4Runner sport and winter

K

kowell

New member
Hi,
I juste purchased an 09 4Runner sport yesterday which I should take delivery of next week and I have some questions about winter tires and those darn TPMS.

I searched on the forum and saw that sadly 16 inches rims won't fit on a sport model because of the bigger brakes. Annoying but I'll live with it.

If I have winter tires installed on the factory rims and then switch back to summer tires in the spring on the same factory rims, do I need to have the TPMS reprogrammed each time since I had the tires dismount/mount or will the tpms sensor continue to work normaly since I keep using the same rims/sensors? Do I only need to have the system reprogrammed if I use a 2nd set of rims with a second set of sensors.

If I chose to buy a second set of 17 inches for winter tires without the TPMS sensors I know the light will come on but will it blink for a minute and then just stay on or will it blink continuously? I currently have a Pontiac Vibe (aka Toyota Matrix with a Pontiac logo) and the TPMS system is from Toyota. When I install my second set of rims for winter (without tpms sensors) the TPMS light blinks for a minute and then stays lit. That I can live with. If it blinks continuously then I'll go crazy.

Last question, if I use rims without tpms sensors, will the car deactivate certain features for "security" or will it work normally? My pontiac vibe with Toyota tpms system works normally but I heard of certain GM trucks and cars that will limit RPMs or deactivate traction control when the TPMS system detects low tire pressure.
 
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They are programmed into they system, and will work regardless of which set of rims they are mounted on. If you get a second set of TPMS, every time you swap you would have to get them reprogrammed by the dealer.

The TPMS light should blink, then stay on continuously. Several people have removed TPMS with no performance issues. There is also a mod out there that you can disable the light if you remove the sensors. If I remember correctly this requires cutting / splicing wires.

Oh, Welcome to the Forum, and a great choice. (I have an 06 Sport.)
 
either just use the stock wheels for both sets of tires, or if ya get a 2nd set of wheels, leave the stock set in the garage, the tpms only comes on after 100 miles or about 1 hr.of driving, as long as your stock wheels have enough air in them, even if the light goes on, it will reset itself when parked over night. you can still use the same spare, just keep it aired up. you can also only use 1 programmed set of tpms at a time, you cant get/use 8 or more on the same vec. i sent you a PM.
 
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Is it 4WD? Why go through the expense of a second set of tires and wheels? Ours did good in the snow with the stock tires, fantastic all year with the Nokian WR's we replaced them with.
 
Falls said:
Agreed , never could understand that . Unless you had some tricked out 26" wheel Dubs that spin or something.
Click to expand...

M/T tires are also no good in the winter. I have Dueler MT's on my '92 and they are awesome in mud or deep snow, but on icey roads the tires are terrible.

also, in Quebec, Canada, it is now the LAW that you drive on snow/ice tires in the winter.
 
well, everybody has theyre opinion on the look of & performance of the stock tires, depending on which came with the vec. some want a more aggressive look, some want more bling, or stealth, etc. to each his own, were all individuals. i hated the dunlops mine came with, changed them out after the first snowfall, sure others may think theyre fine in snow based on how they drive, thats ok, but they definitly werent my cup of tea. also, i say,if you can afford them, it never hurts to have an xtra set ready to go if/when ya need em, that goes for anything on the vec. , bulbs, fuses, etc.
 
What does 4WD have to do with whether or not you get snow tires? You get snow tires because of their superior braking control and superior steering control on icy or snowy roads, neither of which is helped by having 4WD.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I'll probably just alternate between 2 sets of tire on the factory rims.

Winter tires are a necessity for 2 reasons.
1- They are a legal requirement in Quebec.
2- All seasons tires are useless at -30c, even with AWD. Starting up is one thing, stopping is another one. The rubber from all seasons tire become too hard under -10c and it loses adherence when trying to brake or just turn.

I do have another question but it's mostly aimed at people living up north. How resistant are the 4th gen 4runner to rust? There is a lot of salt on the roads during winter over here so calcium is a big problem. What type of metal is used for the body panel anyway? It is full metal or some kind of plastic ?
 
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The fender flares on my stock 05 Sport are plastic. but the body itself would be steel. I would have your truck undercoated regularly. it costs about $300 at the dealer here in Alberta, but they wash it down heavily, and re-apply the indercoating. In Quebec I would do it YEARLY
-and wash it at least weekly during the winter. try to wash it at any place that has an auto under vehicle wash.

we see a lot of vehicles from quebec and ontario here in alberta, and every one of them is rusted badly
 
I'm debating what to put on both my Land Cruiser and my 4R this fall. The Land Cruiser came (used) with Blizzaks almost two years ago, and is still on them.

Long story: I worked a deal for another set of wheels & tires, it dragged on, finally fell through, and it was mid-summer. I figured the Blizzaks were trashed, decided to get all-seasons, but then winter hit and the Blizzaks did great. They still have plenty of tread on them, certainly not the outer, hydrophyllic layer, but plenty of deep, heavily siped, high-silicone rubber tread. I'm shocked, these tires aren't supposed to hold up, especially on a 5400lb vehicle driven by my lead-foot, soccer-mom wife.

So, I think it's perfectly possible for a modern all-season to be made of materials that will hold up in the summer and grip well in the winter. I don't see -30 in south-west Michigan, but plenty of snow. I just compared all-season tires on Tire Rack yesterday, they also have winter tires, it's a good place to do your research.

As for rust, my three Land Cruisers showed only occasional spots of rust after a combined 450,000 miles on the most heavily salted roads on earth. Like most modern cars, they're dip galvanized, and Toyota does a better job with galvanizing and paint than most car makers.
 
Carl Spackler said:
Oh my! It is a LAW?!?!
Click to expand...

Only a small % of drivers still used all season tires anyway. Driving on All seasons tires is one of the dumbest things that can be done over here during winter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrC_z9FQ9yg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuiWRQNjv1A&feature=related
The black stuff on the ground appears to be the road but it's actually 1 inch of ice.

If you live in an area where 7-10cm of snow and -15c is an extreme winter day then yes all seasons can probably do the trick. When an average snow storm leaves 30-40cm of snow and temperatures drop below -30c on a regular basis, all seasons just don't cut it. AWD doesn't help much when no wheel has any grip. It all depends on what winter condition one will have to face.
 
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Here's my experience with TPMS and winter tires:

1) Yes it's a good idea to use winter tires even with 4WD if possible if you live in a region that gets fairly cold for long stretches of time. The rubber compound on all season tires does not remain soft in cold temperatures limiting it's ability to create traction. Winter tires are made of a compound that stays softer at colder temperatures therefore increasing traction on snow and icy roads. I've had both on my 4Runner in winter and winter tires perform better hands down

2) As far as the TPMS what I do is have the dealer save the individual TPMS codes for each tire, and write them down for me. Keep track of it in an excel spreadsheet and when you go in to get them programmed each fall/spring give them the list and the programming is much cheaper, sometimes they will even do it for free if your nice.
 
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No rust issues on our '06 so far here in West Michigan. Nokian WR's have the snowflake and mountain symbol on them and they are great in the snow as well as dry roads, but I don't know how they compare to dedicated snow tires.
 
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