The problem with TPM, Tire Pressure Monitoring, is that every system is different. Even though they are all a small transmiter that relays a signal in the valve stem manufacturers all use different frequencies to transmit the signal. Manufacturers are very paranoid about after market companies getting this information as it is all proprietary and developed at a rather high cost.
A few after market comanies have been trying to build after market units that are programable. These units function much like a programable remote control or garage door opener. Everyone has basically failed to make reliable units that cost less than the OE parts. This being said the OEM parts are the only/best way to go. There is no way that TireRack or anyone will be able to stock all the different units offered by all of the different OEM's.
The Federal Government recently passed legislation waving liablilty of retailers who remove sensors at the instruction of their customers. So if you do pursue this option, and have any issues, you are the only liable party.
If you want to maintain your TPM with after market wheels you have 3 choices:
1) Buy a new set of monitors from your local dealers parts department and send them to your retailer. They can then install the monitors into the after market wheels. You will most likely still have to have the sensors "activated" at the dealer. It shouldn't cost anything and only takes a few minutes. We are not very familiar with this process due to OEM paranoia.(see above).
2) Have your factory wheels broken down and the sensors removed. Send the sensors to your retailer and have them installed. 99% of the time this is a turn-key solution. Dealer programing is almost never a requirement.
WARNING: We do not recomend, or offer, the following option. It does not maintain your TPM functionality, just by passes the system.
3) Buy a small riding lawn mower tire. Put your 4 sensors in the tire and inflate to OEM recomended tire pressure. Place tire under passenger seat or in the trunk of your car. Again, this just fakes the computer into thinking all 4 wheels have the proper amount of air in them. This was the only way in the "early days" to get around the systems. It is much easier in an Escalade/Tahoe/Suburban with the ubundant amounts of room. THIS DOES NOT MAINTAIN YOUR TPM FUNCTIONALITY BUT GETS RID OF THE ANNOYING LIGHT.
The best way to avoid any problems is to not rely on your car to tell you if you have a flat/leaking tire. Every time you get in your car it would be very easy to walk around it and check for anything out of the ordinary. This applies to lots of things other than tires (fuel door, trunk, body damage, headlights). We recomend manually checking your tire pressure every 3-4 fuel fill ups (once a month). Check your oil/fluid levels while your at it.
If you have any questions give us a call.