Snow Tires and RIMS... pretty difficult... really!

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Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Originally Posted By: supton


Apart from that, I'd skip the TPMS sensors and run without. It isn't required for state inspection here (plus you can always put on the a/s if the inspector wants to throw a fit).


Problem is that the TPMS light will be illuminated and the system won't activate the same and if there is a crash and data is looked at.... we didn't have the car in "proper" condition aka "modified".


I'm paranoid and I don't worry about that. They'd have to prove that a tire was underinflated and thus the cause of the accident. If anything, having proper tires for the season should look better than not.

If it's a big issue, then buy the sensors. I was just looking and I think OEM sensors can be gotten for around $50 each, give or take. I'm looking at one, and I believe the code is engraved onto them. Write down the codes, and buy the cheapo Techstream software off eBay. Write down the sensor codes your car currently has, then overwrite with the new sensors. Done. Or buy the Dorman sensors and have them programmed to the same codes your sensors are currently.
 
You will need sensors in your new wheels if you want the TPMS to work. You will need a "tool" to do this because the sensor codes on a Toyota/Lexus are programmed into the ECU. I ran into this on my mom's Lexus that has dedicated winter (aftermarket wheels from tire rack with tire rack supplied TPMS sensors) and summer tires with OE wheels and sensors. We use this TPMS TOOL to read the factory codes for the summer tires and the the computer application side of it to input the codes provided by tire rack. The first swap took about 30 minutes to set it all up. Now every switch literally takes 30 seconds to swap between summer and winter programs. You have to have some sort of tool to "tell" the ECU what codes to look for or it won't work. Since the nearest Lexus dealer to her is a 4 hour drive and charges $69.99 to perform the service this tool paid for itself in one season.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Originally Posted By: supton


Apart from that, I'd skip the TPMS sensors and run without. It isn't required for state inspection here (plus you can always put on the a/s if the inspector wants to throw a fit).


Problem is that the TPMS light will be illuminated and the system won't activate the same and if there is a crash and data is looked at.... we didn't have the car in "proper" condition aka "modified".


I was told by a state inspector in VA that every light can be on in the dash except for the brake light and still pass inspection. FWIW I got a pair of wheels from the junkyard that had the TPS monitors in them already for my Cruze and will buy the tool (about 70 bucks) to program then for my car. I'm sure you Camry is similar. I run Cooper Weathermasters on my drive wheels and they do really well in snow. If you want to run winter treads on your front only, make sure you have good tread on your rear all-season tires, but don't run summer tires with your snows. I've been doing this for 30 years w/o any issues. Some tire shops will tell you that you must run winter treads on all four, but I feel that's CYA lawyer talk.
 
Go with 15" if they clear the brakes, the tires at 65 or 70 aspect are usually MUCH less expensoive in a minus 2 size.

Narrow, tall and chunky and silica enhanced. I like winterforce most here like Alti arctics IIRC
smile.gif
 
Well folks my total at the Rack so far is $900+ for cheapo steelies in 16 inch and Altimax Arctic, plus TPMS recode after that.

Somehow I knew I wouldn't get out of this with no dash lights for less that a grand.
frown.gif
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Somehow I knew I wouldn't get out of this with no dash lights for less that a grand.
frown.gif


So about the amount of a typical insurance deductible should you crash due to having improper tires for the road conditions.

Still worth it, IMO.
 
Electrical tape over the light is one way to fix the light. Alternatively, look into how to disable the light--been plenty of people wanting to do just that.

Alternatively, pull the sensors from your wheels and make a TMPS pipe bomb. Then never have to reprogram again.

But $900 isn't that bad of a price. See if you can get the sensor codes from tirerack with the wheels, then buy techstream off ebay and program it yourself.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
Well folks my total at the Rack so far is $900+ for cheapo steelies in 16 inch and Altimax Arctic, plus TPMS recode after that.

Somehow I knew I wouldn't get out of this with no dash lights for less that a grand.
frown.gif



I look forward to your rants about your wife harassing you about the noise the tires make in the future.

BC.
 
Just get some OE wheels. I have been running the 16 inch aluminum wheels off my 01 Camry on an 07, and now the same wheels on a 13 Camry with 205/65-16 Bizzaks. Running just in the winter I went through only 2 sets over 200,000 miles on the 07, and ran them last winter on the 13 Camry. Time for new ones now though. My summer tires are the 215/55-17, but the 205/65-16's are awesome in the snow, and have paid for themselves countless times in safety alone, plus it is fun to blow off AWD's running 3 season tires.
 
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I run Dodge Caravan steelies on my camry. $6.67 ea, used. Tons of options in the 5x114.3 pattern if you don't care about TPMS.
 
It's not that difficult to get a winter tire set-up on a Camry, and probably the easiest. No one in my family drives on anything but winter tires in the winter. What's difficult is trying to keep up with my kids buying Land Rover Sports, etc., trying to find winter tires to replace 21 inch run-flats! Every year it's a challenge.
 
Having a normal bolt pattern is nice. There's tons of vehicles with 5x4.5/114.3 in the junkyard just waiting to donate wheels.

Unless the car does something crazy like forces traction control on (Honda), I wouldn't personally bother with TPMS
 
I didn't have tpms in the Honda woth steelies and +2. In fact I have a pair of 2015 FIT/Civic winter rims and tire for sale cheap. easy one season left on the tires.

Problem with Honda if tpms is not functioning, you cant disable full traction control nanny and this had impeded my progress MORE than once up my hilly drive way. Yo have to allow decent tire spin in certain circumstances. That's the only big problem with no tpms sensors on a tpms car. At least a Honda. I suppose you could pull the abs fuse. May try this winter - "abs and winter" don't work at all. Moron Govnt!
 
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At that high price I would mount 4 on existing rims. 900 bucks is stupid $$$$$.

Do 15 fit? Fuireston(bridgestone) Winterforce in a 15" should be about 70 bucks a tire And you want 70s in the winter!
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I didn't have tpms in the Honda woth steelies and +2. In fact I have a pair of 2015 FIT/Civic winter rims and tire for sale cheap. easy one season left on the tires.

Problem with Honda if tpms is not functioning, you cant disable full traction control nanny and this had impeded my progress MORE than once up my hilly drive way. Yo have to allow decent tire spin in certain circumstances. That's the only big problem with no tpms sensors on a tpms car. At least a Honda. I suppose you could pull the abs fuse. May try this winter - "abs and winter" don't work at all. Moron Govnt!


I used to pull the ABS fuse in my Taurus to disable it in the winter. That was very intrusive on that car.
 
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