TPMS Caps

Hey all,

Just thought I would share my fun experience yesterday when changing my tires. Started by taking the cap off the valve stem. The dealer I bought it off used steel caps, which had melded to the aluminum stems and proceeded to break the threads off when I tried to unscrew it revealing the schrader valve. I then went to each valve stem and sprayed it with PB Blast to loosen them which worked, but the metal caps did some damage to each as I slowly worked them off. So as a heads up to you if you live in a salt area (new england) make sure you are using plastic caps. Sensors are expensive.

I have 27 of them, had the same issue, changed about 100 of them at 20.00 each. Not to mention several of the sensors. Needless to say lesson learned.

I've heard placing a small amount of white lithium grease on the threads is a great way to prevent the melding/corrosion.

Use the OEM plastic caps - plastic does not corrode! Dissimilar metals will corrode when in contact with each other, especially in a salt environment.

All this talk makes me glad I didn't specify TPMS. My pressure gauge works more reliably...!

I put this thread together as a warning, I never noticed that they were little chrome caps and probably wouldn't have thought anything of it if I had noticed. So just as a heads up to all in salty areas or those who drive through salty winter roads make sure those caps are plastic.