Boeing 717

I'm an considering a cup 1 with the holes in the rim for 928 tire pressure monitors. Does anyone have any that don't work that I could buy to just plug the holes?

Schocki

There are specialists in the US that repair cracked rims by welding. I bet they can weld those holes shut too.

Boeing 717

Yea I thought about that but it's a new wheel, then the inside would have to be repainted and by the time I'm done paying for all of that I could buy a new one without the holes.

Jerry Feather

Jerry, what you are looking for are RDK Sensors for the 928. The few cars that used them have two per wheel and they come in two pressure ranges identified as 2.5 BAR and 3.0 BAR. They have no moving parts and no power source, but somehow by just moving they will transmit a signal. I have never heard of one failing. Even used they are worth about $150 each.

The RDK sensors put in the 928 were 2.5 BAR in the front and 3.0 BAR in the rear. I and many others intend to convert to 2.5 BAR all around and that should make the 3.0 BAR ones surplus. That might be your best source for what you are looking for, but even then I don't know what one might expect in terms of cost.

What I would suggest you do instead is take your wheel to a machinist and have him make you some aluminum plugs with the correct thread, with a groove in the right place for an O-ring, and with two or four holes part way through that you can fashion a tool to fit to insert them and tighten them. Install them with some locktite.

Or, buy a different wheel without the holes.

Randy V

Have you tried sensors from other makes?

Perhaps bring a wheel to Discount Tire or other tire place and ask a tech if they have anything that would fit.

Boeing 717

Thanks for replies guys. There is a nice new 928 wheel on eBay for like $420, it's in Italy so after shipping I'm looking at 560 ish. I could buy a new one at sunset for 720 ish without the holes. After trying to plug the holes and everything I would probably be in that sunset price range anyway. Was trying to save a few bucks but maybe I should just go with the one with no holes.

Jerry Feather

Or buy a good used one and have it refinished. That might be a lot cheaper. Maybe have them all refinished while you are at it and then they will all match.

Kevin in Atlanta

I have a memory of Jim Bailey recommending big rubber stoppers and pounding them in.

Boeing 717

Yea I have repainted 2 of them still waiting on a 7.5 inch which is really hard to come by and then another 9 inch.

Silver79

If memory serves me correctly somebody in the past used rubber freeze plugs to fill the holes. There is a nut that you tighten on the freeze plug that expands the rubber portion. Not that I would recommend doing this just saying that somebody has done it before. Joe

Jerry Feather

So, exactly what wheels are you trying to match? 7.5 and 9, both by 17, but exactly what offset, and original equipment or aftermarket?

Boeing 717

I am about to buy a 7.5 inch ET 65 off of eBay Germany so the only thing left that I need is a 9 inch I believe ET 55 for a Porsche 968. Only original cup 1s.

Alan

These are indeed expensive & rare. Since removing them makes an RDK wheel quite useless - you won't find many available used ones and any you find likely won't be cheap.

Jerry these sensors are purely mechanical devices - there are no electronics involved in the sensors on the wheel. The static wheel sensor pic-up on the hub part reads the status of these magnetically as they pass by - it is essentially a proximity detector. Within the sensor something moves under pressure with a single defined set- point.

Alan

Boeing 717

Thanks Alan. I am probably not going to purchase the 928 wheel. I found a non RDK wheel that I may purchase.