Tirerack won't mount snows to rims?

Status
Not open for further replies.
supton

supton

Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
26,872
Location
NH
Started my shopping. Both Toyota's need winter tires; want rims also. Tundra has some stylish steelies so I will Ebay those and take to local tire shop; but Camry has "traditional" rims so perhaps buying a set from Tirerack is cheaper.

Nope, says they can't install tires onto the rims, as my car requires TPMS...

Now, I'd rather buy tires locally, that way I can just go back and have rebalanced or deal with whatever issue may arise. But I have a feeling I'm going to get forced into buying a set of sensors for both vehicles so that these shops can be "legal" in doing a tire rotation, or alignment, or just touching the darn vehicle. NH does not require TPMS for inspection but the dealer told me flat out that they won't pass me on account of it; not sure what the tire shop will tell me when I ask today.

Stupid regulations!

As far as I know of, neither the Camry nor Tundra will throw a hissy fit with traction control if the TPMS light is on. Does anyone know for certain? I don't recall coming across this issue, and it is important as I'll be dealing with the typical snowy weather.
 
can you just change your vehicle to an older vehicle on tirerack and pretend it is for that? As long as bolt pattern and size are the same, couldn't you say you are shopping for a 2006 Camry?
 
Originally Posted By: jhMalibu
can you just change your vehicle to an older vehicle on tirerack and pretend it is for that? As long as bolt pattern and size are the same, couldn't you say you are shopping for a 2006 Camry?

+1 I was going to suggest the same thing. Just lie to them and say it's for an older car. Or better yet, just don't tell them what kind of car it's for. I'm pretty sure you can shop by tire size without entering in any vehicle data.
 
I could, but what crud will I run into at a shop? Both vehicles need an alignment right now; if I take one in and the light is on because the sensors are missing... Can they touch it? Can they do a tire rotation? What if I need brakes and I go to a place that sells tires?
 
Get aligned on your summer tires. Get the tires mounted on loose rims.

If a shop won't touch it, leave. They would likely just document it. When I worked at a tire shop we had customers yell at us about TPMS, if the light was on and the customer was quiet we'd
27.gif
There was of course no training to be had on the subject.
 
Dumb though of the moment: does it make sense? My snow tires see about 10k per year, the all seasons tend to get 15k. I have never gotten more than 40k out of a set on the Jetta; the Camry chewed up the OEM after 30k, and these Primacy tires will not go to 60k. No idea on the Tundra.

$200-300 for a set of rims, plus the same for sensors. ThAt is what, five or six mount and balance charges? Three years to break even?
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Get aligned on your summer tires. Get the tires mounted on loose rims.

That's the ticket. If the wheels came to them loose, they can't be responsible for non-function of the TPMS.

If they ask, just tell them you're doing this as a favor for a friend who has a family issue that doesn't leave him with time, or some other such story. And, of course, you don't know what kind of car it is...
 
According to the article, and if I'm understanding it correctly, for us owners, we violate no laws if we don't run TPMS, get a sensor fixed, or don't install TPMS on an alternative set of wheels.

Shops however, can't work on our sutff unless we bring the wheels off of the car to have them mount/balance, yadda yadda yadda.
 
Last edited:
If the shops intentionally disable TPMS by installing non TPMS wheels and tires, then they are liable if something happens and it was caused by low tire pressure.
 
Originally Posted By: supton
Dumb though of the moment: does it make sense? My snow tires see about 10k per year, the all seasons tend to get 15k. I have never gotten more than 40k out of a set on the Jetta; the Camry chewed up the OEM after 30k, and these Primacy tires will not go to 60k. No idea on the Tundra.

$200-300 for a set of rims, plus the same for sensors. ThAt is what, five or six mount and balance charges? Three years to break even?


You can probably do a little better. My 07 HHR luckily came without TPMS but had extra rims that I think were from something newer as they had the sensors in there, broadcasting "dead air". Sold them on CL.

Sensors are as cheap as 8-10 bucks on rockauto and amazon. Camry rims should be in abundance in yards.

Three year break-even is pretty speedy, IMO, and doesn't include the convenience factor of not needing to visit a busy shop right before a freak storm in November.
 
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Get aligned on your summer tires. Get the tires mounted on loose rims.

That's the ticket. If the wheels came to them loose, they can't be responsible for non-function of the TPMS.

