 
I have on a set of Honda steel wheels. I think the only downside is it will require more weight to balance. TPMS wheels are usually weighted to account for the sensor.
The great thing about certain makes is the TPMS system is not controlled by "any" special stem sensors. The TPMS in Hondas is controlled by a link in the vehicle itself. Honda TPMS is called an Indirect system and measures single tire rpms. I know it sounds strange but you can get all the info you want about it all over the internet. To me , its really nice not to have to worry about tire sensor stems when ever I fool with , repair or change tires. Did not even realize that when we first started buying Honda vehicles.
 
Here's a tidbit of information about TPMS sensors. Sensors must be programmed for the vehicle they're going to be installed on. This is a simple matter of programming the sensor for the year, make and model of the vehicle they'll be used on. That is the programming aspect. When you buy sensors from places like RockAuto you get them programmed and this makes life so easy.

Once you have installed the programmed sensor into your wheel you must perform a relearn procedure to let the vehicle know that it has new sensors. This is the part that is manufacturer specific and will require knowledge of how your specific vehicle relearns new sensors.

I have an Autel TS-508 which allows me to take unprogrammed sensors and simply plug into the cars computer and write the serial number from the ECU onto the sensors. An autel sensor will then have the serial number for the OEM TPMS sensor and the vehicle never knows anything changed. I then assign the serial numbers to the corresponding corner of the car and it's done.

But it is far more common to just buy programmed sensors for $25 - $30 and install them and then do a relearn on the vehicle. Nissan is fascinating because they have a loose wire under the dashboard that you simply ground 6 times within 10 seconds and this puts the vehicle into relearn mode. Once in relearn mode you drive the vehicle with the tire pressures set to a predetermined pressure and the vehicle picks up on this and assigns the serial numbered sensor to the corresponding corner of the vehicle. That's it.

Google Nissan TPMS relearn procedure and you'll learn what pressures to set the tires at. You do this prior to putting the vehicle into relearn mode. Use a paper clip or make a short jumper wire and then ground it against any bare metal and you're in business.

1644345248365.jpg
 
Here's a tidbit of information about TPMS sensors. Sensors must be programmed for the vehicle they're going to be installed on. This is a simple matter of programming the sensor for the year, make and model of the vehicle they'll be used on. That is the programming aspect. When you buy sensors from places like RockAuto you get them programmed and this makes life so easy.

Once you have installed the programmed sensor into your wheel you must perform a relearn procedure to let the vehicle know that it has new sensors. This is the part that is manufacturer specific and will require knowledge of how your specific vehicle relearns new sensors.

I have an Autel TS-508 which allows me to take unprogrammed sensors and simply plug into the cars computer and write the serial number from the ECU onto the sensors. An autel sensor will then have the serial number for the OEM TPMS sensor and the vehicle never knows anything changed. I then assign the serial numbers to the corresponding corner of the car and it's done.

But it is far more common to just buy programmed sensors for $25 - $30 and install them and then do a relearn on the vehicle. Nissan is fascinating because they have a loose wire under the dashboard that you simply ground 6 times within 10 seconds and this puts the vehicle into relearn mode. Once in relearn mode you drive the vehicle with the tire pressures set to a predetermined pressure and the vehicle picks up on this and assigns the serial numbered sensor to the corresponding corner of the vehicle. That's it.

Google Nissan TPMS relearn procedure and you'll learn what pressures to set the tires at. You do this prior to putting the vehicle into relearn mode. Use a paper clip or make a short jumper wire and then ground it against any bare metal and you're in business.

View attachment 88111
The FCA ones are super simple, don't require any programming, the vehicle picks them up and will pick-up new ones if you change them automatically.

Probably the most amusing artifact of that process however was when I was running my snows that didn't have sensors in them and I was following behind another FCA vehicle for a while and it picked up that vehicle's sensors, lol.
 
The FCA ones are super simple, don't require any programming, the vehicle picks them up and will pick-up new ones if you change them automatically.

Probably the most amusing artifact of that process however was when I was running my snows that didn't have sensors in them and I was following behind another FCA vehicle for a while and it picked up that vehicle's sensors, lol.

