Zeus69

iTrader: (1)

I may be getting some aftermarket wheels that are NOT TPMS compatible, so some type of adapter needs to be used to mount the sensors. I read the following from another forum. Much of this may be known to members, but I "bolded" a part that struck me:

Here's some info from the Hunter website (Hunter makes tire changing tools). This is apparently an article for the GM TechLink Magazine for Mr. Goodwrench.

Down near the bottom of the article there are two "Tips": 1. Don't replace the cap or the valve with standard parts or it will mess up the sensor's ability to transmit; 2. The sensor is more accurate than a normal tire pressure gauge.


Components
There is a separate sensor/transmitter in each wheel. The TPM system shares the receiver with the keyless entry system. Data from the receiver is displayed on the instrument panel, using the driver information center (DIC).

Sensors
The sensor, with built-in valve stem, is inserted from the inside of the wheel, through a hole in the rim. It is retained by a nut (4 N.m, 35 lb. in.) and is sealed by a grommet. A lithium battery with a design life of 10 years powers the sensor.



Each sensor is coded differently. This permits the receiver to determine exactly which tire is over or under-inflated.

Operation
The sensors operate only above 20 mph (32 kph) and transmit once per hour when parked, to preserve battery power.
If the pressure in a tire rises or falls outside the calibration limits, the condition is displayed by the DIC. The low limit is 24 psi (168 kPa) and the upper limit is 39 psi (272 kPa).

Service
The sensors are lightweight, only about an ounce (28 g), and this small weight is easily accounted for during normal tire balancing.

The sensors are mounted within the well of the rim. It’s important to be careful when using a tire-mounting machine. The sensor could be damaged in two ways: either by (1) direct contact with the machinery or (2) by the bead of the tire as it is forced over the rim.


Use care when using tire machine.
Consult tire changer manufacturer’s support material for proper mounting procedures.



Sensor ruined by tire mounting equipment

The valve stem cap is made of aluminum and the valve core is nickel-plated to resist corrosion. The end of the stem serves as the sensor’s antenna.



TIP: Do not replace either the cap or the valve with standard parts. This will interfere with the sensor’s ability to transmit.

TIP: The TPM sensor is more precise than consumer-grade tire pressure gauges. It may be necessary to explain this if the customer routinely mis-inflates tires using a gas station gauge.

Receiver Programming
The receiver is programmed at the factory to recognize which sensor is at each wheel location. If tires are rotated or a sensor is replaced, the receiver must be reprogrammed, following SI procedures.

If the receiver is not reprogrammed, the system will continue to report the correct pressures, but will assign them to the wrong locations on the vehicle.

My concern is that a sensor mounted on the center of the wheel barrel (with an adapter, enclosed by the tire) might fail to be "acquired"--leading to dash light show .

Has anyone had a TPMS failure using adapters in this way??

Thanks.