1.5 Roadster Tire Thread

[gwagen27]

I have also been running the Continental DWS Extremes (front and rear) on my 1.5 for the last 8k miles or so. I do not have any TC issues when compared to the AD07's I was running previously. They are MUCH MUCH quieter and work perfectly on my 100+ mile daily commute. Please note that I really do not push the car that hard so I have not tested the Conti's limits....but none-the-less, I am very happy with the tire change.

 

[dhrivnak]

I have gone through two sets of Continental DWS with only minor traction issues. This time I am trying the Michelin Super Sport and traction control was marginal at best. Then I replaced my fronts with Yokohama and the Michelin are happy. I guess new rears with worn fronts are an issue.

 

[wiztecy]

I'll be searching for tires that are going to be as or sticker than the AD0x's, the majority of my commute are on high speed twistiest and I need that confidence as well as the safety margin.

 

[Dwalker13]

Is possible to upgrade all tires and rims to 18" similar tithe LOTUS EVORA

 

[FANGO]

Just got a call from Tesla about the tires on my 1.5 with 10k miles on them, which seem to be the original tires from the car. They said something about since the tires are so old, they've developed small cracks and are a safety issue, and they're recommending replacement (~$1500). I found the same tires on tirerack for ~$950 shipped (on special, apparently), and of course would be interested in looking into other tires which are cheaper and/or last longer (with working TC and regen), but I find that nothing else shows up on tirerack, so I'm not really able to comparison shop them. At the end of the day, under 1k for a set of tires seems wholly reasonable to me so I'll probably just get the tirerack ones and then have Tesla or some other local tire place install them. Other seasoned Roadster owners: does this seem like a reasonable course of action? Or does anyone have a strong recommendation for other tires in a similar or cheaper price range which last longer and still work with TC/regen (regardless of grip level)? Regen especially...any decrease in regen would not be acceptable to me.

 

[Jackyche]

The continentals DWS didn't work for me when only replacing rears. Worked great for others when all 4 replaced.

I ended up with dunlops on rears as suggested by pantera dude. In stock at discount tires and cheap too. Very minor regen/tc issues.

 

[wiztecy]

Depends how you drive, if you corner fast and hard I'd stay with the AD07 fronts and AD08 rears until another sticky combo that works well together is found. If you're just commuting and going down straights and don't push the Roadster hard in turns you can go the Dunlop or other brand route for the front/rear or just the rears. Just remember that stickier tires allow you to accelerate as well as allow you to stop faster too.

What cracks is Tesla talking about? I know the Yoko's do dry out over time and my original fronts which have 28k on them have cracks on the edges where they slide and roll in turns on the pavement. When they get old they crack. The biggest issue with those cracks (I have) is when it rains and that the compound has hardened won't hold to the road all to well. Also it means I won't be holding to the road as well as when they were new, but since they're on the front the front understeers (especially more now with the Nitron ajustable shocks I upgraded to) which doesn't make it too much of a danger factor.

If you have 10K on your tires, then it sounds the rears are due for a change. I got 12.5k miles on my AD07 rears, and switched to AD08s. I now have 28k. So I have 15.5k on my AD08 rears. I still have 5k left of life in them and on my fronts. My rear camber is very aggressive and setup even more aggressive than stock so my tires will wear more on the inner. The key to long tire life is to roll first off red-lights and then accelerate hard. The initial punch is where TC is trying to negotiate so the tire will snap and wear hard there.

If you have a pic of these cracks it would be nice to see. Also did Tesla state what risk these cracks pose for you?

