Aftermarket wheel questions.

[CurrentRide]

I am in the market for a new Tesla, and once again have been sucked into doing excessive internet research before the big purchase.

I like the appearance of 21 inch wheels better but understand that the calculus needs to include substantially increased tire replacement costs. 19 inch wheels also supposedly ride better.

However, it is possible to find affordable and attractive 20 inch aftermarket rims. From what I have been able to gather, tire costs are only a little bit more expensive at 245/40/20 than for 245/45/19, before jumping up a lot at the next size level up. I am not sure about wear rates or ride quality, but 20 inch wheels may be a sweet compromise:

Gianelle Yerevan 20x8.5 Black Mach Chrome Lip High Offset

I would love to hear from anybody who has tried multiple wheel sizes and has insight into differences in ride quality, wear rates, and economics. What offset would be acceptable?

 

[SherSlick]

So as with most things you get what you pay for. One of the main reasons OEM wheels are so much more expensive is because they are built to take a beating and usually break well before getting them out of round. Meanwhile aftermarket wheels that are less expensive are generally easier to bend and a lot of time are not built for the weight of the vehicle (remember the Tesla is 2+ tons).

As for tires and wear its all down to how the manufacture builds them. A few years back you would only see high performance tires in the 20" size, but now that it's a common OEM fitment you can get various all-seasons that will have longer wear instead of eyeball warping grip.

Where ride quality is concerned as you trade sidewall for wheel you will progress towards a rougher ride. Also the additional wheel weight will require more energy to rotate. Just ask anyone with the factory 19"s vs the factory 21"s how much range they lose. All of this of course is based on keeping the final rollout (total outside diameter) the same for each tire/wheel configuration.

So what does this all mean? If you like the looks of the wheels, great. You can even pay less for sets of tires, but beware the hidden costs of cheap wheels.

 

[CurrentRide]

Maybe it is pinching pennies to go cheap on a set of rims for a 100K car, but Gianelle is made by Giovanna, who is a well established wheel manufacturer. Have you ever seen a wheel bend out of true in the absence of an accident?

Regardless, will probably order my new Tesla with 19 inch rims, with the cost savings available to pay for other options!

 

[yobigd20]

Have you ever seen a wheel bend out of true in the absence of an accident?

yep, they bend on nasty potholes.

 

[SherSlick]

Have you ever seen a wheel bend out of true in the absence of an accident?

I have seen wheels bend out of true without an accident. The difference is generally cast vs forged. Plus the different name is likely to define the value brand so there is differentiation in the quality.

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=90

Still I can see the value in having a different size to offset tire cost, but just don't forget to consider all the costs in the total ROI. Such as the cost of repair for a wheel that has a far different offset from a factory wheel. Tesla is known for having designed a 0 degree scrub radius in their suspension to give better handling, the wrong wheel offset would upset this configuration.

 

[Bulletproof]

That's so true. For instance, when we teamed up with BBS to design our own wheel, we asked them for something that can take up to twice the weight of the vehicle. With a redesigned and recentered mass, the wheel is truly the best 21" you can get for a Model S. You pay what you get for, either a template used for many situations, or the right wheel designed for your a specific situation.

 

[vitaliy]

Meanwhile aftermarket wheels that are less expensive are generally easier to bend and a lot of time are not built for the weight of the vehicle (remember the Tesla is 2+ tons).

Has anyone used 19" turbine wheels from TSportline? TST Tesla Aftermarket Wheel 19x8.5
Those look great, but I'm just wondering about quality for a 2+ ton Tesla? And if it is possible to remove wheel cap with logo?

 

[SherSlick]

Has anyone used 19" turbine wheels from TSportline?

Personally I have been curious about these as well. If they really are low pressure cast and tested to SAE J2530 then they should be at least decent from a structural standpoint. Basically good for daily driving, but wouldn't use them on a cop car or for the track.

Considering they at least had the Tesla in mind when making them I figure they should have the proper offset/hub size/etc as well.

