Winter tire discussion for grown ups thread.

[snowfarmer]

I don’t want to carry my floor jack handle in my car. I carried a proper ratchet with a 17mm socket in my car but many people don’t.

The new winter ride doesn’t have a spare so it’s slime and a 12v pump in the trunk and hope I never need it.

Originally Posted by 320icar

Don’t forget your floor jack handle

[yray]

Originally Posted by 320icar

Don’t forget your floor jack handle

[320icar]

I didn’t realize you guys were bitching about roadside breaker bars.

Snowfarner, buy a plug kit and some pliers and put in the trunk. $10 and could save your tire. If you slime it then it’s automatically non-repairable and you’ll have to buy a new tire. Such a waste if it’s s tiny nail you can plug roadside instead until a proper repair

[thumper]

Originally Posted by 320icar

Even then you don’t want anything in between the hub and the back of the rim, including anti seize. Anything in between can slowly move and work it’s way out leaving a gap between, his is called joint settling. To prevent the wheel assembly sticking to the hubs (which happens all the time by the way, it’s not a big deal) wire brush and spray with brake clean every time the wheel is removed. Keeps dirt and corrosion from building up

revisiting this. i've seen anti-seize being recommended for keeping spacers from seizing up to wheel hubs. based on the above quote, is this considered to be unsafe?

[fliptuner]

Originally Posted by 320icar

I didn’t realize you guys were bitching about roadside breaker bars.

Snowfarner, buy a plug kit and some pliers and put in the trunk. $10 and could save your tire. If you slime it then it’s automatically non-repairable and you’ll have to buy a new tire. Such a waste if it’s s tiny nail you can plug roadside instead until a proper repair

Donuts were optional on my buddy's car. I just grabbed one and a jack kit from the wreckers. Fix-a-flat ain't gonna do shit if you de-bead, run flat or tear up the sidewall.

[snowfarmer]

Good point, I hadn't thought about that. I just grimaced and threw the can of slime in there that was sitting on my parts shelf. Off to Lordco this aft.

Originally Posted by 320icar

I didn’t realize you guys were bitching about roadside breaker bars.

Snowfarner, buy a plug kit and some pliers and put in the trunk. $10 and could save your tire. If you slime it then it’s automatically non-repairable and you’ll have to buy a new tire. Such a waste if it’s s tiny nail you can plug roadside instead until a proper repair

[underscore]

Originally Posted by fliptuner

Donuts were optional on my buddy's car. I just grabbed one and a jack kit from the wreckers. Fix-a-flat ain't gonna do shit if you de-bead, run flat or tear up the sidewall.

Exactly, basically any distance driven on a fully flat tire will destroy it so unless it's a slow leak or you're parked the tire is gonna be destroyed anyways.

[trd2343]

Originally Posted by coneZONE

If they're for your Audi, it will be lug bolts, rather...
VW/Audi bolt size is M14x1.5, like the aforementioned Costo spec from before. Depending on the bolt seat on your new steelies, it may have been designed to be used with the round bolt seat on the OEM bolts so you could just reuse the regular bolts. However, with what i've seen, most aftermarket steelies, including OEM replicas, will use a cone/acorn seat.

Fuck I'm an idiot. I finally understood what you meant when you said bolt. Initially I thought all cars were with studs, and I went around CT, Lordco, asking for lug nuts, only to finally realize Audi uses bolts. Now I'm not sure what I should do. Guy at Lordco said I can try use the original ones on my car to see if it works.

Is there like a correct way, or safe way to do this? I don't want to be using the wrong equipment and put myself and other people at risk.

Originally Posted by 320icar

You do know some cars are 4 bolt right? 4x4=16

But yeah not all the Costco warehouses have lug nuts/studs in store. Best to just go to lordco

Yup, just surprised they didn't carry any for 5 bolts car

[coneZONE]

Originally Posted by trd2343

Fuck I'm an idiot. I finally understood what you meant when you said bolt. Initially I thought all cars were with studs, and I went around CT, Lordco, asking for lug nuts, only to finally realize Audi uses bolts. Now I'm not sure what I should do. Guy at Lordco said I can try use the original ones on my car to see if it works.

Is there like a correct way, or safe way to do this? I don't want to be using the wrong equipment and put myself and other people at risk.



Yup, just surprised they didn't carry any for 5 bolts car

I should've attached something like this... this will probably make it much easier to visualize.

Generally, you can visually tell the difference...
Kind of hard to explain in words, comes with a little bit of experience.
You can take one of your OEM ball-seat bolts and test fit it in one of the bolt holes. If it fits snug and straight, it will work. A bolt in the wrong seat will not fit snug and because it will only contact a thin circle all the way around, it will wobble when you test fit the bolt.

You can PM me a close-up photo of the bolt holes of your rims and i can help decipher it

Sorry I don't remember what CT carries but they carry the wheel bolts and nuts in packs of four.

[320icar]

Originally Posted by thumper

revisiting this. i've seen anti-seize being recommended for keeping spacers from seizing up to wheel hubs. based on the above quote, is this considered to be unsafe?

Hard to say. A professional would just say “running wheel spacers at all is unsafe”. But as a car guy, I’ve dealt with seized on spacers and it is a CUNT. So yeah using anti seize is not the end of the world, as long as you’re a responsible car owner and check the lug but torque every once and a while just like air pressure... which no one does.

Alternatively, you can drill a hole in the space and tap it for an m10 bolt or similar. If you need to remove the spacer just insert and screw in a bolt. It will go through the spacer, push against the rotor and pop off

[Badhobz]

Does Costco replace tpms sensors ? My dad's Lexus suv got a check systems notice for his tpms. I think one of the sensors must have ran out of juice.

