Swapping tire sensors
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Show me lower taxes Missouri
Swapping tire sensors
I just got back from "Dobb's Tire" here in St. Louis and they want $45 a tire to swap sensors from my car to the new tires/wheels that I just bought!! I told the guy all he needed to do is to break the bead and push in the tire and remove the sensor and repeat on the new tire but install. He stated that he would need to break apart the tire from the rim and install the sensor's then re-balance the tire. I bought these tires/rims already balanced so I wouldn't have to do it once I got them.
Anyone do this on their own? They are 285/35/19's and 255/35/18's.
One other question. Since the tires were already balanced by removing the tire and installing the sensors, would this be enough to have to re-balance the tire? I called the vendor who talked me into balancing the combo's and he said that adding the sensors would not throw off the tire in a balancing machine. Your thoughts?
Anyone do this on their own? They are 285/35/19's and 255/35/18's.
One other question. Since the tires were already balanced by removing the tire and installing the sensors, would this be enough to have to re-balance the tire? I called the vendor who talked me into balancing the combo's and he said that adding the sensors would not throw off the tire in a balancing machine. Your thoughts?
Last edited by crosstheline; Apr 3, 2008 at 06:20 PM. Reason: spelling
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Had this done not long ago.........as long as they mark the tire with a corresponding mark on the rim the balance will stay right like it was. Worked for me.........$5 per wheel for the Goodyear store to do
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
I'll add that I also recently had 4 runflats swapped over from one set of wheels to another at $10 per wheel. Of course I've gotten to know the guys at my Goodyear store pretty well over the years but $45 for sensor swap per wheel is akin to rape.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Show me lower taxes Missouri
Good common sense. One other question, if I mount these new tires/rims at home without the sensors, how long before would I have to have the pcm programmed for the sensors? Is there a time factor or does the pcm automatically loose "memory" of the sensors?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Show me lower taxes Missouri
I know, they haven't got the job but they sure are trying to pull my pants down.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 2
From: Bakersfield Ca
One other question. Since the tires were already balanced by removing the tire and installing the sensors, would this be enough to have to re-balance the tire? I called the vendor who talked me into balancing the combo's and he said that adding the sensors would not throw off the tire in a balancing machine. Your thoughts?
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 431
Likes: 5
From: Chico CA
I'm not a great Les Schwab tire fan, but they did change my sensors (when the battery died) at no charge. They just don't carry tires I want on my car, and if they order the Goodyears in (which they can), the price is pretty high.
Call around. I've gotten good service at a couple of tire stores where I do regular business. But I wouldn't try to change them myself, unless I was busting tires for a living and had some experience with the run-flats. You can screw up a wheel, or hurt yourself badly with those stiff sidewall, heavy bead so and so's.
Good luck.
Call around. I've gotten good service at a couple of tire stores where I do regular business. But I wouldn't try to change them myself, unless I was busting tires for a living and had some experience with the run-flats. You can screw up a wheel, or hurt yourself badly with those stiff sidewall, heavy bead so and so's.
Good luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
If you drive the car without the TPMS your DIC will display a SERVICE TPMS message whenever you drive the car. It will do this until you program a set of sensors to the car. There is no time factor .... the RFA expects to get signals, and when it doesn't it commands the IPC to display the SERVICE message ..... it will do this forever.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 663
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From: Show me lower taxes Missouri
I'm not a great Les Schwab tire fan, but they did change my sensors (when the battery died) at no charge. They just don't carry tires I want on my car, and if they order the Goodyears in (which they can), the price is pretty high.
Call around. I've gotten good service at a couple of tire stores where I do regular business. But I wouldn't try to change them myself, unless I was busting tires for a living and had some experience with the run-flats. You can screw up a wheel, or hurt yourself badly with those stiff sidewall, heavy bead so and so's.
Good luck.
Call around. I've gotten good service at a couple of tire stores where I do regular business. But I wouldn't try to change them myself, unless I was busting tires for a living and had some experience with the run-flats. You can screw up a wheel, or hurt yourself badly with those stiff sidewall, heavy bead so and so's.
Good luck.
Ended up costing me only $45 for all four at NTB! They are pretty hot looking as well.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Orange County NY
I'm trying to swap out my old sensors with new ones. Is it possible to break the bead and push in the tire by myself without a tire machine? They are 19" rims and the sidewalls don't seem to want to budge.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
Pretty darn unlikely .... they use hydraulic "arms" to break the bead and even with good equipment it will take the tech several shots to get the tire bead down off the rim. Don't forget they usually inflate the tire to about 60 PSI when they first install it to get the bead to seat.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,526
Likes: 18
From: Santa Fe TX
Discount tire has never charged me a dime to do things like this.
Although I have spent about $5000 over the last 10 years with them.
I doubt they look at that though.
The one near me has very nice machines that don't scratch rims.
Although I have spent about $5000 over the last 10 years with them.
I doubt they look at that though.
The one near me has very nice machines that don't scratch rims.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
See below ... please
I have also had good experience with Discount Tire. I have also had good experience with my local "Goodyear" tire shop until they changed ownership about a year ago ... since then I wouldn't trust them to lace up my Nike running shoes ... let alone play with my tires.
The more I'm seeing people post about sensor/tire problems ... and considering that TPMS are basically now mandatory on cars sold in the US .... why is it unreasonable to expect the following ....
On arrival at a place that will work on your tires they should use a tool such as ( http://www.alltiresupply.com/p-21211.html ) to certify (get it in writing) that all of your TPMS are working.
Before you leave the shop, have them use again the tool showing that your TPMS are still working.
If a sensor is not working (they certified it worked when you dropped off the car) then it is their responsibility to fix the problem.
The more I'm seeing people post about sensor/tire problems ... and considering that TPMS are basically now mandatory on cars sold in the US .... why is it unreasonable to expect the following ....
On arrival at a place that will work on your tires they should use a tool such as ( http://www.alltiresupply.com/p-21211.html ) to certify (get it in writing) that all of your TPMS are working.
Before you leave the shop, have them use again the tool showing that your TPMS are still working.
If a sensor is not working (they certified it worked when you dropped off the car) then it is their responsibility to fix the problem.
