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colin@tirerack -> Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (11/7/2006 4:18:41 PM)
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Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are now impossible to run from when buying a new vehicle. Every new vehicle made for sale in the USA has a direct TPM system as standard equipment. There are several exceptions though: the vehicle must have only four wheels (so no dual-wheeled trucks or motorcycles), and the GVWR must be less than 10,000lbs. Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury have incorporated a TPMS system on several of their vehicles since the 2002 models. The first couple years they used a valve sensor, but now they have moved onto using a strap sensor which complicates the easy task of swapping wheels. We carry every sensor, strap and valve-mounted, and all accessories needed to install them.
The basics of the direct TPMS is that it uses a sensor in the wheel/tire to wirelessly relay pressure back to the driver on some sort of display. Some vehicles have a digital info screen that will show all four tire pressures (five pressures if spare has sensor) all the time. While others might just flash a low-tire-pressure light on the dash. There are also two different styles of sensors for this system: a valve sensor and a strap/band sensor. In the beginning, Ford Motor Company was using the valve sensors on many of their SUVs, but within the last two years they switched to using a strap sensor. A strap or band sensor is held onto the wheel by a metal strap that wraps around the inside barrel. This complicates the wheel fitments since each strap is fit to each wheel (ie. 18” band for 18” wheel). The OE bands are crimped from the factory so they can not be swapped from one wheel to another since they have to be cut in order to be removed from the wheel. The bands we carry can be adjusted from 14in diameter wheels to 26in diameter wheels and can be swapped from one wheel set to the next.
Ford’s indirect system will not affect the choice of switching aftermarket wheels or tires. The system runs off of the ABS/wheel-speed sensors which “count” the number of revolutions of each tire. If the right-front tire is low (25psi) it will spin faster than the left-front tire (35psi), so the ABS system will recognize this change and alert the driver with a flashing light near the gauge cluster and possibly a loud chime. The previous models’ valve sensors were produced by Schrader. The current models using the strap sensors are having them produced by Lear and Siemens. The size of the valve sensor shouldn’t be a problem for many wheels, but if the valve hole is in the middle of the wheel’s barrel, then obviously the sensor will not fit properly. The wheel industries are aware of the valve sensors and are rushing to get most of their wheels TPMS-compatible.
If you have any questions about the TPMS-fitment on a wheel that The Tire Rack sells, I can look up the wheel and confirm if it will work with your vehicle.
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