Niche Apex Wheels - Issue/Resolution

[Raptor3141]

I installed my Niche Apex Wheels in early May. Like many others, I had an issue with the TPMS Stem hitting my Hand Brake lines. To resolve this, I pulled the lines back and used rubber hose and clamps to hold them. Problem solved or so I thought.

On June 12th, the wife and I left Milwaukee for Arizona and beyond. On day three of our trip, I was just finishing the last two miles of 6% grade mountain roads on Hwy 87 into Mesa, AZ when the DIC displayed that the LR Tire pressure was 25 lbs.

I pulled over as quick as possible, checked and I could hear air escaping. I managed to get to a gas station and filled it to 40 lbs in hopes of getting to a tire place. The locals told me there was a Discount Tire another 2 miles away. I made it with 15 lbs to spare.

The problem was that the hand brake cable had somehow slipped through the clamp enough to hit the TPMS Stem and damaged it.

The guys at Discount Tire said they had seen this before and had a fix. They relocated the TPMS (with a short stem) to the outside of the tire and installed a plug (backwards installed valve stem) on the inside hole. They submerged the tire in water to show me it wouldn't leak and then even did the same to the RR tire. The key to this was using a short stem on the TPMS so it wouldn't contact the brake caliper.

When it was all said and done, I went to pay and they wouldn't take a penny. I was there two hours and I could not convince them to take anything. The guy said they fix other installers issues all the time, just tell everyone how good Discount Tire is.

The rest of our 5,300 miles vacation saw no further issues with the tires. I can't begin to say how appreciative I am to those guys.

I was extremely lucky that the hand brake cable did not knock the TPMS stem off completely or cause a rapid air loss situation. If it had, we may have very well been off a cliff.

[POWERFREAK]

You can also just ziptie the e-brake cable to your toe-link to keep it out of the way.

[Raptor3141]

The installer did this originally but, within two weeks, the plastic tie-wraps broke on the LR. After researching on the C5 forums, I went with the fuel line hose and clamp method.

The point of my posting was simply as information for anyone else with this issue as an alternative way to correct the issue.

[lionssfan]

do you have a picture of the brake cable fix. I just took out a brand new tire cause the cable hit my valve stem. used tire wraps. None of them broke however. my hit after doing some aggressive auto cross racing at Camaro fest. any help I would appreciate. thanks

[Raptor3141]

Check out this thread. It shows how to clamp the cable out of the way. However, this is what I did and 2000 miles into my trip, it slipped.

In my case (Niche Apex Wheels), the true fix was a dummy plug for the inner valve stem location and move the TPMS to the outer valve stem with the smallest TPMS Stem available.

Good luck.

[lionssfan]

thanks, looks like I'll plug the hole on the inside (several ways to do that) and use a 90 degree valve stem with a hole that will allows the valve stem with tpsm to go thru and secure itself. I just need to find a reliable valve stem company. I don't want problems. thanks again

[Raptor3141]

To plug my inside stem holes, a standard valve stem was used (inserted backwards). For the outer stems, short metal stems were used. They just clear the calipers on the back wheels. The front wheels are still as originally installed.

[lionssfan]

I have heard of the inverted valve stem, like that idea. Iforge has some 90 valve stems but pricey at 75.00. found them cheaper on ebay, but not sure on the quaulity yet. I think I'll find a good wheel company and see if they sell them.

[Raptor3141]

I had the issue while on vacation in Phoenix and Discount Tire took care of it.

[lionssfan]

nice to here thats who I'm dealing with

[SoCal Swagger]

yeps they did the same with me in Rancho Mirage CA. it took another car nut to resolve the issue he said this is very common in Euro cars becasue of their wheels