TPMS Sensors in a can

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SargeFirstClass

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So, this may create some indifference's but here goes! So I trade around on tires and wheels a lot. I get tired of having to purchase new TPMS stems all the time and switching the sensors from wheels to wheels, or just leaving them off and stare at the tire pressure light. So I saw on another site where folks are putting the sensors in a sealed up PVC pipe, putting 43lbs (or whatever the vehicle's TPMS calls for), toss the pipe behind the seat and drive on! Thus being able to run whatever pressure you want in the mounted tires/wheels and change the tires for whatever the occasion. So, (and that is a lot of so's!) has anyone tried this? Tried this with a 4th Gen RAM? And if so did it work? Will it work? Your input is greatly appreciated! Admin, I probably should have put this is another thread topic and please move this if needed! Thanks all! Happy New Year!
 

DRkNESS

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Oh wow, really looking forward to any and all responses to this. If it’s workable. It’s a great game changer.


Father Of Four
 

stimpy433

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There's a couple of people over on the Challenger forum that have done this and it works..... don't know why it wouldn't work for our trucks???
 

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Well, per my dealer, the truck knows which tire is where, including the spare...so if all TPMS sensors are in the same exact spot, I'd think it would cause problems with the computer.
 

ColdCase

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Works well on older cars and those with a simple system. Unless challenged by a scanner, current sensors only transmit pressure when the tire is rolling above a certain rate (to conserve battery). Current RAMs have antennas in each wheel well to locate and pickup the data for the sensor there. Dunno if your year RAM would care if all the sensors are in a tube and not rotating. The warning light is relatively easy to ignore.
 
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SargeFirstClass

SargeFirstClass

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I saw where the receivers are in each wheel well too, thats what I was not sure about if TPMS in a tube would work on RAM trucks (4th Gen 2016) or not. Ill try it Thursday and post my findings on here. Yes the light is easy to ignore but you have to do the two button shuffle on the info screen every time the key is on to get the tire pressure screen off! Annoying! I just want to run lower tire pressure, like 32lbs or so, instead of 43lbs!
 

MADDOG

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The solution to the receive at each wheel issue it to make 4 small pvc pipe cans, put the sensor in them and pressurize them.
 
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SargeFirstClass

SargeFirstClass

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The solution to the receive at each wheel issue it to make 4 small pvc pipe cans, put the sensor in them and pressurize them.
I thought about doing this very thing, and place the pressurized cans within receiving distance hidden under the truck. That just may do the trick! Thanks!!!!!!
 

TRCM

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I saw where the receivers are in each wheel well too, thats what I was not sure about if TPMS in a tube would work on RAM trucks (4th Gen 2016) or not. Ill try it Thursday and post my findings on here. Yes the light is easy to ignore but you have to do the two button shuffle on the info screen every time the key is on to get the tire pressure screen off! Annoying! I just want to run lower tire pressure, like 32lbs or so, instead of 43lbs!



What truck are you driving that requires 43 psi in them to keep the light off ?

I've run as low as 35 in mine (32 cold), and no light....get below 30 and that's another story. Have you tried it ?
 
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SargeFirstClass

SargeFirstClass

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What truck are you driving that requires 43 psi in them to keep the light off ?

I've run as low as 35 in mine (32 cold), and no light....get below 30 and that's another story. Have you tried it ?

2016 RAM 1500 Tradesman regular cab long bed 4x4 5.7L Hemi. The door sticker and the TPMS requires 43psi of pressure to keep the light and warning off. Ive had the pressure down as low as 38psi but doesnt take too long before the system starts annoying me again. Just seems like running that much pressure makes the tires start bouncing like overinflated balls as soon as I hit a bump in the road! I am running AMP 305/65-17's on factory 17x7 wheels but the wheels look like they are way too narrow for that size tire. So, I think Im going to go to a 17x9 black steel wheel to keep the cost down and the off road capability and get those side walls out where they should be on that size tire. Love these tires! Due to possible warranty issues Im going to go ahead and leave the TPMS in place and just run 32-35psi and put up with that stupid light! I grew up running 15x10 steelies and 14/35-15 Monster Mudders and never having any problems except flat spots on a cold bias ply tire! Loved those Mudders! Loved how they sang going down the road!
 

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huh..I got the 20" tires on my 2012, and I have never seen the TPMS light on, and my tires have been as low as 30 psi sitting in the driveway.

I normally run them @ ~ 35 psi around town. 39 psi on road trips (which comes out to 43-45 once heated up).




