Who knows about the TPMS?

[Richard320]

So here's the backstory:
1) My truck did not come with a matching aluminum wheel and tire for the spare. Instead, it's an ugly steel wheel and a temporary spare -- full-sized, not a skinny donut -- but still not something I'd want to drive on. So I have always wanted to get a matching wheel and tire.
2) The other day I happened to come around the back corner and spotted a screw stuck in the right rear tire, right on the shoulder where patching it is out. I sprayed it with soapy water and no bubbles. I started pulling the screw and got no bubbles. I removed it and got just a couple of the tiniest bubbles. Cursing, I rooted in the garage and came out with some brake clean and sprayed the soapy water away, and then I squirted some weatherstrip adhesive aka monkey snot into it. It seems to be holding. I've watched the pressures on the screen and it has held steady for three days, but I'm still not sure I trust it 100%,

Which leads to the next thing. I searched Craigslist and Facebook marketplace and found a set of 4 wheels and tires identical to mine with probably more tread than mine for $350. I bought 'em.

Sometime this week I'll go switch a tire or the TPMS sensor in the right rear. I'll also be swapping the mickey mouse spare for a full-sized tire.

Here's the question: should I go buy another sensor for the spare? Will it mess with the other four? Or will it perhaps display as the fifth tire on the display? Is a fifth sensor self-programming or can I have a dealership program it into the system? Does anybody know for certain? And is anybody in greater Los Angeles looking for an Aluminum Big Horn wheel? I've got a few extras....

 

[Electrical]

A quick disclaimer: there is no standardization, or requirement, or regulation as for how manufacturers implement TPMS systems. I mean, yes, some basic things like FCC requirements and rejection of signals from other vehicles have to be there, but the nuance of how TPMS operates, behaves, actuates, etc is completely open. So unless it's written in the manual or you know somebody at FCA or you've experimented on your own truck, some of what you ask can't be answered definitively.

A sensor in the spare "shouldn't" interfere with anything. The sensors go to sleep after a while and are only woken up if they sense rotational force or a technician pings it with his TPMS tool. Will it display as the 5th tire on the display? Idk; give it a shot. If Ram wanted to implement this feature, it's certainly technically feasible but not mandatory.

As far as I know, all FCA sensors are "generic". That is, they don't need to be programmed to work. Buy the one for your vehicle, install it, wake it up by driving, and the system automatically recognizes it. It couldn't be any simpler. All manufacturers should be doing it this way but, then, the wouldn't be able to force you to come in for a maintenance visit and charge you shop fees. Kudo's to FCA for being customer friendly in this regard.

 

[rudyyoko]

I bought wheels for my 2014 ram and they came without tpms sensors in them. I went to napa auto parts, they had the best price at the time, had the new tpms sensors install along with tires I had bought. Drove it a few miles and the correct tire pressure showed up on the EVIC. No issues. It should be the same for the 2019/2020s.

 

[Billet1500 4x4]

So here's the backstory:
1) My truck did not come with a matching aluminum wheel and tire for the spare. Instead, it's an ugly steel wheel and a temporary spare -- full-sized, not a skinny donut -- but still not something I'd want to drive on. So I have always wanted to get a matching wheel and tire.
2) The other day I happened to come around the back corner and spotted a screw stuck in the right rear tire, right on the shoulder where patching it is out. I sprayed it with soapy water and no bubbles. I started pulling the screw and got no bubbles. I removed it and got just a couple of the tiniest bubbles. Cursing, I rooted in the garage and came out with some brake clean and sprayed the soapy water away, and then I squirted some weatherstrip adhesive aka monkey snot into it. It seems to be holding. I've watched the pressures on the screen and it has held steady for three days, but I'm still not sure I trust it 100%,

Which leads to the next thing. I searched Craigslist and Facebook marketplace and found a set of 4 wheels and tires identical to mine with probably more tread than mine for $350. I bought 'em.

Sometime this week I'll go switch a tire or the TPMS sensor in the right rear. I'll also be swapping the mickey mouse spare for a full-sized tire.

Here's the question: should I go buy another sensor for the spare? Will it mess with the other four? Or will it perhaps display as the fifth tire on the display? Is a fifth sensor self-programming or can I have a dealership program it into the system? Does anybody know for certain? And is anybody in greater Los Angeles looking for an Aluminum Big Horn wheel? I've got a few extras....

This has been my experience with RAM sensors. The truck detects them and knows which corner the sensor is located at. So when rotating tires after a while it detects which wheel is in each location. GM required a special tool to mate new sensors to the truck and also required a special tool and pairing mode to tell the truck which corner each wheel was mounted on. It was a pain if you had 2 sets of wheels and tires, each time you'd swap sets you had to program the new sensors to the truck.

As far as running a full size spare, if you plan on using a matching wheel versus the steel spare wheel and hanging it from underneath in the factory spare location you will need to modify the bracket on the end of the winch cable. The steel spare has a large diameter center bore for the bracket to slide through and catch the backside of the rim. The center bore on the aluminum wheels is smaller and the bracket will likely not fit through the center bore and seat properly so be prepared to make some mods to the bracket to hoist a matching Al wheel underneath there.

 

[taz2016]

As far as running a full size spare, if you plan on using a matching wheel versus the steel spare wheel and hanging it from underneath in the factory spare location you will need to modify the bracket on the end of the winch cable. The steel spare has a large diameter center bore for the bracket to slide through and catch the backside of the rim. The center bore on the aluminum wheels is smaller and the bracket will likely not fit through the center bore and seat properly so be prepared to make some mods to the bracket to hoist a matching Al wheel underneath there.

The cable and bracket will fit without modification. I tried it today. It is more difficult than putting it through the larger spare hole but it works. Obviously the full size spare hangs lower and is visible from behind the truck.