Are your winter tires mounted on rims?

I'm on the fence about putting my new winter tires on rims.

On one hand it costs about $100-$120 per swap from Summer to Winter and vice versa, so after 4-5 years it should pay for itself if I'm doing self-installs. Plus I don't want to do any unnecessary damage to my rims or my tires.

But my inner frugal bastard is coming out and I don't really have an extra $1000 or so to drop on new wheels along with the tires. Plus shouldn't I be getting my wheel alignment checked out after every tire change?

I'm in Canada so if anybody has some cheap rim recommendations it would be greatly appreciated! My ideal would be if somebody was selling cheap stock rims...

 

I have two sets for each vehicle. So much easier to just do it yourself. Running two sets of tires makes them last a long time. Just be prepared to not have TPMS unless you really want to reprogram them each time.

 

You can swap winter rims at home, no appointment. Thats a huge pro. Avoid shops.

You can run TPMS or not. You can also clone the summer set so you don't have to get it programmed every time.

Honestly, just get 16" steel rims for 60$ each, put some winters on it, and skip the TPMS. Save money in the long run.

 

Just watch this forum. Something good and local will come up that’s a great deal.


https://www.tacomaworld.com/forums/buy-sell-trade-canada.137/

 

Get the rims. Tire changeover season here is ridiculous, get there at 6am or you’ll be there all day. Plus they scratch the shit out of your wheels, never put the valve stems back on, and always seem to break the clips on the center caps.

 

Shit. I'm moving to the Yukon in 2 months. Alright I think you've sold me...

 

you can usually find some cheap wheels on facebook marketplace. Lots of people upgrade and sell their stocks wheels.

 

If I had to swap wheels for winter I’d just get some cheap steelies and let them get destroyed over winter. Those are maybe 80-100 bucks each.

 

What steelies would you go with? I'm showing my inexperience here but I don't know where to start...

My trail rims are 16x7 with a 4mm offset, and I matched my tire size (265/70/r16) exactly to the tires I ordered (Hakkapeliitta R5s).

Will I have any issue fitting the same size tire on a 16x8 wheel?

 

There are only a couple styles for the most part. I’d just jump on google or PM @Discount Tire and talk to them (they are super helpful). Just pick a style you like with your specs and go for it. That’s what I’ve done.

For the tires and wheels you’d probably be okay as well. You can usually check the manufacturer specs for the tires and they’ll list which wheel width will work as well.

 

just move west! =)

 

My snows are on a set of 2005 Tundra wheels, I bought off Craigslist for $100. Then sand blasted and painted. Easier to store and swap each year.

 

So- when you swap to a different set of TPMS monitors, you have to reprogram? How involved is that- does it need a dealer visit, or is it a matter of going through menus in the vehicle? And what does the cloning process look like?

I'm coming from vehicles that don't use the transmitters- they use speed sensors at each wheel. Of course this has made it super easy to swap rims every season. I wish all manufacturers did this.

 

Forget the tps they are just to save yourself from yourself after awhile they will tell you all 4 tires are flat. The earlier 16's will fit the center caps won't.

 

That’s fine and good but I don’t want to stare at warning lights.

 

I kinda like the fact that my wife's 2005 Highlander uses indirect TPMS.
It does however throw up a false alert from time to time.


https://buyusedtires.org/how-does-tpms-work/


Which Type Of TPMS Is Better, Direct or Indirect?
The methods used by each TPMS may be different but they both serve the same purpose. In terms of how does TPMS work, they both activate the same indicator light to warn the driver about any under-inflated tires. So, the question of which is better or not doesn’t always matter, as they both do the same job. However, there are pros and cons to each.


An indirect TPMS is less expensive than a direct TPMS, so this is certainly one advantage. This system also requires less installation and programing maintenance than its counterpart, so savings can be made this way.

However, an indirect TPMS can become inaccurate if tires are replaced. Worn tires can also give unreliable readings so this can be a concern. The indirect TPMS also needs to be reset after tires have been inflated or after a routine tire rotation.

Where a direct TPMS is concerned, readings are more accurate as pressure readings come from within the tire. They are also more reliable as readings won’t be affected by tire replacement or the rotation of the tire. Long-lasting batteries are another advantage, and so is the fact that a direct TPMS can be added to the vehicle’s spare tire.

In terms of disadvantages, the cost can be an issue. A direct TPMS is more expensive than an indirect TPMS. This is partly because costly tools are required when the TPMS is resynchronized. Additional time is also needed to check and reset the sensor system, so there will be an increase in labor costs. Sensors also need to be changed when the battery drains, so there is an added cost there.




Toyota moved to direct TPMS exclusively 16 years ago.
TPMS types per Toyota model and year:

https://www.tirereview.com/understanding-toyotas-direct-and-indirect-tpms/

 

Make sure your current lug nuts will work with your extra wheels and your toyota dealer probably has some toyota take-off rims for sale reasonably - I traded my 16" steel spare tire straight up for a aluminum 17" rim off of a Sport (I had previously upgraded my off road to 17's)

 

I bought a set of used one season blizzaks last year on rims for 400 bucks with no sensors. I got a warning light the first time I started my truck and never got one after that. If you take your time and shop around you can get a great deal on one of the local want ad style sites.

 

My wife’s CRV has the indirect system and we hate it. It is always going off for no reason or a very small pressure difference. Hate it. My opinion. I love the direct with the display showing each tires pressure.

 

Don't be. Just do it.

Dunno how much your tires are, but using wheels for winter should not be prohibitive in cost.

Heaven's no. Why on earth would you think that?

Exactly. Find OE wheels of the same specs as yours. Mount and balance, ignore TPMS, install on the truck and go about your winter.