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Keep TPMS or not?

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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 04:54 PM
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Default Keep TPMS or not?

Im replacing the wheels on my FRC. Going with wheels, 1" wider than stock (9.5 on front, 10.5 on rear). Replacing the tires as well .... going with NITTOs for a staggered set-up. The question becomes, do I replace the TPMS sensors or leave them off. The shop recommends replacing them now since they are already doing the work. The car is 19 years old ... and eventually, stuff starts going.

What's the conventional wisdom of the forum? I know some have left them on and some have removed them. If removed, is there an indicator light that remains on?

Thanks,
YetMan

Last edited by yetman; Oct 1, 2018 at 05:34 PM.
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 04:57 PM
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Originally Posted by yetman
Im replacing the wheels on my FRC. Going with wheels, 1" wider than stock (9.5 on front, 10.5 on rear). Replacing the tires as well .... going with NOTTOs for a staggered set-up. The question becomes, do I replace the TPMS sensors or leave them off. The shop recommends replacing them now since they are already doing the work. The car is 19 years old ... and eventually, stuff starts going.

What's the conventional wisdom of the forum? I know some have left them on and some have removed them. If removed, is there an indicator light that remains on?

Thanks,
YetMan
I replaced mine after 16 years as I swapped with new wheels and tires....No reason not to chnage them....16 years was a long time

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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 05:00 PM
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Replace them, if you don't when they do go you will have to keep hitting reset on the service TPMS message on the dash.
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 05:24 PM
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If you do not replace them you will have to have someone disable the RPO or put up with the warnings on the dash.

Me personally, I added TPMS to my Z06. I like the feature and it has helped me a few times on multiple vehicles.
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 05:41 PM
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Thanks to everyone that replied to this post. I have asked the shop to go ahead and order four new TPMS sensors and install them with the new NITTOs. At this point, new wheels and new tires .... don't want to skimp on doing it right. Also, I don't want to hassle with lights on the dash .... just a pain to keep doing that. In the end, better to have them .... so they are functioning correctly.

Thanks again! I will post some pics of the new set-up this weekend. I pick the vette up on Friday.

YetMan
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 05:42 PM
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Replaced them during a tire change on my 02 vert over a year ago. Original batteries were failing on one or two wheels. Some state inspection stations will actually fail your vehicle if these are not working and the light is on in the dash. Last reason I replaced them is because I replaced the run flat tires with non run flats.
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by yetman
Thanks to everyone that replied to this post. I have asked the shop to go ahead and order four new TPMS sensors and install them with the new NITTOs. At this point, new wheels and new tires .... don't want to skimp on doing it right. Also, I don't want to hassle with lights on the dash .... just a pain to keep doing that. In the end, better to have them .... so they are functioning correctly.

Thanks again! I will post some pics of the new set-up this weekend. I pick the vette up on Friday.

YetMan
Just make sure they get the right ones - there were two different TPMS systems installed during the life of the C5.
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 07:11 PM
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Get the good ones and make sure they torque to specs. Some of these knuckleheads dont know what a torque wrench is.
Did mine a year and a half ago on my own
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 07:27 PM
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AS mentioned above get "good ones".... that means OEM. Serious, just keep it original and you will only do this fix once.
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 07:37 PM
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What size tires are you going with?
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 09:05 PM
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also remember -- without a spare tire, if you aren't rockin' run-flats, TPMS could save you from getting stranded if you have a slow leak.
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Old Oct 1, 2018 | 10:12 PM
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If it were me, I would go ahead and replace them. They are a good safety feature to have on the car.
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Old Oct 2, 2018 | 11:07 PM
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after 7yrs without them, i just ordered a set of new schraders for my new tires.
but hitting RESET every time i start the car has almost become 2nd nature now
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Old Oct 2, 2018 | 11:51 PM
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The pre 01 sensors are expensive about double the cost of ‘01+.

Personally I’d pay a dealership with a tech2 to turn them off especially if you don’t plan to have run flats. Less clutter to deal with down the road.

I recently handled a set of dead (but extremely rare) sensors for a c4 where each sensor had its own color to match with a frequency in the car, unlike in a c5 where the sensors are the same part # and you sync them on different frequencies (the computer does that for you). -thinking as combersone as that old system was here we are with this.

You pay double what an 01+ costs, and me with a z06 has them completely turned off from the factory.

Hope the $500 to go with your non-run flats lets you sleep better, to me that’s just a waste of cash chasing nothing.
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Old Oct 3, 2018 | 07:29 AM
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Thanks again for all the replies. Great information here. I did go with AC Delco and they were more expensive as stated here on the CF. The car should be ready today. I will post some PICS when I get it back.

Thanks again!
YetMan
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Old Oct 3, 2018 | 07:45 AM
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Bingo! Right answer! I have never understood people who skimp or don't do things the right way to save a couple of dollars. To my mind, if you have to worry about a couple of bucks, then maybe you shouldn't have bought a Corvette in the first place. What's that old saying? "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right"

Good choice man...

Originally Posted by yetman
Thanks to everyone that replied to this post. I have asked the shop to go ahead and order four new TPMS sensors and install them with the new NITTOs. At this point, new wheels and new tires .... don't want to skimp on doing it right. Also, I don't want to hassle with lights on the dash .... just a pain to keep doing that. In the end, better to have them .... so they are functioning correctly.

Thanks again! I will post some pics of the new set-up this weekend. I pick the vette up on Friday.

YetMan
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Old Oct 3, 2018 | 07:48 AM
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Yep! Never had an issue on the Vette (YET) but the TPMS system has warned me of problems on our other two cars in time to have it taken care of before a real problem reared it's ugly head. Wouldn't be with out 'em.

Originally Posted by ninety6
also remember -- without a spare tire, if you aren't rockin' run-flats, TPMS could save you from getting stranded if you have a slow leak.
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To Keep TPMS or not?

Old Oct 3, 2018 | 02:11 PM
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Originally Posted by 8VETTE7
Thread starter, The TPMS on your 99 FRC cannot be "turned off" as the previous poster suggests. Turning the RPO OFF in the BCM is only possible on the 2001 - 2004.
correct. You can swap in the 01-04 unit which at that point you can turn them off. That swap has been done by the shop before.

The new transponder costs about as much as a set of the expensive early TPMS units but then you can start using the newer style or turn it off all together.
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Old Oct 3, 2018 | 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by yetman
Thanks again for all the replies. Great information here. I did go with AC Delco and they were more expensive as stated here on the CF. The car should be ready today. I will post some PICS when I get it back.

Thanks again!
YetMan
I believe that's a good move. Even though they are more than simple valve stems, it's nice to have the alert in case you start losing air.
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Old Oct 3, 2018 | 10:51 PM
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Originally Posted by ~Josh

correct. You can swap in the 01-04 unit which at that point you can turn them off. That swap has been done by the shop before.

The new transponder costs about as much as a set of the expensive early TPMS units but then you can start using the newer style or turn it off all together.
so you're saying it's better to spend the same $ in parts + TechII programming cost to get rid of a system that has useful benefits (safety alert being one of them) rather than keeping the system working?
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