kfk Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 I've currently got a bid on ebay for one-only VTS alloy - one of mine is badly scuffed, nay kerbed. Only had my 12-month-old diesel VTS for a month and I've not come across these rigid tyre valves that look a bit like a spark plug before. Can they be bought separately? The reason I ask is that the wheel I'm hoping to buy doesn't look like it's got one from the small photo. If I can get another, it'll mean I can refurb the other wheel at my leisure and then have 5 alloys. The Spark plug type tyre valve you are talking about is the wheel pressure sensor that tells the car if you have lost pressure. Each sensor emits a signal and the car works out which axle its fitted too. The car can only have 4 sensors programmed to it to my knowledge, so if you were to have one fitted to a spare you would have to get it programmed if you were to keep it on an axle permanently. If you use the alloy wheel with a standard valve it will come up with a message on the display indicating check your tyre pressure on that wheel. Yeas you can get the valve from your sitroen dealer, they would also need to program it for you. Word of warning:If you know you have this type of valve fitted, make sure you tell any tyre fitters before they rip the valve out...i think the're about £60. Quote
Welshguy Posted May 7, 2006 Author Posted May 7, 2006 And a second word of warning from me - the single VTS alloys on ebay recently are sold WITHOUT the centre cap. Always worth noting, particularly if yours is damaged/missing etc Quote
ham's c4vts Posted May 7, 2006 Posted May 7, 2006 the center cap is around £12 plus vat, and there is two different ones, a the one we have on vtr to vts and the one thats on the exclusive which is a smooth one(sort of) Quote
billynibbles Posted May 9, 2006 Posted May 9, 2006 Thanks for the prompt help guys. I have now won the bid for a single 'as new' VTS alloy wheel, £36 plus P&P. I never gave the fact that I might have wheel pressure sensors a 2nd thought - I suppose I thought that there would be some kind of permanent 'map' of the car on the display if I had. Presumably it only appears like the parking sensor 'map', i.e. when it's needed. (Didn't feel like letting a tyre down to test the theory though) Having been the Sales Manager's car, complete with the JBL hifi upgrade and vibrating bum lane wandering warning, it only seems reasonable to assume that they'd have fully loaded it. To be honest, the list of what's standard and what's not is daunting to say the least. Looks like I'll have to just get the front tyre and pressure sensor transferred over to the newer alloy. I'll tart up the scratched one at my leisure and decide what to do with it later - maybe even splash out on a 5th sensor. Yes, I did realise that the decorative centres are not included - when I first got my VTS last month, the black bits had gone matt grey, but after persevering stripping each centre down to its component parts, they're orl bootiful and noo, as my wife would say. Quote
Stuey Posted May 10, 2006 Posted May 10, 2006 it seems my estimate on £270 a wheel was a bit out...it is roughly £120 a wheel without tyres and a decnt set of Pirrellis are about £60 each...you also need the ECU remapped to the wheel size which came as a bit of a shock. apparntly only Citroen can do this as they need to tell the car that the wheels are bigger so the power steering can compensate and so on...costs £30 Quote
wozza Posted May 10, 2006 Posted May 10, 2006 Last time i checked the tyres for my rim were around £117 each. Thats for the same Michelin PE2's that are on there now which are regarded as one of the best daily tyres around. Thats in 205/50/R17. Quote
Welshguy Posted May 10, 2006 Author Posted May 10, 2006 @ Stuey Well I was running 18's on my C4 with no power steering problems - You only have to take it to Citroen if you want to! And lets face it...we spend enough time already in Citroen garages...my car has its own reserved space in my local dealership ;) Quote
wozza Posted May 10, 2006 Posted May 10, 2006 to be honest depends what profile tyre you put on with the larger wheel you can get pretty much near enough the exact same rolling circumfrence with the smaller profile tyres so should not affect the speedo. will affect acceleration though. Might not be massively notcable depends how heavy the new wheels are in comparison and not sure with the C4 but you might find changing to a bigger rim will make the handling worse. usually does. but gives more grip. so kind of a trade off not as much turn in but better grip. But the bigger rims look the dogs danglies so meh to the handling lol. Quote
Welshguy Posted May 12, 2006 Author Posted May 12, 2006 Just been on the Care Equipment site and apparently you can get 19's to fit on the C4 without archmods, 225/19 tyres! Worth checking out I think :angry: Quote
wozza Posted May 12, 2006 Posted May 12, 2006 Happy with the 17's 18's with a drop would look better but bugger up the handling and the ride. The C4 is gonna be my everyday car as i may be buying a new car soon. And C4 i want to be comfortable. The vette i want as more the car to supply those thrills when i am craving some power. Would get a bike but well i would look a little odd being my size on a bike lol. C6 5.7L V8 Vette :angry: Quote
Joeblunt Posted May 13, 2006 Posted May 13, 2006 I wonder how many people inform their Insurers when they put bigger wheels / lower profile tyres on? I also wonder if CUK could argue that non standard size wheels / tyres could mean warranty work on steering and suspension components maybe void if its deemed the Wheels / Tyres increased the stress to a particular part? Quote
wozza Posted May 13, 2006 Posted May 13, 2006 If they can prove it yes they can otherwise no. And my insurance said any alloy wheels i want i can add no extra charge they just wont cover them if they get stolen. But i can have huge 20" £5000 wheels on my car if i wanted and the insurance wouldnt care. Quote
kfk Posted May 13, 2006 Posted May 13, 2006 I wonder how many people inform their Insurers when they put bigger wheels / lower profile tyres on? I also wonder if CUK could argue that non standard size wheels / tyres could mean warranty work on steering and suspension components maybe void if its deemed the Wheels / Tyres increased the stress to a particular part? From my experience, which is pretty good, i can say that warranty covers manufacturing defects.....So: If lowering your suspension causes your gearbox differential to fail, power steering pipes to wear through due to lack of clearance, brake pipes to rub on wheel weights, wheels to foul on bodywork and damage inner wing liners, exhaust failure due to fouling on speed humps, rattles and squeaks caused by the workmanship of the modifications carried out, excessive tyre wear/steering pull......no its not covered. In addition modification of wheels can cause components like Speedos to read incorrectly, abs/esp to function incorrectly and engine management computors to deliver incorrect information to the injectors/coil Low profile tyres may also cause exessive strain on wheel bearings and suspension bushes due to lack of side wall flexibility. As a point of interest i recently had a saxo in for rear light electrical problems......the cause was oversize wheels and no inner wheel arches, the boot was soaking wet and the light units ruined due to corrosion down the wiring Quote
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