- - - Updated - - -

Is possible to upgrade all tires and rims to 18" similar tithe LOTUS EVORA

Only if it has Tire Learning Capabilities like the 2.x Roadsters like EVsports below

1.5 Roadsters are stuck with the rim/tire combination that work out to the original tire revolutions that came with the Yoko AD07 front and rears on the stock rims.
View attachment 44686

 

[FANGO]

I don't have a picture or anything unfortunately, Tesla just said there were cracks, I think it's probably dried rubber as you said. I brought it in today and got the call around when they were closing up the shop. He said they were radial on the tire, rather than lateral, so I guess they go all around the tire. I don't commute, I don't drive a lot (6k/yr or so), I do like to push it. I have noticed no real problems in the rain, this car has a ridiculous amount of traction, plus it never rains here anyway (twice since I got the car 6 months ago...).

I'd like to upgrade the suspension, I just know I don't want to spend 6k on the Tesla upgrade. I'm nowhere near that Lotus guy in norcal which all you guys talk about for customizing your Roadsters, so I'm not sure how to go about it here, haha.

Tirerack is only showing AD07s front and rear, not AD08s? Are the AD08 rears the standard Tesla equipment? Or is that the "racing tire" the guy on the phone just referred to? He said they were called "Yokohama sport" rather than advan, I always thought the AD07s or whatever I have on there were the upgraded tire on the car anyway. If they're different how do I find them, and are they more expensive/stickier/apparently more durable?

As for the rears being due for a change at 10k, Tesla said the tread depth is fine, but that they are recommending the change mainly just due to age of the tires (which seem to be 6 years old), which they consider a safety issue. So I guess I or the previous owner were pretty easy on the tires after all.

 

[Doug_G]

AD08 is a newer version of AD07. Yokohama still makes the AD07 in the size required for Tesla Roadster and Lotus Elise.

AD08 is unfortunately not available in the size required for the Roadster's front, but it is available in the size for the rear.

AD08 is much cheaper and is readily available, so many Elise and Roadster owners are running AD07 front and AD08 rear. Especially Roadster owners because you go through the rears 3X as fast as the fronts. Tesla does not recommend this configuration, but it works just fine. Many of us (me included) are using this combination.

 

[FANGO]

Excellent, so I would go on tirerack, buy 2 of the the AD08 (R? I can only find AD 08 R in this size) in 225/45R17, and then buy 2 of the AD07 175/55R16, ship them to myself then get them installed by my local tire shop (or Tesla if they're nice enough to), and that will a) be cheaper for the rears (by like $90/tire, nice), b) make rears last longer and c) presumably provide no change in terms of regen or TC? If so, it sounds like I'm going to get out of this for like 800 bucks all told, which is a heck of a lot less than I thought I'd be paying so thank you all for the input!

 

[wiztecy]

The AD08 tires are exactly the same as the AD07 tires but with an updated tire compound that is to be stickier and last longer. So the tire revolutions are the same, that being said you won't have any TC issues. I've never had my TC light come on or turn off due to the AD08. You'll be happy with them, they also have a cooler looking tread pattern. Bummer Yoko didn't make a matching front. Be sure to read up on this thread before mounting your tires and having the tire-shop balance them:
Roadster standard wheel runout - marked?

That's the proper way to balance them per Yokohoma and will save you some lead on balancing which has its advantages.

As for the Nitrons, you can call Rob the Lotus guy (in the Nitron thread) and discuss with him that you're interested in them. He was going to talk to Nitron and have them make a driver's side ABS mount which was the only thing I needed to have done to make them fit. I don't know if they now supply it or not. You also can buy them from him and have him ship them to a person by you where he can advise them on how to install them as well as how to set them up to work on your Roadster. Still stoked I had mine done since my life and the Roadster depend on them. If you're running stocks, which sounds like you are, you have to get rid of those crappy ass shocks! I won't rant on how bad it makes the Roadster handle, feel, and the dangerous situations it can put you in. Between those crappy shocks, the crappy brakes, and the crappy halogen lights I'm like Tesla, did you seriously put all that junk stuff in there!?!? But then I look at everything else they got right in the Roadster and that puts the smile back on my face. Lucky that enthusiasts like ourselves can pool together, discuss, and make things better that were missed. I guess it also just makes us love the car even more

Also the cracks in the tire rubber is from decomposition / drying out due to UV and weather damage. Rob looked at mine and noticed the cracks, he also warned me after seeing the cracks to be very very careful when you drive and corner in the rain for that they'll lose grip when you think they will.

