# TPMS and New Rims



## michael (Jan 31, 2014)

Hello! First of all, I'd like to say that this forum is awesome. I recently joined and I have learned so much already. I have a 2012 Chevy Cruze LS with 16 inch rims, or whatever came with the car with the shitty hubcaps. My dealership put on tires that are an "upgraded" tire as they said, and it is much larger than other Cruze LS tires I've seen. My question is, if I just upgrade my current 16 inch rims to different 16 inch rims, would I have to buy a whole new TPMS? 

I have asked many rim websites and they seem to be confused and gave me vague answers both in the range of yes and no. One website says I would have to buy a whole new system, the other said I don't have to but my light would stay on, and another website said you can just swap it and put it in the new rims without any problems. So what is the final verdict on this? I know someone on here would know the answer.


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## ChrisWorldPeace (Jun 24, 2013)

No you don't have to buy new tpms, they can rebuild em when they install it on a different rim like they did to mine l

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## michael (Jan 31, 2014)

ChrisWorldPeace said:


> No you don't have to buy new tpms, they can rebuild em when they install it on a different rim like they did to mine l
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App



What do you mean rebuild them?


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## 88cam (Jul 10, 2012)

They don't rebuild them.... they just unscrew them from the old valve stems and screw them onto the new ones.

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## michael (Jan 31, 2014)

88cam said:


> They don't rebuild them.... they just unscrew them from the old valve stems and screw them onto the new ones.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App



Thank you. That calms my worries when buying new rims. But if I upgrade to 17 inch rims, can they use the same TPMS and just get valve stem extenders?


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## 88cam (Jul 10, 2012)

The stems will be the same type.as your 16s

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## sx sonic (Nov 25, 2013)

The TPMS sensors can be switched to different rims. There *may* be some rim out there that will not accept them but I've never seen it nor heard of such a case.


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## michael (Jan 31, 2014)

> The stems will be the same type.as your 16s





> The TPMS sensors can be switched to different rims. There *may* be some rim out there that will not accept them but I've never seen it nor heard of such a case.


Thank you for both of your responses.


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## sx sonic (Nov 25, 2013)

No problem.

I forgot to add something. It's been a few years since I was wrenching on cars and while I've done alot of conventional TPMS swaps (ala Dodge, BMW, most jap cars) I'd only done a few GM TPMS swaps. Overall It's the same thing BUT the actual valve stem part is different.

The common style is notable because It's grey/silver and doesnt look like a normal valve stem. It is a steel stem that goes thru the wheel with a plastic nut that tightens down on the stem to hold it in place and seal it. The actual sensor is attached to the stem. Swapping them is as easy as unscrewing the nut and pulling out the sensor, then doing the opposite to install it on the new rim.
(A downside of this design is steel valve stem caps fuse to the stem. After some miles taking off the valve stem cap can be impossible without breaking the stem and buying a new sensor).


GM's design is different in that it uses a much different valve stem. It is essentially a normal (non TPMS) valve stem, except It's designed to have a sensor attached to it; they look a tad different but are installed identically.

The stem has a groove towards the base with the stem side being a little bigger than the groove and the base being alot bigger than the groove. When they're installed into the rim the stem is pulled thru the rim with a tool that screws on to the stem (where the cap would be) until that groove seats in the rim.

With this design the issue becomes removing the stem without damaging it and then it not sealing on the new rim. I'm pretty certain the stem can be pushed back thru and reused in most cases but my memories fuzzy on the few times I swapped GM TPMS to new rims, pretty sure it worked fine each time. Worst case you'll have to source some new TPMS valve stems.


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## Timmy (Feb 16, 2014)

this is what you do:

- remove spare tire off spare rim
- drill 3 extra valve holes in spare rim
- remove existing rubber valve
- install all four tpms sensors in spare tire rim.
- remount spare tire on rim, and fill to 32psi.

Never to worry about tpms again.


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## Mrhawaiibound (Jan 12, 2014)

Timmy said:


> this is what you do:
> 
> - remove spare tire off spare rim
> - drill 3 extra valve holes in spare rim
> ...


This would render the spare tire unusable and is more work than it's worth. 

As for the TPMS, I've changed dozens of tires on GM cars and the valve stems are disposable. What I do at work is take the sensor off the valve stem with a torx screw and replace the valve stem with a new one then just screw the TPMS sensor back in. The sensors are completely transferable as long as the new rims will accept it.


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