Removing a tire equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensor requires careful handling to avoid damaging the sensor, which is typically attached to the valve stem or inside the tire. The process involves standard tire removal steps but with added awareness of the sensor's location.
Understanding TPMS Sensors
TPMS sensors communicate tire pressure information wirelessly to your vehicle's computer. They are delicate electronic components and can be expensive to replace if broken during tire service.
There are generally two types of TPMS systems:
- Direct TPMS: Uses sensors inside each tire. These are the ones you need to be careful not to damage during removal.
- Indirect TPMS: Uses the vehicle's anti-lock braking system (ABS) wheel speed sensors to estimate tire pressure differences. Removing tires with indirect TPMS doesn't involve handling separate sensors inside the tire.
This answer focuses on removing tires with Direct TPMS.
The Tire Removal Process with TPMS
Removing a tire with a TPMS sensor is similar to removing any tire, but requires extra caution during specific stages, particularly when breaking the tire bead and dismounting the tire from the rim.
Here's a general outline:
- Prepare the Vehicle: Safely loosen lug nuts, lift the vehicle using a jack, and remove the wheel.
- Deflate the Tire: Remove the valve stem core to fully deflate the tire.
- Break the Bead: This is a critical step. The bead is the edge of the tire that seals against the wheel rim. Breaking the bead involves forcing the tire's edge away from the rim.
- Caution: Be extremely careful during this step to ensure the bead-breaking tool or machine pad does not crush or impact the TPMS sensor, which is usually located near the valve stem. Identify the sensor's position from the outside (often marked on the valve stem) and position the wheel and bead breaker accordingly.
- Position the Tire for Removal: Once the bead is successfully broken around the entire circumference of the rim on one or both sides, the tire is ready to be separated from the wheel.
According to the reference provided:
"Once the bead is broken go ahead and place the tire on the turntable of your tire."
This step, mentioned at 0:18 and repeated at 5:15 in the referenced video, indicates that after safely breaking the tire's bead, the next action when using a tire removal machine is to place the wheel and tire assembly onto the machine's turntable. This allows the machine to rotate the wheel while a dismounting tool is used to pry the tire off the rim.
Dismounting the Tire
After placing the tire on the machine's turntable:
- Position the Dismount Head: Adjust the machine's dismount head or tool correctly relative to the wheel rim.
- Pry the Tire Off: Using a pry bar or the machine's tool, lift the tire's edge over the rim flange while rotating the turntable.
- Caution: Pay close attention to where the TPMS sensor is located relative to the dismount head and the rim. Ensure the tool does not collide with or pry against the sensor. Many tire machines have specific procedures or attachments for wheels with TPMS.
- Remove the Second Bead: Repeat the process for the second bead (the inner edge of the tire) to fully separate the tire from the wheel.
Key Considerations
- Consult Service Manuals: Always refer to the vehicle or tire machine service manual for specific procedures regarding TPMS.
- Use Appropriate Tools: Use tire changing equipment designed to work with TPMS sensors or specialized TPMS tools if necessary.
- Professional Service: If you are not experienced with tire changing, especially on vehicles with TPMS, it is highly recommended to have the service performed by a qualified technician.
Removing a tire with TPMS requires diligence to protect the integrated sensor. The process involves standard tire service techniques modified with extra care during the bead breaking and dismounting stages, as highlighted by the step of placing the bead-broken tire on a machine's turntable.