If they ask, just tell them you're doing this as a favor for a friend who has a family issue that doesn't leave him with time, or some other such story. And, of course, you don't know what kind of car it is...


Ok, what if I hit a big ole pothole during winter, and knock out the alignment. Put the summers on, get it aligned, then take the summers off? Knock a wheel weight off; same story? Sure, I can get them aligned now but that ignores what-if scenarios that can happen over the next five months.
 
My local Honda dealer just gave me an inspection sticker with snows on steelies and the TPMS light on. I read the NH inspection requirements on the state website and there was nothing mentioned for TPMS.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
You can probably do a little better. My 07 HHR luckily came without TPMS but had extra rims that I think were from something newer as they had the sensors in there, broadcasting "dead air". Sold them on CL.

Sensors are as cheap as 8-10 bucks on rockauto and amazon. Camry rims should be in abundance in yards.

Three year break-even is pretty speedy, IMO, and doesn't include the convenience factor of not needing to visit a busy shop right before a freak storm in November.


Haven't called yards yet, but when I bought rims for the Jetta no yards had them. Been keeping an eye on CL but have not seen any for the Camry; Tundra rims come up but not nearly as often as you'd think, and still for $200 a set or more, plus often with tires I'd have to get rid of. I looked on rockauto and Dorman sensors were $30, most others were $50 to $70. Each.

The payback is there, I don't deny that, but it's not what it used to be.
 
You don't even need to tell them what car you have. Been doing this for years with different than OEM tires in a variety of cars.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
My local Honda dealer just gave me an inspection sticker with snows on steelies and the TPMS light on. I read the NH inspection requirements on the state website and there was nothing mentioned for TPMS.


I asked Grappone specifically about it, and they said they would not sticker if the light was on. I'm sure I could argue with them, but it's not quite in my nature to do so.

The Tundra will squeak by on this, assuming I don't need work done during winter months; but if I buy snow tires through Grappone... Both my Toyota's have tires through Grappone (truck came with new ones, Camry recently got a new free set), so dealing with two tire shops is going to be annoying (going to one shop for snow tire rebalancing vs the dealer for all season rebalancing). If I try to prorate the tires for premature wear then it's in my best interest to have records of rotations, and... Or I just write off the tires they have currently, and deal with the tire shop instead.

Edit: it's a 30mile drive to deal with these places. I usually take time off from work to do so, first thing in the morning, as the tire shop (Vianor in Concord) or Grappone (in Bow) is on the way to work. The local inspection place (5 miles down the road, so very close) wants the car for the day, or for a few days to do work (say wheel bearing or exhaust, same diff, it's a day at least of downtime). Camry was getting free 5k service (that just ended), Tundra just hit 5k, and the Jetta I just did the rotations myself (and ate the premature tire life).
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
My local Honda dealer just gave me an inspection sticker with snows on steelies and the TPMS light on. I read the NH inspection requirements on the state website and there was nothing mentioned for TPMS.


I asked Grappone specifically about it, and they said they would not sticker if the light was on. I'm sure I could argue with them, but it's not quite in my nature to do so.


You never know unless you go.
wink.gif


I'd take it in there with the light ablaze and see what happens. The service writer sells parts & service, while the mechanic's license puts bread on his table. I suspect the latter would trump the former.
 
My inspection is in May. So I should have my snows without TPMS off by then. But even if not, it is not a grounds for failure in NYS.

I'd throw a fit if any place tried to.
 
Last edited:
if you can afford NEW wheels you should be able to buy new sensors too. im in the same boat, I will buy new sensors & leave the old one`s in the wheels that I will e-bay off, they sell better with the complete set up(wheels - tires - sensors - all balanced & ready to go)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

G
  • Locked
Swapping Tires Alloy to Steelies - or Sell Alloy?
Replies
13
Views
2K
wheelman1991
M
  • Locked
steel rims out of round?
Replies
15
Views
6K
MParr
1
  • Locked
what's up with snow tire sizes, no 16" ?
Replies
7
Views
3K
JohnnyO
S
  • Locked
Snow Tires and RIMS... pretty difficult... really!
2 3
Replies
46
Views
12K
Mr_Joe
S
  • Locked
Tirerack
2
Replies
28
Views
9K
Thatwouldbegreat
Back
Top Bottom