Aftermarket TPMS systems..

amyracecar · 01-23-2015, 11:58 AM

Greetings -

I am getting ready to get NEW TIRES!! No more RFT WHOO HOO..

Jettisoning the RFT means the actual Tire Pressure is alot more important

I am not too fond of the OEM TPMS system for the simple fact that unless I rapidly loose pressure, it is kind of useless.. Slow leaks, cold weather induced changes go undetected and can get dangerously low w/o tripping the system [experience has led to this conclusion].

I have been looking for and found some alternatives [Amazon - TyreDog, TireTech, and Schrader] that will output both PRESSURE and TEMPERATURE in real time for each tire w/ a small display and alert when the go outside of a specified range.

This is the data you really need to keep a good eye on your tires esp w/ low profile tires, after some searching I cannot find anyone here that has had any experience w/ such a system...

Would love some input beyond the amazon reviews [which were mostly positive] -

JimD · 01-23-2015, 12:10 PM

If your main concern is the TPMS doesn't trigger fast enough you can change that. I had it set up to trigger at about a 10% change in pressure - less than 4psi - at delivery and haven't changed it since. The owners manual explains the process.

Many new cars have systems that display pressure. I think that our cars know the measured pressure too, BMW just chooses not to display it. I have not doubt something can be retrofitted but if you take the sensors you have now off the wheels you will throw an error code. If the new system could use the existing sensors it would be great but I have no idea if there are systems that do that.

amyracecar · 01-24-2015, 02:18 AM

The new system utilized valve stem caps so it would not interfere w/ the OEM system.. so both would work..

But yes.. what I really want is to see the actual pressure [in numbers].. so I can tell if there is a slow leak or a temperature change has altered the pressure [when it gets super cold, i can tell the tires feel 'off']

I ALSO want to see my coolant temp as well, though BWM doesn't think it relevant to display [I would also accept an oil temp gauge..]
- In the past I have used Torque to pull that data from the ECU
- Good call on checking that out as the ECU gets alot more data than I realize

Am going to get the BT dongle set up tomorrow on the 1er and see what all I can get off the ECU and will have to look into the threshold change as you recommended.. [and then test tripping it as the lack of sensitivity worries me] and see where that leads...

- hopefully to #s! and real values vs. some dummy light [which i feel the current TPMS is]
- thanks for the suggestion

amyracecar · 01-24-2015, 07:42 PM

OK

- There is no way I can get that data from the ecu b/c it doesn't exsist and is not the way my cars TMPS works.
- It never knows the actual pressure and just looks for a change in the rotational motion of tire to see if it is low on air..

- There is no way to adjust the sensitivity of the system either

So back to my original problem -

Anyone know anything about aftermarket TMPS systems?

01-23-2015, 11:58 AM	#1
amyracecar Private 3 Rep 59 Posts Drives: E36 '97 328is, E82 '11 128is Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Tarheel State iTrader: (0)	Aftermarket TPMS systems.. Greetings - I am getting ready to get NEW TIRES!! No more RFT WHOO HOO.. Jettisoning the RFT means the actual Tire Pressure is alot more important I am not too fond of the OEM TPMS system for the simple fact that unless I rapidly loose pressure, it is kind of useless.. Slow leaks, cold weather induced changes go undetected and can get dangerously low w/o tripping the system [experience has led to this conclusion]. I have been looking for and found some alternatives [Amazon - TyreDog, TireTech, and Schrader] that will output both PRESSURE and TEMPERATURE in real time for each tire w/ a small display and alert when the go outside of a specified range. This is the data you really need to keep a good eye on your tires esp w/ low profile tires, after some searching I cannot find anyone here that has had any experience w/ such a system... Would love some input beyond the amazon reviews [which were mostly positive] -
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01-23-2015, 12:10 PM	#2
JimD Brigadier General 368 Rep 3,547 Posts Drives: 128i convertible Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lexington, SC iTrader: (0)	If your main concern is the TPMS doesn't trigger fast enough you can change that. I had it set up to trigger at about a 10% change in pressure - less than 4psi - at delivery and haven't changed it since. The owners manual explains the process. Many new cars have systems that display pressure. I think that our cars know the measured pressure too, BMW just chooses not to display it. I have not doubt something can be retrofitted but if you take the sensors you have now off the wheels you will throw an error code. If the new system could use the existing sensors it would be great but I have no idea if there are systems that do that. __________________ 128i Convertible, MT, Alpine White, Black Top, Taupe Leatherette, Walnut, Sport Ordered 5/22/09, Completed 6/4/09, At Port 6/9/09, On the Georgia Highway 6/13/09, Ship Arrived Charleston 6/24/09 at 10pm, PCD 7/21/09
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01-24-2015, 02:18 AM	#3
amyracecar Private 3 Rep 59 Posts Drives: E36 '97 328is, E82 '11 128is Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Tarheel State iTrader: (0)	The new system utilized valve stem caps so it would not interfere w/ the OEM system.. so both would work.. But yes.. what I really want is to see the actual pressure [in numbers].. so I can tell if there is a slow leak or a temperature change has altered the pressure [when it gets super cold, i can tell the tires feel 'off'] I ALSO want to see my coolant temp as well, though BWM doesn't think it relevant to display [I would also accept an oil temp gauge..] - In the past I have used Torque to pull that data from the ECU - Good call on checking that out as the ECU gets alot more data than I realize Am going to get the BT dongle set up tomorrow on the 1er and see what all I can get off the ECU and will have to look into the threshold change as you recommended.. [and then test tripping it as the lack of sensitivity worries me] and see where that leads... - hopefully to #s! and real values vs. some dummy light [which i feel the current TPMS is] - thanks for the suggestion
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01-24-2015, 07:42 PM	#4
amyracecar Private 3 Rep 59 Posts Drives: E36 '97 328is, E82 '11 128is Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Tarheel State iTrader: (0)	OK - There is no way I can get that data from the ecu b/c it doesn't exsist and is not the way my cars TMPS works. - It never knows the actual pressure and just looks for a change in the rotational motion of tire to see if it is low on air.. - There is no way to adjust the sensitivity of the system either So back to my original problem - Anyone know anything about aftermarket TMPS systems?
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