so i have a 08 s and i got a new set of wheels i need to get the tpms... my question is and might be dumb but does the sensors fit on all rims cuz i was on mini mania and they said that the rim needed to to suport the tpms and why does the price range for the whole set range the dealer wants 850 minimania 350 tires rack 190 can anyopne help me ?

 

First of all, yes only certain wheels will work with certain sensor systems. It depends on the sensor that the wheels have in it. I would ask the wheel company you purchased from.

Secondly I would check the actual part number when comparing TPS. But yes Tirerack sellls cheap and dealers have huge markups so it may be the same TPS.

I really think Adam or someone from Alta or another company should cnime in here to make sure I am giving you good info.

 

yea see i would have no idea where to go about all of this i bought some tenzos and i wanna slap them puppys on

 

The sensors Tire Rack sells work fine on the Mini. Same unit as installed factory. Been thru adding TPMS to spare rims twice now so I have personal knowledge of what works.

Heres the rub when adding pressure sensors to rims. First is having the clearance on the inside of the rim to allow the base of the sensor to match up to the rim. You will see mention of needing a "flat spot" inside the rim. That just means the rim has an area for the sensor to be torqued against when you install the stem. Means it is secure and air tight. Check your intended rims and see that they have enough area around the valve stem where it passes thru the rim to add the outer sleeve that holds the whole thing in. Most seem to be designed with this in mind but I have run into one set where the clearances were really tight. Then its just make sure the sensor itself sits tight to the inside of the rim and torque everything to spec. Torque - not one grunt or two grunts.

The real aggravating part is that the outer sleeve starts to discolor no matter what you do. A couple of months of road grim and brake dust and they look like crap. I have gone to the length of cutting up an old tooth brush to reach in and clean but its not enough.

And talk to whomever mounts the tires on your rims. Remind them to watch out for the sensors and that they all worked fine before they worked on the rims. I have heard horror stories locally about tire shops breaking them and claiming "it was broken when we took the tire off".