 

[Doug_G]

Excellent, so I would go on tirerack, buy 2 of the the AD08 (R? I can only find AD 08 R in this size) in 225/45R17, and then buy 2 of the AD07 175/55R16, ship them to myself then get them installed by my local tire shop (or Tesla if they're nice enough to), and that will a) be cheaper for the rears (by like $90/tire, nice), b) make rears last longer and c) presumably provide no change in terms of regen or TC?

Yes, all of that is 100% correct. You won't notice any difference between the AD07 and AD08, except the 08's will last longer and are much cheaper.

Tesla won't install the AD08's but they will install the AD07's.

I would recommend being fussy about which garage you use to install the tires. Insist that they use a floor jack to raise the car, and make sure they use the correct jacking points (rear lift point will raise front and back). (Personally I now take the wheels off myself and bring them to the shop.)

Secondly, the tires are low profile and hard to install, and you don't want some ape banging up your rims. Make sure it's a garage you trust, and that they have a good machine that will work well on low profile tires.

 

[hcsharp]

AD08 is unfortunately not available in the size required for the Roadster's front, but it is available in the size for the rear.

It's interesting to note that on Yokohama's Japanese web site, they list the AD08 R available in size 205/50/R16. If I'm reading the specs right, it looks like it would fit on the front. I've never seen this size for sale in North America. It's available in Japan, Australia, not sure where else.

 

[wiztecy]

It's interesting to note that on Yokohama's Japanese web site, they list the AD08 R available in size 205/50/R16. If I'm reading the specs right, it looks like it would fit on the front. I've never seen this size for sale in North America. It's available in Japan, Australia, not sure where else.

Tried pushing to get the AD08 R in any tire size that works for the Roadster front with no luck. Sucks.

When its time to replace my fronts/backs which will be in 2-3k more miles it appears I'm going to stick and go with the AD08 R for $168 from the tire rack for the rears. Still can't believe the mileage I'm getting out of these, 16,500 miles so far. Fronts are at 29k and have tread right above the wear bars.

As for the fronts I'm either going to stick with the stock AD07 (LTS compound) $196 or put an A048 on the front in a larger 195/50-16 size in the LTS compound for $229. Have options for the medium and medium hard compounds as well. There's also a $60 Visa card rebate/gift if 4 qualifying Yokohama tires are purchased before April 30th which the AD08 and A048 qualify for, not the AD07.

Pro's of the AD07 is that it will be better in the rain since it has rain grooves. Its the factory size, I was fairly happy with its performance, has low rolling resistance and a small footprint so I can get maximum range out of the car , I also get a good feel of the road with the 175 size. Cons is that now that I have Nitron shocks/springs I have more understeer in the front which which the small foot print does not address.

Pro's of the A048 is that its stickier than the stock AD07 and wider so that should help address the understeer that I have from the Nitrons. Cons would be that there's no grove in the middle to channel the water accumulated on the Road, so for my daily driver in the winter/raining days this isn't good. Its wider where I'll have a larger foot print and higher rolling resistance, so I'll have reduced range per charge. Also with the tire being wider in the front I may not get the same feel of the road that the 175's gave me. Also the mix of tire compounds between the rear AD08 and front A048 may cause issues, haven't found anyone running this combo when searching the web to get any idea if that will work or not. The Tire Rack says it should since its an LTS compound (Lotus spec). If someone has these tires on their Roadster possibly we could do a swap one day to see how they feel. Let me know if you're down for trying!

I looked at the R888's but looking at the reviews with street/track drivers it doesn't seem like the best compound for the street, takes some time to heat and stick and not that good when temps are cold not to mention driving though water with them. The compound will also wear down way faster in the rears as compared to the AD08's. AD08 has a 180 tread wear rating and the R888s a 100.