[320icar]

Yeah, redi-sensor. Around $46 each (don’t quote me on that). Call a warehouse and ask. Whatever the price is, add $15 for installation as they have to remove, remount and balance the wheel. I assume that would go for any shop. Alternatively, just live it with it until the others die and replace all four at once. If one dies, the others aren’t far behind.

[Badhobz]

thats a great deal. the stealership wants 1000 bucks to do all 5 sensors w/ reprogramming (spare tire too).

[yray]

^ LOL reprogramming

[Liquid_o2]

Got my X-Ice Xi3's on this morning. 10 degrees outside now... get colder!!!

[320icar]

Originally Posted by yray

^ LOL reprogramming

The new sensors need to be written to the car via a Tpms tool and obd2 port cable. So yes reprogramming

[yray]

Originally Posted by 320icar

The new sensors need to be written to the car via a Tpms tool and obd2 port cable. So yes reprogramming

So what happens lets say I have a winter set and summer set. I have to reporgram every change?

[roastpuff]

Originally Posted by yray

So what happens lets say I have a winter set and summer set. I have to reporgram every change?

Yes, which is why indirect TPMS (using ABS wheel speed sensors to detect loss of pressure via circumference) is a bit more convenient and a lot cheaper.

Or you can live without TPMS.

[Hakkaboy]

Originally Posted by 320icar

The new sensors need to be written to the car via a Tpms tool and obd2 port cable. So yes reprogramming

my 2012 MDX was fine with 2 set of rims and 2 different sets of sensors.

Just put on and go, no reprogramming necessary?

Is it just certain cars/manufacturers that allow 1 set vs 2 sets of tpms IDs?

[Jgresch]

Some cars auto detect new tpms, some need programming, some can handle multiple sets etc. etc. depends on make/model

[320icar]

Originally Posted by yray

So what happens lets say I have a winter set and summer set. I have to reporgram every change?

totally depends on the car. if it a direct system which means it has sensors, most vehicles will need you to relearn the new tpms sensors. the shop should just do this anyways and not charge you. some vehicles like my RS do not need to be fully reprogrammed, but you have to turn on the vehicles relearn mode (hold brake/gas, turn on and off the hazard lights 8x) then the new sensors need to be activated with a scan tool. no need to plug into obd2. some vehicles dont need a scan tool, and sensors can be activated by lowering and raising each tire pressure one at a time while in relearn mode.

Originally Posted by roastpuff

Yes, which is why indirect TPMS (using ABS wheel speed sensors to detect loss of pressure via circumference) is a bit more convenient and a lot cheaper.

Or you can live without TPMS.

this. no need to replace tpms sensors, change service packs, deal with leaking o rings and seized nuts etc. mostly only the german manufacturers run indirect systems. though i think the toyota sienna in the mid 2000's also did before switching to actual sensors.

Originally Posted by Hakkaboy

my 2012 MDX was fine with 2 set of rims and 2 different sets of sensors.

Just put on and go, no reprogramming necessary?

Is it just certain cars/manufacturers that allow 1 set vs 2 sets of tpms IDs?

honda/acura will often relearn themselves. its all dependent on the vehicle and brand. some toyota actually have a button in the glove compartment that can hold two sets of tpms sensors in memory, but often shops perform relearn procedures while in the 2nd tpms mode and re-write the sensors twice. can be very difficult to figure out why the dash light is on etc etc.

Originally Posted by Jgresch

Some cars auto detect new tpms, some need programming, some can handle multiple sets etc. etc. depends on make/model

yeah its a big hassle. especially when people buy winter steel wheels that dont have sensors in them, but they keep the summer wheels in the garage and park next to them every day. the tpms light comes on after driving for a while. but the next day its off again blah blah. really hard to explain to people whats happening. they complain and complain but are unwilling to spend the $200 on a second set of sensors to solve the problem

[roastpuff]

Originally Posted by 320icar

this. no need to replace tpms sensors, change service packs, deal with leaking o rings and seized nuts etc. mostly only the german manufacturers run indirect systems. though i think the toyota sienna in the mid 2000's also did before switching to actual sensors.

Actually Honda have gone to indirect in the last few years, my 2015 Accord has indirect TPMS.

[coneZONE]

Originally Posted by 320icar

this. no need to replace tpms sensors, change service packs, deal with leaking o rings and seized nuts etc. mostly only the german manufacturers run indirect systems. though i think the toyota sienna in the mid 2000's also did before switching to actual sensors.

I'm not aware of teh full list of models, but Toyota also ran indirect TPMS up til about 2008 in Matrix and Corollas (with ABS option) as well. Easiest reset ever!!! Push and hold the button (about 4 sec) til the light flashes and goes out, and drive. DONE.

[dn53]

There are ups and downs to having an indirect TPMS system. BMW calls it a FTM (flat tire monitoring system). US models will use TPM which involves an actual sensor in each wheel. The downside to the FTM system is it's not able to detect a flat tire if it occurred while the vehicle was parked. The system will only pick it up if a gradual loss of tire pressure occurs while driving. This also means the system won't let you know if the pressures have dropped due to temperature fluctuations. It's a common complaint with the TPM system.


Fun fact of the day

[Badhobz]

If I could disable this pos tpms system I would. On the Lexus it's a friggin joke. It only tells you that pressure is low, but doesn't tell you which one. Lousy design. If it wasn't for that stupid check system display and constant tpms warning light, id just leave it be.