TPMS and general tire size question(Suburban related)

Hey guy,

I am looking to possibly replace the wheels and tires on my 04 Suburban, and stumbled on what seems like a decent deal on some stock 17" wheels form an 07 Suburban. My Suburban is an 04. The tires on my truck are 265/70-16, and the ones on CL are 265/70-17. I think it won't be an issue as the tires and wheels are only 3.3% difference according to the Miata.net calculator. What do you guys think? Also I wonder about the TPMS in the newer wheels. Will they make nice with my truck? If so, do you have to reprogram something to make this so. If not would I just have to move the sensors from my wheels into these wheels? FYI my Suburban is a 2wd 1500, and these tires/wheels are off of a 4wd 1500.

Tpms shouldn't be a problem as an 04 shouldn't have it.

If anything, the tires would have to be 275/55r17 to be a plus 1 in sizing. I have to ask, are you sure you have the right size on your burb? Normally all the tires stay a nominal diameter regardless of the rim size. But then again you are dealing between two different platforms, gmt-800 vs 900.

My 04 Suburban will give me a low tire pressure warning in the winter when it is cold, so I think it does have the TPMS. I don't know that my truck has the proper size, but Tire Racks website says that it is the stock size for my truck, so probably. Maybe it's a 2wd versus a 4wd thing? Mine is 2wd as I mentioned.

You can have a tire pressure warning without TPMS sensors. Google Indirect TPMS. Short version: uses ABS sensors to compare relative rpms.

I have no idea if this is relevant to your situation, but 'has tire pressure warning light' != 'has TPMS sensors in the wheels'

I 'think' GM has always used sensors. Your owners manual should have a re-learn procedure in it that involved lowering the pressure on a specific wheel until the truck beeps or flashes at you. I'd at least check to see if you could get the current wheel/tires to play nice before swapping things around. I'm up sized about the same amount on my truck and it actually made the speedometer more accurate. GM has been pretty conservstive on their speedometer calibrations in the past. Just grab a free GPS speedometer app for a phone and check.

keethrax wrote: You can have a tire pressure warning without TPMS sensors. Google Indirect TPMS. Short version: uses ABS sensors to compare relative rpms. I have no idea if this is relevant to your situation, but 'has tire pressure warning light' != 'has TPMS sensors in the wheels'

I experienced this first hand with my wifes 06 Toyota Sienna a few years ago when she hit a curb, and the tires were in need of replacement anyway. When ordering new tires online the website insisted we had pressure sensors, and I believed it because we had a light illuminated on the dash for it. I bought the recommended rebuild kits for the sensors, and was worried when I didn't see the local tire place I sourced the dismounting/mounting to using the kits. the guy that was doing the work said we didn't have sensors so no need for the kits. I was confused by the fact that we had a light illuminated, but no sensor. Turns out our Sienna used the fact that the space saver spare was a different diameter to illuminate the tire pressure light. Well that was $40 I won't get back for the kits.

I really think my Suburban has sensors though. I guess I could find out if I had a tire dismounted, but I don't think I want to go through the trouble. My 2011 work van has sensors, and will tell you the pressure in each tire, which my Suburban will not do, so maybe it doesn't have sensors. The work van does the horn beep thing when relearning a sensor. I have seen the mechanic go through this procedure, which seems like a real pain in the ass.

Chris

Your 2004 has them too. I did some googling. This thread does the best job going over the three possible ways to enter the learning mode.
http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/111373-tpms-reset/
If you were closer I'd loan you the sensor activator tool I have so you don't have to let out air.

mazdeuce wrote: I 'think' GM has always used sensors.

Nope, wife's 2000 Buick LeSabre had a "low tire light" and did not have any sensors. It used the ABS sensors to compare wheel speed.