Noob questions for buying wheels

[H_K]

Hi guys, I've got a couple questions about stuff I feel like I should know before buying wheels.

TPMS - Can I simply move the TPMS over from the stock wheels to the aftermarket wheels, and will they be plug and play? Even if the wheels are different sizes, tires have different ratios, etc? Or will I need to buy all-new TPMS for each wheel and then take it in to a shop that can reprogram my car for them?

Lugnuts - Can I keep OEM lugnuts for aftermarket wheels, or do I need to pick up aftermarket lugnuts? At what point do I need to switch out the OEM lugnuts?

Anything else I should know about buying aftermarket wheels?

[BigTuna]

Originally Posted by H_K

Hi guys, I've got a couple questions about stuff I feel like I should know before buying wheels.

TPMS - Can I simply move the TPMS over from the stock wheels to the aftermarket wheels, and will they be plug and play? Even if the wheels are different sizes, tires have different ratios, etc? Or will I need to buy all-new TPMS for each wheel and then take it in to a shop that can reprogram my car for them?

Lugnuts - Can I keep OEM lugnuts for aftermarket wheels, or do I need to pick up aftermarket lugnuts? At what point do I need to switch out the OEM lugnuts?

Anything else I should know about buying aftermarket wheels?

TPMS. The module is in the valve stem assembly. Yes, they can be moved to new wheels with no issues or reprogramming.

Lug nuts. The OEM lug nuts are 60* conical design. I've not come across an aftermarket wheel that is not the same, so you should be fine.

Just be sure to check the fitment. Here is a good resource for wheel/tire sizing: https://www.ft86motorsports.com/wheelitfit/

[Mr.ac]

I second what Big Tuna said.
Just too add more info, make sure you get the right offsets for the wheels you want. Spend time using the wheel and tire fitment calculator, look at all the wheel/tire set ups on the proper sub forum so you can get the look you want.

You should not need spacers at all if you do your homework.

As for lug nuts, OEM work 90% of the time. But sometimes the OEM lugs are too big diameter or too short to set properly.
But that's an easy fix as any auto parts store carries "tuner" lugs. Some people would find those lug good enough, but others think a $200 lug nuts are better. In the end they both do the same exact job. One just costs more.

[mrhayes1]

As stated, you can reuse the TPMS, but i wanted to elaborate that I would be aware that perhaps a tire shop may tell you they have issues reusing the TPMS. The reason that I mention this is there seems to be an oddly high number of people on this forum that have TPMS issues from going to an aftermarket wheel. I don't understand why. I have aftermarket wheels (larger width and diameter than stock) and the shop reused my TPMS without issues and i can confirm that they do function properly. Point is, if a shop or someone tells you they cannot use the TPMS, take it elsewhere...

Regarding wheel fitment, use the above link and figure out long term goals. I went with 18x8 square (all four wheels same) because you can rotate the wheels and it is a practical size without going overboard. The only downside of this setup is with my wheels in particular, the front is flush and the back is a bit sunk and ideally would look better with a 20 millimeter spacer but I don't really wanna run spacers. In terms of aesthetics, I think a staggered set up (wider wheel in back than in front) looks best as you can get the front and rear both flush without the use of spacers. If you get a square set up, I believe that it is impossible to get both wheels 100% flush without using a spacer since the rear fender of the car seems slightly larger and naturally accommodates a wider wheel. However, the downside is you cant rotate staggered wheels. Things you want to pay attention to/consider when buying wheels are: wheel diameter, width, offset and then of course tire size.