Schrader T.P.M.S. Retrofit kit

traintech55

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Good morning all. I just finished installing this great kit on my Ram pickup. Got it on Amazon for under $150.00. Easy install, and uses the current Chrysler frequency band of 433 mhz. See the attached pictures. Bill.
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Does it automatically pick up the new position after a rotation of the tires, or do you have to do the song and dance routine to make it happy?
That would be a cool upgrade for a infrequently driven car.
 
The sensors are marked for the first installation, but the reprograming is not hard in case you rotate your tires. Very simple instructions.
 
If it uses the correct frequency I wonder if you could put them on a set of winter wheels and have them recognized by the OEM system.
 
Last year I read up on TPMS because a car that I bought a couple years ago and haven't really driven yet ('03 M special) has TPMS and I'm putting new tires and sensors on that car (ebay sensors, $12 each, I think refurbished ?!). I don't actually own any car newer than '04 so TPMS will be a novelty to me. But I digress.

From what I understand, TPMS became manditory in cars back around 2000 - 2004 as part of the US gov't drive to increase fuel economy. Under-inflated tires reduce MPG. I came across an article in an industry magazine dated 2010 or 2011 that said that the first generation cars with TPMS were coming up on needing them replaced and car owners were going to be pissed at the cost.

Other reading I did in other forums indicated people really didn't know if these things had batteries or were somehow scavanged intertial energy to power the transmitters.

Does anyone know if new transmitters have batteries? Does this Shrader aftermarket product indicate if it has a battery or any sort of life-span for the transmitters?
 
The transponders in the wheel have a battery. I've never seen a factory one with a replaceable battery. Factory figures they'll last around 10 years. On average it fails on the owners dime.
 
It was $100/sensor for the two I've replaced on my '08 Avenger. That's with the tire dismount and mount, but the sensor was around $85-90.
 
I've been in the TRW factory that used to make these. It always looked like a simple arrangement at the wheel although I believe the receiver was part of the BCM (body control module).

It just looked to me like an aftermarket retrofit could be pretty easy. Even that band style sensor in the Fords isn't all that complicated. This is one of the newer bits that I would like in my old cars.

That said, with all the newer cars already having the TPS system, it surprises me that they are doing this for older cars.
 
I've been in the TRW factory that used to make these. It always looked like a simple arrangement at the wheel although I believe the receiver was part of the BCM (body control module).

It just looked to me like an aftermarket retrofit could be pretty easy. Even that band style sensor in the Fords isn't all that complicated. This is one of the newer bits that I would like in my old cars.

That said, with all the newer cars already having the TPS system, it surprises me that they are doing this for older cars.
In doing my research, I found many different kits. Most use the plastic valve stem, or a cap that screws on the stem. I believe they are making the kits to bring the older vehicles up to the new standard, (kind of like the third brake light kits from years ago).
 
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