21" Turbine Wheel Exploded, Model S 85D

[Radsol]

Just wanting to vent a little. Rear driver side wheel exploded on me, they are 21" Turbine wheels.

Driving 65 mph on the freeway yesterday, no pot holes, bumps, or anything in the road that I hit, just spontaneously exploded as far as I can tell. Nothing in recent memory that I hit either. Felt it when it happened and then TPMS went off telling me to pull over.

Went to service and they want $1,200 for a new wheel plus install, the guy there said I had to have hit something and I agree it looks that way but really don't think I did.

How would there be no damage to the soft tire but the metal wheel completely explodes like that?

 

[airborne spoon]

Looks like you hit a rock. Mine looked almost exactly identical to that when i hit a rock a few years ago.

 

[PWlakewood]

Rubber is forgiving and wont necessarily show any signs that you ran something over. Looks to me like you hit a large object.

 

[cookie99]

Just wanting to vent a little. Rear driver side wheel exploded on me, they are 21" Turbine wheels.

Driving 65 mph on the freeway yesterday, no pot holes, bumps, or anything in the road that I hit, just spontaneously exploded as far as I can tell. Nothing in recent memory that I hit either. Felt it when it happened and then TPMS went off telling me to pull over.

Went to service and they want $1,200 for a new wheel plus install, the guy there said I had to have hit something and I agree it looks that way but really don't think I did.

How would there be no damage to the soft tire but the metal wheel completely explodes like that?

can confirm that is damage from running over something at high speeds. the 21" turbines are not a strong wheel and get destroyed all the time. also $1200 is robbery considering they are $1000 for a set of 4 used with no tires.. if they're putting on a new tire then... add $275 lol

 

[BigNick]

Check the Tesla Parts For Sale forum: Tesla Parts for Sale
There are people are selling full sets of new or lightly used Arachnids w/tires for about double what you'd pay for the replacement Turbine from Tesla. They're forged, so stronger than Turbines. Lighter too.

I usually run about 48 PSI on my Turbines (yeah, it makes the ride a bit rougher) to try and ward off this type of damage.

 

[Gadget-X]

Curious RadSol. Did you buy the car used? Are they the original wheels from the factory? It might not have been you hitting something, maybe someone else did and weaken that wheel. Glad you were not hurt.

M

 

[airborne spoon]

Fun fact, when i hit a rock my insurance covered the new rim. so i didn't pay a penny to get a new rim. it was a moving rock, so i tried to avoid it but failed and bam comprehensive claim and USAA for the win

 

[David.85D]

The metal pushed up like that is clear impact damage to me.

And it didn’t explode. Remarkable really. Held together and you remained in control.
That’s the best outcome for a bad situation.

 

[Radsol]

Thanks guys, will look into trying to replace the one wheel by getting something used to save money. My comprehensive deductible is $2,000 so no go there.

I agree I had to hit something at some point but was not obvious and was paying attention the whole time. Maybe it was delayed from an impact a month ago or something.

I only put about 2,000 miles on them but bought the set used with tires on craigslist for $500 in Cleveland, going to be hard to match that deal now it seems.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

I disagree with the other responses.

It very much appears to be a casting or fatigue flaw given the nature of the crack, and it's location. I cannot see how a road impact could penetrate that far into the wheel without leaving substantial damage or at least significant marks on the tire.

Do you have any friends with access to a college engineering department? A careful inspection of the crack surface (do NOT touch it--contamination!) should provide far more details on the nature of the crack, and how it was formed.

Please keep us posted.

Thx.

 

[Radsol]

I disagree with the other responses.

It very much appears to be a casting or fatigue flaw given the nature of the crack, and it's location. I cannot see how a road impact could penetrate that far into the wheel without leaving substantial damage or at least significant marks on the tire.

Do you have any friends with access to a college engineering department? A careful inspection of the crack surface (do NOT touch it--contamination!) should provide far more details on the nature of the crack, and how it was formed.

Please keep us posted.

Thx.

I thought the same thing that it could have been a casting flaw or some other defect as the rubber tire is completely fine and the metal wheel looks like something went through the tire and out the hole in the wheel. I don't think shooting it with a 50 caliber machine gun would even produce that kind of an exit wound lol.

