I plan on install a set of FOOSE wheels and I have been looking around at TPS bands. I found a great mod to fix the BS of dealing with them. I can't take credit for this, found it when I was searching for TPS bands. I'm going to do this mod and save myself the $60 cost for new TPS bands and the hassle of dealing with it.

Get a 1 - 2 inch dia PVC pipe about 6 - 10 inches long with end caps. Drill a hole in one end cap to take a standard tire valve (install and use some glue to be sure its sealed). Glue the removed TPS sensors to the PVC pipe (or double sided tape) and then glue the other end cap on (use plenty of glue on the end caps to make sure its sealed). Let it set overnight.. Fill with 40 lbs of air the next day and toss it in the trunk.

Done!

 

this works?

 

The way I understand it, yes..

 

Old info. I heard about that in '07 when I first joined the forum. And from what I've also heard, nobody has been able to confirm that the tube works and that it'll hold pressure long enough to keep from throwing a TPMS light every so often. But please try and let us know. It would be great to finally see some facts on this.

 

Local club member has had one in his '07 GT for two years....recommends 3" pipe. He also used foam sheeting to keep them from bouncing instead of gluing them into the tube. The important thing is to get a good seal on the PVC pipe when you assemble it. He is now using one in his GT500 and so are two other club members.

 

one tube covers all four wheels? I'm a bit confused on the whythisworks factor...

 

The sensors work by sensing roughly 26 PSI or less to actuate. By placing them in a pressurized tube, you "fake them out". It doesn't matter if they're all in one tube; it only matters that they see more than 26 PSI.

 

You don't need them in their own tubes, they just monitor pressure no matter how many are in the same place.

 

I just don't see this as a worthwhile mod. Maybe I am not understanding what the big deal is with the TPS system. Mine works great and I would rather spend the $60 on getting the system to work with new wheels than spending $20 on parts to "fake" the system into thinking its working. But thats just me.....

 

Getting new TPS sensors generally costs closer to $100 than $60, and this is called the "TPMS Pipe Bomb". All four sensors are in the tube; just one is sticking out for you to pressurize it.

For those of you who seem to think you can't pressurize PVC pipe: You do realize we've been using PVC pipe for plumbing systems for several decades, right? That includes pressurized hot and cold water. As long as you use the proper sealant (PVC cement), it will hold 30psi until well after humans are wiped off the planet. The foam is just to keep the three sensors that sit loose inside the pipe from making noise as they rattle around, which they won't do if there's foam in there.

People have been doing this for years - as long as there have been TPMS sensors, and it works just fine.