New Rims/Tires for 07

[Alan Caruth]

Winter is coming fast here in Alaska and I'm wondering about getting new rims/studded tires for my '07 ST for the winter. There are a couple of questions I have right now regarding this..



1. This is the first car I've had with TPMS. How hard is it to get more sensors and can they be paired with the current car in addition to the factory wheels? I see from the owners manual that the sensors are add-on for the factory rims - will they work with aftermarket rims or would I need to buy a whole new set of Ford rims? I'll be changing the tires out seasonally so I would prefer to not have to re-pair the tires with the vehicle each time around.



2. If I can get additional wheels and tires together does anyone have reccomendations as to what size of tires/wheels to get? I see the XLT comes with 16" rims so that means I've got at least a few options in rim/tire sizes. Another thing I was thinking was maybe pickup a good set of aftermarket chrome or alloy wheels then use the factory rims in the winter... thoughts?



If all else fails I'll just have the tires swapped on the factory rims seasonally but it would be nice to have other options..



Thanks for any input!

 

[Patrick Bajtka]

I found quite a bit of info on this subject matter at aa1car.com/library/tire_monitors.htm.



I am going to be dealing with the same problem soon myself so I'm interested in what you find out. There must be a way of doing it...people on this site are always changing tires/wheels etc.

 

[Alan Caruth]

I broke down and picked up studded tires and new rims today. The tire dealer threw them on and cleared the TPMS error and I haven't seen it since. I'm guessing that since all four tire sensors disappeared the ST let them completely disable the TPMS system until I throw the old tires back on. We'll see how next spring goes, I'm quite happy to not have to clear an error every time I get into the vehicle.



For rims I got a set of 16" Focal black rims. <a href=http://www.1010tires.com/wheel.asp?wheelbrand=Focal&wheelmodel=Type+176+F6>this page</a> has a picture. For tires I picked up Nokian studded tires, which I have always had good luck with.

 

[Alan Caruth]

An update for this post: About 50 miles after I got them put on I got one TPMS error, then during a long drive later I got another. Then, after refueling the first time now I get it every time I start the vehicle, guess it's time to find a way to disable it :^).

 

[Mike Wilson]

What is TPMS/Error?

(Learn somethin' new every day)!



Or is it Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensor?



O.K. , I've just answered my own question, although that does not mean that I am

sitting here talking to myself!!!:blink:

 

[Mike Wilson]

Try this site, also for calculating tire/rim size:

 

[Tom Schindler]

Lookss like you will need to either figure out how to disconnect the TPMS or get sensor in the wheels you got. Checking out Torries website, the sensors are about 50 bucks each.



For the added cost, you can thank all the idiots in this world that never checks their tire pressure causing accidents.



What a freaking pain in the butt! I have a feeling the sensors do not have to be calibrated to your specific vehicle, but I am not sure. I figure it doesn't need calibrated because the system doesn't tell you which tire is low, it will say tire(s) are low in pressure.



You could try calling Torrie or sending him an email for more details.



Nokian makes some fine snow tires, but in my area, I could not justify the price, so I went with the Bridgestone Winter Dueller DM-Z2 tires. I am happy with them. This will be year 5 for those tires and they need replaced, but I will see if I can get another season or two out of them.





Tom



<font color=red><blink>EDIT: Forgot to add the link..sorry</blink></Font>

 

[Mike Wilson]

The system works by calculating the overall tire diameter versus average rotations per mile,

based on a pre-programmed algiorythym in the computer (P.C.M./B.C.M.) to determine

the rotations the tire should be accumulating over a given distance, based on inputs

from the A.B.S. Wheel Ring sensors, the V.S.S. sensor and the transmission output shaft

sensor(s). The math is then done in the computer to determine if one wheel is rotating

faster (overall diameter DECREASED, indicating an underinflated tire), to trigger the

light or warning system in the dash. Most systems require 30 to even 100 miles of

normal driving, for the system to compute and average this, before the warning system

would trigger any warning light.

The only systems that I am familiar with that actually mounts the TPMS sensors within the

rims and/or tires is the Corvette/Cadillac DTS/Mercedes Benz that uses an R.T.D

(Radio Transmission Device) that gives real-time atmospheric pressure within the wheel/tire assembly itsself. More complex system than I think we are referring to on the new 'Trac,

and some of the newer Toyotas and Nissans.

P.S., Alan,

Winter is "coming" to Alaska? I thought it never left up there!!!:blink:

 

[Tom Schindler]

The only systems that I am familiar with that actually mounts the TPMS sensors within the

rims and/or tires

Add the Lincoln Avaiator top that list. I seen the sensor in my aunts tire. I would be willing to bet that Trac and Explorer are no different. Also I think it was Chris Peterson was too cheap to swap the sensors from one wheel to the others and was whining about the low pressure loght was on..





Tom

 

[Alan Caruth]

Another jab at this one: It appears that if I drive over X mph for long enough (I think the manual said like 20) I get the TPMS error. It always occurs when I start the car, then usually half an hour into driving it happens again, then it is gone until I turn the car off.



I ordered 4 TPMS sensors a couple weeks back. I ordered the "kit" and when they arrived it was just the sensor, after going around in circles with my parts guy he found three "tpms attachment" kits on top of the sensors. There were three models and he didn't have descriptions so he ordered the first one. We'll see how it looks when they arrive. My winter rims are 16" so I was hoping that the first part number would be the smallest rim size (I'm going on the assumption right now that the difference between "c" "d" and "e" on the part number is wheel size).



We'll see toward the end of this week when the parts arrive... this is going to be a costly experiment if I can't get it all worked out.



I'm still looking for a way to completely disable the TPMS system until spring.

-Alan



On the weather note - depends on where you are in Alaska. Where I live the weather is commonly better than it is in ND/Minn where one of my friends grew up... Luckily I live on the ocean so we get a bit of moderation, it's only cold rather than (insert explicitives here) cold...

 

[Shelby Crane]

Tracnblack.



I think the sensors are mounted on the rims (a band around the rims) and send a radio signal on the 07 trac.



The difference in the part numbers could be pressure settings too.



MPTonyT, any input?