The guy at Tesla said they had a model 3 with wheel damage in for repair that ran over a ladder on the highway, would have known if I did that. Looking at my wheel it looks like I ran over a softball sized rock and that seems hard to have happen to the rear tire, would think I'd hit it with the front tire first.

My brother is an engineer but not in school, not sure what I would accomplish though, can't see Tesla budging and giving me a $1,200 wheel for free.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Not sure how this could possibly be a manufacturing flaw. Your click bait title does not show anything exploding, but that the wheel was pierced by an object impacted at high speed.
Not something that was impacted some time ago and just showed up either.
Most likely road hazard.

 

[cookie99]

Check the Tesla Parts For Sale forum: Tesla Parts for Sale
There are people are selling full sets of new or lightly used Arachnids w/tires for about double what you'd pay for the replacement Turbine from Tesla. They're forged, so stronger than Turbines. Lighter too.

I usually run about 48 PSI on my Turbines (yeah, it makes the ride a bit rougher) to try and ward off this type of damage.

i bought arachnids, spent money to powdercoat them.. put them on for like 3 weeks, realized they are ugly compared to the turbines, put my turbines back on and sold the arachnids and lost alot of money.

 

[ucmndd]

I disagree with the other responses.

It very much appears to be a casting or fatigue flaw given the nature of the crack, and it's location. I cannot see how a road impact could penetrate that far into the wheel without leaving substantial damage or at least significant marks on the tire.

Do you have any friends with access to a college engineering department? A careful inspection of the crack surface (do NOT touch it--contamination!) should provide far more details on the nature of the crack, and how it was formed.

Please keep us posted.

Thx.

There is no earthly scenario where any casting or fatigue flaw in an alloy wheel results in that sort of damage from ~50 psi of pressure.

That’s an impact. No question.

 

[cookie99]

I disagree with the other responses.

It very much appears to be a casting or fatigue flaw given the nature of the crack, and it's location. I cannot see how a road impact could penetrate that far into the wheel without leaving substantial damage or at least significant marks on the tire.

Do you have any friends with access to a college engineering department? A careful inspection of the crack surface (do NOT touch it--contamination!) should provide far more details on the nature of the crack, and how it was formed.

Please keep us posted.

Thx.

i disagree with your dissagreement because i've seen a rim that the owner said he hit swerved to hit a rock only to hit the rear tire and the damage is almost exactly the same. the guy purchased one of my spare rims locally and showed me the picture.

also dont touch it? what do you think this is.. CSI miami? ENHANCE!

 

[BigNick]

i bought arachnids, spent money to powdercoat them.. put them on for like 3 weeks, realized they are ugly compared to the turbines, put my turbines back on and sold the arachnids and lost alot of money.

What color did you powder coat them and what color Tesla?

 

[klufkee]

@Radsol check out Wheelership for a replacement. I bent one slightly last year and also wasn't willing to give up 1200 clams for a replacement. Color is a dead on match, and having had both wheels off the car over the winter I actually could not tell you which was which.

Forgot to add the price, $250-ish per wheel.

Not sure if your setup is square or staggered. That link is direct to the wider 9 inch rear wheel.

Bill

 

[Radsol]

Thanks for the link Bill, that price at Wheelership is amazing! Hard to tell from the page if that is an aftermarket wheel or an OEM from Tesla but at that price I'm assuming it is aftermarket. I have 8.5" rims all around so square not staggered.

The wheels I have actually have a funny backstory and I had to have them all painted to fix some minor curb rash. The previous owner had his car stolen while in for service. Thieves rashed the wheels so Tesla gave him a new set and I bought his. The thieves got on the highway but due to service mode limiting their speed to 35 mph they were pulled over for going too slow and then arrested for stealing the car

 

[klufkee]

Ha! Sounds like I need to figure out how to enter service mode when I take the car to regular mechanics for annual state safety inspection. Even valet mode has too much power in my opinion.

I'm positive the wheels are aftermarket reproductions at that price. The one I bent is actually still serviceable so I put a good tire on it and keep it as a spare in the garage.

It's a good enough copy that I've thought more than once about just snagging three more to replace the others and not have any curb rash anymore.

 

[Radsol]

The guy I found near me repaired the rash and repainted the entire wheel for $55 each, they looked excellent. He does a lot or wheel repair work for all of the local dealerships in the Cleveland area.