what exactly are they? i know my frc has the system and it works as i checked it today (new vette owner here) anyway im looking to change the wagon wheels to some zo6 wheels. do i need to install something on the new wheel/tire in order for the system to work? any help is appreciatted.

 

OEM wheels and most aftermarket will accept the sensors.

 

The valve stem has a little plastic box on the inside-the-tire-side that monitors air pressure. Your car (the BCM?) receives input from them and this is how your car know's what the tire pressure is in each tire. Also the tire needs to be in motion for the Tire Pressure Sensor (TPS) starts to send up to date information. In other words, adding air to the tire while stationary and keeping an eye on your tire pressure via the DIC on your gauge cluster will not show a change. The new pressure will appear once you drive down the road past a certain MPH. I think its 10 mph, not sure.

I still have my OEM 5 spokes, but I'd imagine you have to reuse your TPS on the new wheels.

-Steve

 

you need to have the sensor present in the new wheels.. the sensors are on the inside of the wheel , they are a one piece unit that included the valve stem. The sensor monitors the air pressure and sends a signal to display the tire pressure or warn you of low tire pressure or a flat. or too high of pressure. The sensors last anywhere from 7 to ten years.
on your car they cost about 100 dollars each, you can not use the later model sensors in your car they are only 35 dollars but communicate in a different fashion. The sensors in your car have a date stamp on them which tells you when they were manufactured, my guess is that they are original.. If I was going to put new wheels and tires I would spend the 400 extra for new tps... also some wheels will not accept the sensors because of the inner wheel design and have to be epoxied and wire banded to the inner wheel.. ( it can be done but much less hassle if you get compatible wheels
ET

 

the zo6 wheels im looking at buying "have the mounting area inside" so i can just reuse the ones i have now?

 

yes

 

You can use them, but as ET says, based on their life expectancy, they will not last much longer. Replacing them would be a good idea since you will have the tires off of the wheels.


roscoe

 

A good tire shop will know that you have tire sensors, but it doesn't hurt to remind them in case they have a new kid on the tire removal prep team. You don't want them hooking the valve stem puller tool on your TPS and giving it a good pry over the rim. Like I said a good shop probably sees them all the time, but you never know when they will have a newbie or an old hand and your's is the first set he has done with TPS.

 

Tire changers are entry level jobs... 7or8 dollars an hour....if the shop has real mechanics in it, they are making 25/ 30 dollars an hour.. they dont want to be doing tires.. 95% of the tires that are changed today do not have sensors, but sensors are coming on strong...I would not put it at the discretion of the tire shop,because they say they know how...
when ever you have anyone touch your tires, make sure that you have a Manager, shop foreman, boss, verify that all four of your sensors were working when you came in and dispalying a tire pressure and expect all to be working when you leave. this will alert them to be careful , and it puts the responsibility sq uare on the Boss....
there is more to it than just a kid using a valve stem puller... when the tire machine "extracts" the bead from the tire, it canot pull the tire where the sensor is, so the tire guy has to be aware of the position of the valve stem when he breaks the bead, and also when he runs the braker bar around the tire... same thing when he puts the tire back on the wheel, he can not have to bar come in contact with the sensor.
If you want to trust the so called experts, do a search here. Ive seen hundreds of guys tell stories of tire shop incompetance.. the first thing they say is they have been in business 30 / 40 years... but fail to tell you that the kid actually doing the job was just hired, and his former job was doing french fries at McDonalds.
The End
Remember you are the Boss, you want to over see the operation.. if they give you some BS about insurance , go somewhere else... its not only the cost of the sensors, its the time spent, you dont want to do it all over again because some kid used your car for his Virgin tire change.