Originally Posted by
SD Crossfire
I just turned off my TPMS light and now use a much better aftermarket TPMS that has very accurate sensors mounted on the valve stems as a cap replacement. The head unit is small and solar powered, shows not only the current pressure in each tire, but the temps as well. You can also set alarm/warning for both pressures and temps to whatever level you want.
The whole kit cost $50 and took 3 minutes to install and gives so much better information than the factory TPMS.
Originally Posted by
exparamedic
S D Crossfire,
Which kit did you use? Sounds like this is just what I need.
I've been using the aftermarket external TPMS for several years without any problems or failures. I just like to see real-time numbers such as tire pressure...rather than just wait for a failure alarm to go off. But these kits have failure alarms built-in, too, to alert you if you don't look at the numbers as often as I do....
The batteries in the cap-sensors last at least a year. I replaced the cap-sensor batteries in the first kit I bought after a year had elapsed even though they were all still working.
As far a stealing the cap-sensors, my Crossfire is always garaged and I'm rarely parking it anywhere for any substantial amount of time. Plus, I'm not sure that the sensor-caps are universal. So, there's no reason to steal them.
As far as state inspections go, here in Texas, I've never been asked about it and a working TPMS is not required here. The black plastic tape over the TPMS light is virtually invisible on my black dashboard cluster. It seems like an external TPMS that works would satisfy a vehicle inspector in a state where TPMS is required. But, I'm probably wrong about that.
Also, I have never had a tire-balance issue with these cap sensors. A year ago, when I got new tires, I had all of the original TPMS sensors removed from inside each wheel before balancing.
I just weighed the cap-sensors and the original TPMS internal sensors.
Cap-sensor = 10.4 grams (0.37 ounces)
Original TPMS sensor = 35.2 grams (1.24 ounces)
Aluminum valve cap that screws over a regular valve = 0.6 grams (0.02 ounces)
Here's the last one I bought. I replaced the first one for no reason except I wanted a new one. I've had this one on the Crossfire for the last 6 months. Works great.