TPMS - Steel to Alloy

I have an '08 w/steel wheels and the TPMS sensors.

Will those sensors fit these wheels or will I need to get new sensors and have them programmed by the dealer?

 

The sensors for the steel wheels are different than the ones for alloys. I don't think there's a way to make one work on the other. Someone needs to find a fix for that.

 

Yeah..........I'd like to know the fix for this as well. I disconnected my tpms when I switched wheels.

 

I'm guessing the 'fix' is new sensors which mean the cost of those as well as the cost of someone to demount/install sensors/re-balance/remount tires/wheels... I'm assuming that is gonna be around $100 plus cost of new sensors and then whatever needs to be done to program or mate them up with the truck's sensor.

discount tire told me the razor wheels they sell are fine with the sensors and I wouldn't need new ones but I was hoping to get a good deal on some used oem alloys... it's all about money... LOL

 

I seem to recall reading somewhere on here, some time back that the steel wheel sensors could be used with the alloy wheels by turning them around. Which would place the sensor closer to the bead, so it would necessitate the tire being mounted and broken down from the other side of the wheel.

However, all the sensor needs to be is in a presurized environment, that is how some people have taken all the sensors out and stuck them in a presurized pvc tube and kept it in the cab to keep the light from coming on.

My point to that is with a few really big zip ties you could just secure your steel sensors to the very center of the rims, and then use a regular valve stem. The weight difference would be corrected in the ballance, and then you still have the sensor reading the pressure inside the tire. Just FYI the stand allone TPMS systems in Semi's and for travel trailers use this type of band around the middle of the rim design. No reason that wouldn't work with these with a little inginuity.

 

I guess you could JB Weld the sensors to one inside section of the rim then add the equivalent of weights to the other side, JB Welded, to offset the sensor weight. Then, it wouldn't take a ton of weights to balance. I'd prefer than over a big zip tie as it could loosen with temp/vibration.

I think I saw where the sensors weren't all that expensive to replace if you just needed some different ones. It just all adds up after a while and the great deal you end up getting on some used rims turns into a small savings over some new ones.