Another option would be running the Dunlop Direzza ZII in the 225/45-17 for the rear ($156)[treadwear of 200] and the Dunlop Direzza DZ102 in the 195/50-16 ($85)[treadwear of 460]. Possibly the tread compound is too hard up front for the Roadster to stick properly with the 460 treadwear rating.

I still have a month or so to decide, I'll keep researching to help finalize my decision. Right now it looks like the AD07 fronts and AD08 R rears.

 

[Doug_G]

You don't want to run the A048's in winter conditions. It will damage the compound. They're not designed for freezing temperatures.

 

[wiztecy]

You don't want to run the A048's in winter conditions. It will damage the compound. They're not designed for freezing temperatures.

Good point to note. Luckily I don't get that really here in central California. Appears that 14 degrees F is the cutoff as described on the Tire Rack description page for the A048:

"ADVAN A048 tires thus must be stored or used only at temperatures at or above 14°F (-10°C) to maintain performance characteristics and to avoid any damage to the tire or injury to persons or property."

 

[strider]

You don't want to run the A048's in winter conditions. It will damage the compound. They're not designed for freezing temperatures.

He's in the San Francisco Bay Area. Freezing temps? What are those?

I'm struggling w/ what to run on the front too. I'm thinking Continental ContiSportContact 2. They have a UTQG of 280 AA A and are offered in the 195/50-16 size. I'm running MPSS's in the rear and they have a 300 treadwear so pretty closely matched.

 

[wiztecy]

He's in the San Francisco Bay Area. Freezing temps? What are those?

I'm thinking Continental ContiSportContact 2. They have a UTQG of 280 AA A and are offered in the 195/50-16 size. I'm running MPSS's in the rear and they have a 300 treadwear so pretty closely matched.

I take it you won't be taking the Roadster hard through turns with the 280/300 treadwear rating but doing mostly highway driving. Sucks tires don't have gov't tests on how well they tack on dry tarmac, its when their only on wet. A higher treadwear typically indicates a harder compound and less traction on the road.

For myself, I need to stay with something that holds to the road well. The rear AD08's have a 180 treadwear and I can't complain with the life I pulled out of them. They stick rather well when I push it hard in turns which I do every day over HWY 17, also the stickier the tire the faster you'll be able to brake / decelerate. And on 17, there always can be a crash awaiting for me around any corner. I actually wouldn't mind going a little lower too in tread wear / stickier but worried if I go higher I'm messing with the friction dynamics Lotus designed the Elise for. The LTS compound is already a harder compound (similar to the MH compound) designed for the track/street as compared to the M compound, at least for the A048. Also LTS is lighter since it has a nylon as apposed to polyester sidewall.

So again its all pointing back still to the stupid AD07 fronts for me. I think I'll just have to dial in more camber in the front to address the understeer.

 

[strider]

Yes, my commute is up and down the Peninsula on 101. Only curves I get are on/off ramps.

I'm currently running Toyo Proxes 4's with a 300 treadwear. I do get a ton of understeer that I would like to eliminate but am too cheap to buy adjustable suspension. They seem to be in the sweet spot for treadwear but I just hated how they drove. They just weren't speaking my language if you know what I mean. There doesn't seem to be anything stickier than the AD07's that will work in the wet. So the Conti's should be a little grippier than the Toyo's. Also thought about running R888's and keeping the Toyo's for the winter.

 

[supersnoop]

Just want to add my experience to the mix. I bought my Roadster 1.5 less than a month ago, and it came with a strange set of tires installed. I've got the A048's in 195/50-16 up front, but Kumho Ecsta ASX's (225/45-17) in the rear. While the fronts have a treadwear rating of 80, the rear is 420. Despite the huge difference, I have no problems with the traction control. I have noticed a small amount of oversteer, but I attribute that to the harder compound on the rear slipping.