Info regarding TPMS from steel wheels to aluminum

I was just told if you are upgrading your steel wheels to aluminum .....you do not need new sensors. I was told to spin the sensors 180 degrees to totally eliminate the problem of them fitting. Makes sense ...Is this new or have I already missed a million threads on this topic?

 

Supposedly you can spin them to make them fit, but you need to tell whatever shop that will dismount your tires eventually they are like that other wise theyll ruin them

 

This is true but most shops won't do it. Just upgraded from steel to alloys an the tire shop said they wouldn't flip them. To easy to break and they didn't want to deal with a known problem.

Valve stems on steel wheel sensors are at a 40 degree angle and alloys are at 20 degrees. I just left mine out.

 

This is how mine are set up, and no issues.

 

This is what I did with mine. Tire shop had no issues with flipping them. They did state that if I were to get a flat, the sensor would be toast. They also suggested that whenever I go in for a tire change, let the shop know to unscrew the valve and let the sensor fall away from the wheel or else the machine used to separate the tire from wheel would damage it.

It's been about a year with no issues thus far.

 

Very cool...thanks for all the input

 

I would like to have this done when I buy new tires. I'll have to find a shop that will do it. I was told the same thing if I get a flat. I told them that I would take my chances and in the end, they wouldn't do it.

 

The shop I used showed me how the sensor sits in the wheel and I don't remember any issues with flats. It could be the case with some wheels I guess, but probably only after extended driving on a totally flat tire. If you do it, ask them to show you how it sits in your wheel and decide for yourself.

 

When I bought my '06 / 5 lug I bought the Enkei alloys the next year through my dealer. They used the TPMS sensors from my steel wheels in the alloys. Just last week I decided to go back to my steel wheels. Discount tires took said sensors from alloys and put them back in the steels. I never had a problem for the 5 year period. YMMV.

 

I went from steel to aluminum wheels. I don't they had to flip the sensors but discount tire did it no questions asked.

 

That's good to know,

 

The reason for this is because most aftermarket wheels are designed with a flatter barrel that won't hinder the mounting of a 20* or 40* TPMS. The factory alloys aren't designed like this that's why the sensors won't swap over without rotating them. If a person with steel wheels decides to get aftermarket wheels then they can most likely use their 40* sensors. It's only the factory alloy wheels that cause the problem.

 

The Discount tire i go to wouldn't flip them due to the fact that if i got a flat the TPMS would be destroyed and that was a liability for them. I didn't ask any other Discounts though so maybe another store would have done it.

 

Regarding the "destroyed on flat" issue, to tell do this;

Before mounting the tire on the rim, try to wrangle the sensor into position. Get a straight edge (or eyeball it), place it across the two rails, then slide it around the rim past the sensor. If it touches, you will DEFINITELY destroy it if you get a flat.

Even if it does NOT touch, you could still destroy it on a flat, if the rubber folds up into the space between the rails.

THIS CAN EVEN HAPPEN ON FACTORY RIM+TIRE+SENSOR CONFIG.

If you get a flat, even factory setup, you could end up destroying the sensor. If it sticks out, you'll DEFINITELY destroy it.

 

Okay, another question for this thread, I am switching from the OEM alloy wheels to OEM steel wheels. Can I turn the alloy wheel sensors around and have them work in my steel wheels?
I don't really want to purchase another set of sensors and then pay to have them programmed in