I love the fact that my Chrysler does the relearn automatically when I swap tires. For any manufacturer to not have this is criminal IMHO. I'm not sure how it is now, but like 10 years ago shops were charging over a hundred dollars per seasonal swap to reprogram. And dealers were charging like $100 per sensor...insanity.
 
The FCA ones are super simple, don't require any programming, the vehicle picks them up and will pick-up new ones if you change them automatically.

Probably the most amusing artifact of that process however was when I was running my snows that didn't have sensors in them and I was following behind another FCA vehicle for a while and it picked up that vehicle's sensors, lol.

The Focus's wheel are like that too. Super nice compared to Mitsu's needing expensive TPMS and reprogramming for each car.
 
The great thing about certain makes is the TPMS system is not controlled by "any" special stem sensors. The TPMS in Hondas is controlled by a link in the vehicle itself. Honda TPMS is called an Indirect system and measures single tire rpms. I know it sounds strange but you can get all the info you want about it all over the internet. To me , its really nice not to have to worry about tire sensor stems when ever I fool with , repair or change tires. Did not even realize that when we first started buying Honda vehicles.
Older Honda's use actual sensors in the tires. My 2010 Civic and 2012 Odyssey have sensors.
 
I love the fact that my Chrysler does the relearn automatically when I swap tires. For any manufacturer to not have this is criminal IMHO. I'm not sure how it is now, but like 10 years ago shops were charging over a hundred dollars per seasonal swap to reprogram. And dealers were charging like $100 per sensor...insanity.
My pathfinder automatically relearns when I rotate the tires but what about putting on new sensors entirely?

I was reading about something involving a button under the steering wheel but I'm not seeing it.
 
My pathfinder automatically relearns when I rotate the tires but what about putting on new sensors entirely?

I was reading about something involving a button under the steering wheel but I'm not seeing it.

Don't know man, I don't know how it works in a Nissan. If it's something complicated or expensive that you have to get a dealer to do, I would avoid them altogether. If it's easy to do yourself and you can find some cheap sensors, then I would go for it.

I was able to find some cheap Mopar sensors on eBay and it's very easy on a Chrysler since it's all automatic so I went for it.

The sensors aren't absolutely necessary, it's just a nice thing to have that early warning of a flat.
 
Don't know man, I don't know how it works in a Nissan. If it's something complicated or expensive that you have to get a dealer to do, I would avoid them altogether. If it's easy to do yourself and you can find some cheap sensors, then I would go for it.

I was able to find some cheap Mopar sensors on eBay and it's very easy on a Chrysler since it's all automatic so I went for it.

The sensors aren't absolutely necessary, it's just a nice thing to have that early warning of a flat.
Right they're nice to have but if I have to do some convoluted procedure to relearn the sensors or if I have to pay a dealer to do it for me then I'm just going to get snap-in stems and call it a done deal.
 
After living in Idaho for 6 months and just recently having a record snowfall it is clear to me that I need to get a set of cheap wheels and some snow tires to have ready to bolt on when I need them.

I plan to get a set of 18" wheels from a lower trim level Pathfinder and right now walmart has 235/65/18 Blizzaks on clearance for $70 a piece.

I don't want to spend the money on a whole new set of TPMS sensors so I wanted to know if it's possible to put a normal valve stem in a wheel that is technically supposed to have TPMS sensors. I can deal with my idiot light being on for a couple months.
Where do you like in Idaho?
 
Where do you like in Idaho?
Lewiston. When we got snow here it was so bad I couldn't get up and out of my own driveway even after shoveling and putting down salt. Couldn't get up the hill to Pullman without losing traction either.
 
Our 19 civic used speed sensor when I change to set of winter tires no tpms no issue only thing once or twice will glow low tire pressure after adjusting tire pressure good to go.The 14 Camry 4cyl that had a set of Michelin X Ice from tire rack ordered new TPMS lights on. Put piece of electrical black tape on dashboard so wont annoy wife,checking tire pressure regularly.
 
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