 

[aus]

What ever wheel you buys, make sure it's JWL or TUV certified for the weight of the car you're buying them for.
Also, stick with proper wheel companies. Avoid the Bling wheel companies at all cost.
.

 

[tomas]

I am in the market for a new Tesla, and once again have been sucked into doing excessive internet research before the big purchase.

I like the appearance of 21 inch wheels better but understand that the calculus needs to include substantially increased tire replacement costs. 19 inch wheels also supposedly ride better.

However, it is possible to find affordable and attractive 20 inch aftermarket rims. From what I have been able to gather, tire costs are only a little bit more expensive at 245/40/20 than for 245/45/19, before jumping up a lot at the next size level up. I am not sure about wear rates or ride quality, but 20 inch wheels may be a sweet compromise:

Gianelle Yerevan 20x8.5 Black Mach Chrome Lip High Offset

I would love to hear from anybody who has tried multiple wheel sizes and has insight into differences in ride quality, wear rates, and economics. What offset would be acceptable?

i have replaced stock 21s with 20s. To me, best of both worlds. Lo profile looks with durability.
Talk to tire rack or other reputable seller about offsets etc. they have shoed a lot of teslas.

 

[CurrentRide]

yep, they bend on nasty potholes.

Any wheel (cast or forged) could bend if you hit it hard. Probably more likely to damage a larger rim which has less tire available to deform and absorb the force.

 

[SherSlick]

Any wheel (cast or forged) could bend if you hit it hard. Probably more likely to damage a larger rim which has less tire available to deform and absorb the force.

True. But it's orders of magnitude more force to bend a forged wheel.

 

[slevit1md]

Has anyone used 19" turbine wheels from TSportline? TST Tesla Aftermarket Wheel 19x8.5
Those look great, but I'm just wondering about quality for a 2+ ton Tesla? And if it is possible to remove wheel cap with logo?

These are exactly what I plan on getting and I'd love to hear feedback from people who have them. I love the look of this wheel and color on the Tesla, but didn't want to pay the price, lose the range, and have to change tires so frequently with Tesla's 21" option. A set of these is even cheaper than upgrading to Tesla's 19" version, which is still a noticeably different design and not available in the gray color.

 

[JMG]

There are plenty of threads on the Tsportlines. I have the silvers on mine and have no complaints. The only thing is my front left tire rubs slightly when backing out and turning the wheel sharply. Should be an easy fix. They do sit slightly farther out than the factory wheels, which I kind of like because it fills out the wheel well just a tad more.

 

[aus]

Please get a quality wheel like BBS.

http://www.tirerack.com/wheels/Whee...toModel=Model+S&autoYear=2015&autoModClar=70D

.

 

[gnelson]

I just completed a ~ 6k mi road trip. I think I have achieved good energy consumption values with my 21 in wheels. the trip was out west with 75 mph and 80 mph speed limits in some states.

 

[CurrentRide]

Pretty wheels. Thing is, high quality forged wheels are often double or triple (or more) the cost of cast wheels and don't really look any nicer. If the cast wheel bends on a pot hole, you still come out ahead even with replacement costs.
I like the tsw nurburgring below.

 

[jlucero]

View attachment 85218

I just completed a ~ 6k mi road trip. I think I have achieved good energy consumption values with my 21 in wheels. the trip was out west with 75 mph and 80 mph speed limits in some states.

wow, that is impressive...we plan on a Tx to CA roadtrip, but im scared of driving on 21's the whole way there...if i hit a pothole or nail, im screwed since it will be tough to replace those tires? was the ride smooth?

 

[gnelson]

wow, that is impressive...we plan on a Tx to CA roadtrip, but im scared of driving on 21's the whole way there...if i hit a pothole or nail, im screwed since it will be tough to replace those tires? was the ride smooth?

The P85+ is a fantastic road car. The ride is smooth. I have ~ 15k mi on my current set of tires. You can always get replacement tires at service centers if you want OEM tires. I prefer my Pilot Super Sport tires to the original Pilot Sport 2.