Some of you have seen my other post about the TPMS sensors in our 2007 and newer trucks. When you buy new wheels and tires, the law says you do not have to install the TPMS sensors in your new wheels.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/tire_monitors.htm

Scroll down to the bottom to read this paragraph:

"The 57-page Tread Act Final Rule only requires TPMS be installed and operational on new vehicles. It does NOT require the TPMS system to be functional if the original tires or wheels are replaced. Consequently, if a vehicle has its original tires and/or wheels replaced, there is no requirement to keep or maintain the TPMS system."

However, if you do not install them you will have an annoying light on your dash and people with information centers will have to press a reset button every time they start their truck to clear the message about the tire pressure. (Twice as annoying as just a little yellow light)

If you are the kind of person who needs the light before they will check the air pressure in their tires, please do not follow the instructions below. If you are like many of us on here and you have always checked your air pressure on a regular basis without a goverment mandated light, I have confirmed the PVC pipe method works for the sensors in our trucks. The sensors do *NOT* have to be spinning to work and the truck will "remember" the factory sensors even if you had them out for 3 or 4 months.

The total cost of this project for me was $30, which included removing the sensors from the factory wheels. To be fair to the people who say "just put the new bands on and be done with it", I checked with three tire stores in my area and the cheapest price to remove the sensors from my factory wheels and install them in my new ones was $200 for parts and labor. While this is fine for some, what if you want to go back and forth between two sets of wheels? I guess you could buy another set of sensors and use a progammer to teach your truck about them each time you switch. Or, you can spend two hours using the method described below to save at least $170 and not have to worry about the light again.

Step by Step Process:

1. I had the original sensors removed from my factory 20" wheels at the local tire store by my house. The wheels were in the back of my truck, so they did not have to remove and remount them. They put the tires back on the wheels and filled them up with air. Total cost for labor was $20.

2. I purchased the following three items from Lowes.

One threaded Black PVC Pipe (520 PSI) 1 1/4" diameter x 12" long
Two threaded Black PVC Caps 1 1/4" diameter

Total cost was $10.

3. I cut the valve stem out of an old bicycle inner tube I had hanging in my garage. I drilled a 5/16" hole in one of the end caps and pulled the valve stem through the hole. It fit very tightly and several trips to my pool proved the valve stem does not leak.

Total cost was $0. (12" inner tubes can be purchased for $2-3 at walmart, if needed)

Pipe, Cap on one end, Cap with valve stem installed and the four sensors:


4. I slid the four sensors into the PVC pipe using a cotton ball with each one to keep them from rattling around.

The sensors slide into the diameter of 1 1/4" pipe and all four of them just fit into the 12" length:


I also placed a cotton ball on each end so they would not move in the pipe:


5. I wrapped teflon tape 7 or 8 times around each of the threaded ends of the pipe. I started with only 2 or 3 wraps, but each time I tested the PVC in my pool it leaked until I got up to 7 or 8. Teflon tape is cheap, so use as much as you need.

Total cost for teflon tape and cotton ***** was $0. (I had them both)

Completed Pipe:


6. I put 120 lbs of air into the PVC with my compressor and tested it in my pool to make sure it was not leaking air. The first two times it did leak until I had 7 or 8 wraps of teflon tape.



7. I backed off the pressure to 45 lbs and placed the pipe into the truck. The light did not go off at first, even after driving the truck for about a mile. I let the truck sit for an hour and when I got back in it, the light turned off after starting the truck. I have driven it several times with the PVC pipe in the truck and the light stays off.

I later learned most sensors are not activated until you have driven over 15-20 mph for at least two to six minutes, but they will often send a signal to the computer every hour when idle. This is most likely what happened when I tested mine, since I did not drive it very far before returning to my garage.

After a few days, I will mount the PVC pipe either inside the truck or underneath with the valve stem sticking out, in case I have to add air.

Let me know if you have any questions.

KR-Texas

 

Already been tried by me, and it does not work. Tried that in 2007. Unfortunately the sensors have 2 settings. Parked and moving. When parked the sensors send out a signal every hour. When moving, they send out a signal every minute. When the vehicle is moving, after so long, (about 20 minutes) it will flash the light on the dash 75 times, showing a TPMS fault. Then come on solid. Once you have been parked for a while, it will reset itself because it is getting the proper signal.
If your normal drive is less than about 20 mins, it will work for you, otherwise you will see it everyday after about 20 mins of driving.

 

When I got my second set of wheels I ordered a second set of sensors from Tasca for $35 each. When I had the aftermarket wheels on with sensors installed I never trained the sensors like it says to do in the operators manual. I still haven't even gone through the training process yet and still no light. And I have been 40 miles away from home so it should have come on by then I would've thought. It just seems weird that I didn't need to train them. Unless it just says if there is a tire low and not what specific tire is low on an XLT.

 

i bet the seat cleaning after that things pops will be expensive ( i know it wont but the picture of it happening is funny)... i hope it works out for you. i have the light when i run the 24's but it doesn't bother me enough to worry.

 

Kingfish,

That is good to know. I have not taken a 20 minute drive, so I have not seen the fault condition. I will report back after my next long drive.

KR-Texas

 

Stop being cheap and purchase the reset tool. They sell the tool for $20 on ebay and it works. I can take a pic of what the tool looks like if needed. You spend to much on a truck why water it down with BS tactics

 

I think "cheap" and "BS tactics" are a little too harsh for this situation... If I was cheap and full of BS, I would not have bought the FX4 Luxury package for the color matching body parts, the true dual exhaust, The AF1 CAI, the SuperSpring helpers, the BedRug, the Folding-Cover, the Toyo MTs and the large Alpine TV/DVD. I could have gotten away with cheaper items or nothing at all for those upgrades. The look and functionality of my truck is important to me, but I do not like to waste money.

I like to consider myself cost conscience and price sensitive. I do not like to spend more than I have to on things for my truck and I will always shop around to find the best deal. If I can fix an annoying government mandated idiot light for 85% less than an alternate method without causing any harm to me or my truck, I would be foolish not to try it. If it does not work, I am out the $10 for the PVC pipe and about two hours of my time on a slow Saturday afternoon. I had to remove the sensors anyway, so the $20 labor will not be wasted if I decide to add the bands at a later date.

My cost conscience ways have served me well over the years and the items I have accumulated speak for themselves. (Working on my truck is one of my least expensive hobbies, by the way...)

KR-Texas

 

I didn't mean for my message to come off harsh. No hard feelings.

 

I drove my truck in stop and go traffic for 35 minutes today without anything unusual from the TPMS light. Is the moving signal based on driving mileage or time in the truck?

KR-Texas

 

No worries... I am just trying to help out my fellow F150 owners with a few tips. Some of them work and others do not.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ap...lays-pics.html

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ap...ards-pics.html

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ap...ruck-pics.html

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ex...tips-pics.html

https://www.f150online.com/forums/ap...ices-pics.html

Only time will tell on this one.

KR-Texas

 

Good idea! Hope it works!

 

Mine was all highway driving. Could set my clock by when it would come on. Surprised yours did not come, but I believe during that time you may need to be consistently above 25mph.

 

Please keep us posted!

 

I just drive with the light on, it doesn't bother me. Acutally, I kind of like it!

 

I tried living with the light for about a week and it bothered me. I put the tape on it for a couple of months, but you could still see the light at night. Now, the light is off. I still have not driven the truck for more than 35 minutes in stop and go traffic, so I am not positive it is off for good.

KR-Texas