Winter time once again!
Time for winter / snow tyres on your car if you're living in the colder parts of the U.S.
Last winter, I had a decent 17" setup consisting of Continental ContiWinterContact TS 810 S SSR RunFlat tyres (225/45R17) on replica M Double Spoke 135 wheels. The tyres were impressive but this year I decided to revert to a 18" setup. The 17" wheels didn't have the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors installed, and it was a pain to watch the yellow light on the dash for the duration time the car stayed On.
After much deliberation on what wheels to go in for (and the choice can be overwhelming), I bought a set of impeccable BMW Style 162 wheels (minus sensors) from a fellow member of E90Post forums for a great price.
I'd already bought a set of sensors & valves for the previous tyre/wheel combo.
On an average, BMW dealers charge labour at a rate of @$100/hour. Service and parts extra.
I decided to do it myself.
It's a simple 20 minute process - don't need any technical prowess to do this.
Here goes:
New alloys being unpacked! 18x8 (front), 18x8.5 (rear) Cromodora Wheels S.P.A. Inside view - stamped with Part #, Made In and Offset information.
The explanation and labeling has been adapted from BERU AG’s own PDF leaflet on TPMS sensor install, which is available as a free download on the
BERU AG website.
This leaflet mainly concerns installation of TPMS sensors on the Style 162 alloy wheels of a BMW 3-Series (E90) Sedan, but can be used as a reference guide for other vehicles.
Picture 0: Sensor and components from the BERU leaflet with labels. BMW Part #’s:
• TPMS Sensors (4 nos.): 36 23 6 779 490
• Valve (4 nos.): 36 11 1 095 375
[These are available on the internet from a number of sellers. I bought mine from
Bavarian Autosport].
Parts and labels explained (See Picture 0 above & Picture 1 below for labels):
A. Self-locking (Torx) mounting screw
B. Wheel electronic unit (TPMS Sensor)
C. Valve with shoulder seal
D. Spacer ring [Not beveled (90°) for BMW. Beveled (45°) for Mercedes / Audi)
E. Collar nut
F. Valve cap
G. Mounting pin
Picture 1 Tools Required (See Picture 2 below): Screw driver (1 no.): Torx T20
Picture 2
Setup the valve (C), into the sensor (B) and loosely thread the Torx mounting screw (A) into the bottom as shown in Picture 2 (above) & Picture 3 (below).
Picture 3
Hold the assembled sensor (B) on the mounting surface of the rim as shown in Picture 4. Pass the valve (C) through the hole in the rim. Push the mounting pin (G) into the hole on the side of valve (C). It should be facing left.
Picture 4
Slide the spacer (D) over the exposed side of valve (C), and thread the collar nut (E) over it. Tighten it with your fingers, don’t use too much force. Check Picture 5 & Picture 6.
Picture 5 Picture 6
Hold the tightened collar nut (E) with fingers. Tighten the valve (C) by moving the mounting pin (G) approximately 180° to the right. Don’t use too much force but make sure it’s secure. Check position of the hole in valve (C). It’s facing towards the right side, now (Picture 7). Don’t forget to remove the mounting pin (G) once you’ve finished tightening.
Picture 7
Now, thread the valve cap (F) over the exposed part valve (C). Check Picture 8.
Picture 8 Thats it! Quick & Simple!
All due credit goes to BERU AG for their instruction leaflet (Poster >>TSS: The installation of the correct wheel electronic unit/valves<<).
I've attached the BERU leaflet here:
BERU Tire Safety System (TSS) - The Tire Pressure Control.pdf