Dedicated Track wheels without tpms

OLEK135i · 07-17-2012, 10:38 AM

Is anyone running dedicated track wheels (and tires) without tpms? What are your thoughts/impressions? Are there any concerns or issues not running without tpms on the track (besides the obvious tpms light on the dash and not knowing you have a flat unless you feel it while driving or seeing it)?

I just bought a used set of rims and will be mounting tires, wondering if I need to pay the extra $200 for tpms. I check my tire pressure before and after every session and I see many people disconnect (tie off) their brake sensor when tracking their car so I wonder if this is any different.

SkinnyVT · 07-17-2012, 11:48 AM

TPMS is a waste of money on dedicated track wheels, odds are that the pressures that the tires will want won't be in the "ok" range for the TPMS anyway.

DriveHard · 07-18-2012, 09:10 AM

as skinny said if they truely are dedicated track only wheels then its a waste

my sudo track wheels are cheap and they double as my wheels for my winter snows .. ( yeah i know it aint perfect but it works for me) so i had them installed for the winter driving duty of my wheels.

pixelblue · 07-20-2012, 08:01 PM

you should be checking your tire pressure before each run. why would you need one?

int2str · 07-20-2012, 10:48 PM

As others have said, TPMS for track wheels are useless since you darn well better know your tire pressure before each run. That said, the dash board warning light would be totally unacceptable to me personally. I'm easily bothered/distracted by these things so that's the last thing I need. With that in mind, there are two options:

1) Buy the TPMS. That's what I did. My car is not track only and I actually like having the TPMS for my street wheels.

2) Have the warning light coded out. This one is unfortunately not trivial, though it can be done. I started researching it, but gave up.

If you can live with the big old warning light (it's the whole center of the dash, not just a little light btw.), TPMS are completely useless, save the money for gas. If not, find somebody who can do the coding or buy the sensors...

octironSmith · 07-21-2012, 06:23 AM

One additional consideration with TPM sensors is that they add weight to the wheel which then needs to be balanced out with more weight.

neilvosko · 07-21-2012, 09:45 PM

Jb4 has the the tpms disable

int2str · 07-21-2012, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by octironSmith

One additional consideration with TPM sensors is that they add weight to the wheel which then needs to be balanced out with more weight.

You know what, that's actually an excellent point!
I've always noticed (and it bugs me) that my track wheels have tons of balancing weight on them. Just checked one of my track wheels in the garage and guess where all the weight is?! Right across from the TPMS...

Hmmm, gotta look into the coding again...

octironSmith · 07-22-2012, 02:12 AM

I love it when a wild ass guess comes together! Lol!

Thanks for confirming.

Quote:

Originally Posted by int2str

You know what, that's actually an excellent point!
I've always noticed (and it bugs me) that my track wheels have tons of balancing weight on them. Just checked one of my track wheels in the garage and guess where all the weight is?! Right across from the TPMS...

Hmmm, gotta look into the coding again...

OLEK135i · 07-23-2012, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilvosko

Jb4 has the the tpms disable

Interesting, I will need to look into that...........
Mounting my tires tomorrow and will be doing it WITHOUT tpms.

JRT128i · 07-24-2012, 07:34 PM

The warning light is actually very small, you will never even notice it out on the track.

OLEK135i · 08-27-2012, 03:02 PM

Worked great. No problems. Everytime I start up the car it dings a couple of times and the no tpms light comes on in the main console area and a small light as well. Large light goes away after a little while or you can cancel it by just pressing the button you use for the computer. The small light blinks for a while but do not notice at all while on the track.

Thanks again all.

07-17-2012, 10:38 AM	#1
OLEK135i Private First Class 27 Rep 135 Posts Drives: BMW 135i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (1)	Dedicated Track wheels without tpms Is anyone running dedicated track wheels (and tires) without tpms? What are your thoughts/impressions? Are there any concerns or issues not running without tpms on the track (besides the obvious tpms light on the dash and not knowing you have a flat unless you feel it while driving or seeing it)? I just bought a used set of rims and will be mounting tires, wondering if I need to pay the extra $200 for tpms. I check my tire pressure before and after every session and I see many people disconnect (tie off) their brake sensor when tracking their car so I wonder if this is any different.
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07-17-2012, 11:48 AM	#2
SkinnyVT P1 6 Rep 106 Posts Drives: like an asshole Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Vermont iTrader: (1)	TPMS is a waste of money on dedicated track wheels, odds are that the pressures that the tires will want won't be in the "ok" range for the TPMS anyway. __________________ '86.5 325eis Track Ho \| '08 128i Daily \| '16 Tacoma
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07-18-2012, 09:10 AM	#3
DriveHard Colonel 115 Rep 1,998 Posts Drives: X1 and R58 JCW Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Long Island iTrader: (0)	as skinny said if they truely are dedicated track only wheels then its a waste my sudo track wheels are cheap and they double as my wheels for my winter snows .. ( yeah i know it aint perfect but it works for me) so i had them installed for the winter driving duty of my wheels. __________________ X1, R58 JCW, M2 in my future if planets align
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07-20-2012, 08:01 PM	#4
pixelblue Colonel 140 Rep 2,234 Posts Drives: the silver bullet Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: northern virginia iTrader: (2) Garage List 2010 135i [8.90]	you should be checking your tire pressure before each run. why would you need one? __________________ "I would quote everything pixelblue said, but you've already read it. Take it from someone who's put the 1 through its paces"
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07-20-2012, 10:48 PM	#5
int2str Captain 80 Rep 655 Posts Drives: 2008 135i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (2)	As others have said, TPMS for track wheels are useless since you darn well better know your tire pressure before each run. That said, the dash board warning light would be totally unacceptable to me personally. I'm easily bothered/distracted by these things so that's the last thing I need. With that in mind, there are two options: 1) Buy the TPMS. That's what I did. My car is not track only and I actually like having the TPMS for my street wheels. 2) Have the warning light coded out. This one is unfortunately not trivial, though it can be done. I started researching it, but gave up. If you can live with the big old warning light (it's the whole center of the dash, not just a little light btw.), TPMS are completely useless, save the money for gas. If not, find somebody who can do the coding or buy the sensors...
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07-21-2012, 06:23 AM	#6
octironSmith Private First Class 22 Rep 184 Posts Drives: TiAg 135i, SGM X5 xDrive50i Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	One additional consideration with TPM sensors is that they add weight to the wheel which then needs to be balanced out with more weight. __________________
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07-21-2012, 09:45 PM	#7
neilvosko Lieutenant Colonel 89 Rep 1,529 Posts Drives: 335i e92 FBO Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: miami iTrader: (19)	Jb4 has the the tpms disable
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07-24-2012, 07:34 PM	#11
JRT128i New Member 0 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 2012 128i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	The warning light is actually very small, you will never even notice it out on the track.
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08-27-2012, 03:02 PM	#12
OLEK135i Private First Class 27 Rep 135 Posts Drives: BMW 135i Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (1)	Worked great. No problems. Everytime I start up the car it dings a couple of times and the no tpms light comes on in the main console area and a small light as well. Large light goes away after a little while or you can cancel it by just pressing the button you use for the computer. The small light blinks for a while but do not notice at all while on the track. Thanks again all.
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