I grew up running 15x10 steelies and 14/35-15 Monster Mudders and never having any problems except flat spots on a cold bias ply tire! Loved those Mudders! Loved how they sang going down the road!

I hear ya....Ground Hawgs for me....38.5" tall variety...till they quit making them, the I went with TSLs, in 39.5".
 
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Antross72

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I have a 2016 SLT and my tire pressure call for 60 Front and 80 Rear so I have the TPMS issue running 35-12.5/18 and aftermarket wheels. You can have a shop tell the computer to look for different pressures from the TPMS monitor. 60 is the lowest that you can go on the rear.
 

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I have a 2016 SLT and my tire pressure call for 60 Front and 80 Rear so I have the TPMS issue running 35-12.5/18 and aftermarket wheels. You can have a shop tell the computer to look for different pressures from the TPMS monitor. 60 is the lowest that you can go on the rear.

Check out the info in http://www.ramforum.com/threads/hd-tire-pressure-monitoring-system-reset.70913/ after the More Information on HD TPMS Reset Options. This subject has been discussed in great depth on other forums. The pressure can be adjusted lower than 60. I've helped nearly 100 guys successfully adjust their TPMS settings. Shoot me a PM for details.
 

4x4x4door

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I thought about doing this very thing, and place the pressurized cans within receiving distance hidden under the truck. That just may do the trick! Thanks!!!!!!

Did you get a chance to try this? From what I know, I don't think it's going to work. The sensors have to be spinning to work so placing them in a "can" means that they won't register.
 

WilliamS

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Worked great on my BMW but wouldnt on a newer wheel specific vehicle. You can make 4 pipe bombs each with a sensor in it at each corner.
 

RBAT

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flat 123117.jpg Well, as it happens, I had some experience with this yesterday. 2017 Laramie CC with Uconnect trial. No warning lights or messages when I last parked the truck before yesterday. When I got in and cranked the truck yesterday to head out I got a low tire pressure warning and the display indicated 29 pounds in the left rear and that tire position was highlighted in red. Note this was before moving the truck IE: the tires were not spinning at that point. I didn't find the screw in the tire (must have been parked on it). I put 41 PSI in the tire, the light went out and I left. About an hour later I noticed the pressure in that tire first had increased slightly as it heated up but then started dropping slowly. This continued until about 29 PSI at which time the low tire pressure light came on. I continued until the pressure dropped to 25 PSI and then stopped and added air from a portable tank that I had in the back. I only had enough air to bring it up to 31 PSI, which did not reset the light. I was a good distance from home when it leaked down again (lesson learned, no advice necessary here). I stopped and put the spare on. At that time the TPMS system lost the signal from that sensor and it displayed two dashes where the pressure reading had been and the TPMS system light came on in addition to the low pressure light and a message displayed on the cluster. When I got home I had an email from Uconnect telling me that my truck was screwed up and I need to make a service appointment with (my dealer) at once to have the problem corrected. Waiting for the tire service shop to open tomorrow to get the tire repaired. And for those of you keeping score, yes, that is two flats on that truck in 400 miles. I now have almost 1800 miles on the truck.
 

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Dang 2 flats in 400 miles that’s crazy. After you put the spare on it, where was the tire with the screw in it?.....just curious if you drove with it in the bed and it didn’t read.
 

BadHabit2Break

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I came from a Mustang forum, they have been doing it for awhile, all sensors in one tube.
 

BossHogg

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Did you get a chance to try this? From what I know, I don't think it's going to work. The sensors have to be spinning to work so placing them in a "can" means that they won't register.
Exactly.

RAM does TPMS differently than other manufacturers, RAM has an antenna in each wheel well to pick up the TPMS signal. This is why there is no need to do a TPMS relearn on a tire rotation. Placing the TPMS sensors in a pressurized chamber is likely going to confuse the computer that reads the wheel well antennas and will, eventually, set a TPMS light.

Then there is the issue of rotation, the sensors send a signal out once every 30 minutes or so when stationary. When the tire is rotating, the transmission period increases to a few minutes. I don't know what the behavior would be but I would think the TPMS system will set a TPMS light if the vehicle is traveling and the sensors are not reporting in a timely manner.

Despite reports of others successes with Mustangs, BWMs or whatever, the RAM's TPMS systems are a bit more unique.

If TPMS were to move back to the methods used back around the year 2000 where the ABS sensor readings were used to detect a delta spin of one wheel, these TPMS problems wouldn't exist. The real issue is the government regulation, it needs to go.
 
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