Training Magnet and TPMS
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Pro
Joined: May 2011
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From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
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Training Magnet and TPMS
Tire Rack's magnet costs 15.95 + $8 shipping; Harbor Freight has a 66 mm magnet with a 95 lb pull for 4.99 (3.99 if you use the 20% coupon and buy it at the store). Is the power of the Harbor freight magnet good enough to set the sensors? I've only found "get a bigger magnet" but no Lb's of pull. Better yet, has anyone used this magnet? Thanks for your assist.
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From: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks , State Of Confusion
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
I bought 4 new sensors for my car and I tried a number of magnets and could not get them to work, I drove out to Tire Rack and bought one from them and it worked great, The best way to train the sensors is to do so before you mount them.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Hopatcong New Jersey
I've used a speaker magnet, a hard drive magnet, and a cheap $3 magnet from the hardware store and all 3 worked fine. The hard drive magnet is small but STRONG, so it's not necessarily the size that matters.
If it's hard to pull off your fridge, it should be strong enough to train your TPMS haha
If it's hard to pull off your fridge, it should be strong enough to train your TPMS haha
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I recently installed four new sensors when I purchased my new CCW wheel/tire package. All four sensors were pre-installed and the tires were already mounted and balanced.
After I mounted all four new wheels/tires onto my C5, I went through the TPMS training procedure using a $3.00 rectangular magnet I picked up at Home Depot. I was able to train the first sensor (driver/front) however I was not able to get the next sensor (passenger/front) to register and the training system timed out. After multiple attempts, I decided to take the car for a quick drive to see what the DIC registered and perhaps "wake up" the sensors.
Sure enough, after returning from my drive, I followed the the training procedure and all four sensors beeped the horn on my first attempt.
My point is that any decent sized magnet will do the trick and if your having problems getting the sensors to register, it might not be the magnet. You may just need to "wake up" the sensors.
Last edited by MSG C5; Feb 25, 2013 at 01:44 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
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From: Bmore Maryland
Tire Rack's magnet costs 15.95 + $8 shipping; Harbor Freight has a 66 mm magnet with a 95 lb pull for 4.99 (3.99 if you use the 20% coupon and buy it at the store). Is the power of the Harbor freight magnet good enough to set the sensors? I've only found "get a bigger magnet" but no Lb's of pull. Better yet, has anyone used this magnet? Thanks for your assist.
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You could try the Harbor Freight magnet - worst case scenario is you spend $4 for nothing. Or you could always try your local dealership - when I couldn't get mine to program after a tire change, I took it to them and they got it to program and did not charge me anything. Took all of 2-3 minutes to do.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: South Dakota
I got a rectangular magnet at Radio Shack for about a buck. It worked good for me on wagon wheels, polished thinspokes, and magnesiums.
It also worked better if I put it on the barrel right next to the sensor rather than as close as I could to the stem.
Good Luck.
It also worked better if I put it on the barrel right next to the sensor rather than as close as I could to the stem.
Good Luck.
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Drifting
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From: Hopatcong New Jersey
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From: Iowa
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
I used a magnetic parts dish to train mine, dish and all, with metal vave caps also.
The dish itself is about 6" diameter, the magnet on the bottom about 3" in diameter.
The dish itself is about 6" diameter, the magnet on the bottom about 3" in diameter.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: St Louis MO
I agree with dblerman. Magnets from an old harddrive (put one on your refrigerator and try pulling it directly off, no sliding) or speaker magnet will do the job. I've had metal caps on the stems many years and they've not interfered with calibration.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: GRAYSLAKE IL
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St. Jude Donor '13
Re possible problems w/TPM reading when using metal valve stem caps. Battery powered sensors in ea value stem send a signal which could be interfered with by using metal valve cap stems.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Hopatcong New Jersey
Hogwash. The entire valve stem including the actual schrader valve is metal. Not to mention the rim that the sensor bolts to is one giant hunk of metal. Putting a metal cap on the end will make no difference.
