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anyone traded from 21" to 19" ?
- Thread starter evo9rs
- Start date
I drove on 21" rims that came with my P85 for about 6 years until one of the rims cracked. Went to 19" rims and never looked back. If it's your commuter car, 19" rims with high performance all season tires will do really well too. Can still have plenty of fun with acceleration.
More comfort and much cheaper. You don't want a 21 crack in the middle of the desert.
Yes 19 inch will give you the most range. I had two Model S with 19 inch and drive several loaners with 21 inch. The difference isn't huge but I know I would have had more flats and probably also cracked rims had I used 21 all those years.
Kdewalt10
Member
Just wanted to chime in and remind people that the OEM Model X 20” slipstreams fit perfectly without spacers or modifications. There’s a big 8+ page thread you can dig up about all of us who have done it. I liked it so much I’m now on the hunt for all 4 MX “fronts” to build a square set of them
(I kept the stock 19’s and now use them with blizzaks for winter.)
I’m surprised you have rode around on those huge 21’s so long and haven’t had any issues…that’s risky (at least where I live it would be)
(I kept the stock 19’s and now use them with blizzaks for winter.)
I’m surprised you have rode around on those huge 21’s so long and haven’t had any issues…that’s risky (at least where I live it would be)
Same with our P85, except we only made it maybe 3 years before a 21" rim cracked. Downsized to 19" after that and never looked back.
Our M3P came with similar rubberband-thin tires on 20" wheels (235/35R20). I immediately downsized it to 18" wheels, with my wife's full agreement that it needed to be done.
I've also swapped a past car between 18" summer and 17" winter wheels. Summer vs snow tires is a dramatic difference of course.
For handling feel and grip, it's really the tire that is key in my experience. If you put some crappy OEM allseason on the smaller wheels then for sure it'll handle worse compared to good summer performance tires. Even a mediocre summer performance tire is a pretty obvious downgrade from the best ones, if you're in tune with a car's handling and push it to its limits.
When we downsized our P85 from 245/35R21 to 245/45R19, the summer performance tire model we'd been using in 21" wasn't available in the new size, so I went with a lesser rated tire from the same exact category...and we did lose some grip and handling feel. Wasn't dramatic, the change was certainly worthwhile overall, but the tire model made a difference.
On the flip side, for our M3P's downsizing from 235/35R20 to 245/45R18, I put a better rated summer performance tire of the same category, and it actually *gained* grip and didn't lose any handling precision at all that I could detect! It even seemed to react better in quick back-and-forth slalom style situations, probably thanks to the much lighter wheels.
So that's why I say it mostly comes down to the tire. I don't think there is any inherit downside to having some extra sidewall, so long as the tire is good and the wheels clear the brakes.
Kdewalt10
Member
@evo9rs I went conservative with 245/40/20 fronts and 275/40/20 rears. If you went with a lower profile you could maaayyyybe fit 255/30/20’s or 255/35/20’s but I’m not 100% sure because they might rub. On the big thread from here where I got the idea to use these Model X rims, lots of people used all different sizes but some had slight rubbing.
If you try either of those sizes let me know if they fit/rub when you are in reverse because I might consider that for my next set
If you try either of those sizes let me know if they fit/rub when you are in reverse because I might consider that for my next set
On my 2020, I just went from staggered 21s to staggered 19s and what a difference! So much more comfortable, more range... I went with Pilot Sport A/S and I haven't noticed much of any decrease in handling either. Very happy with the switch.
Only complaint is that there's a bit more wheel gap, but it's a small price to pay.
Only complaint is that there's a bit more wheel gap, but it's a small price to pay.
so there is the 20" slipstream which is a pretty fruitful stream of wheels available. and then I found this:
MSLR, 19" Staggered, 255/45R19 F + 285/40R19 R
question - does this setup work on OG Model S? I have a P85+, ideally trade my 21" satin black turbines. does this need something like spacers to fit?
MSLR, 19" Staggered, 255/45R19 F + 285/40R19 R
question - does this setup work on OG Model S? I have a P85+, ideally trade my 21" satin black turbines. does this need something like spacers to fit?
Kdewalt10
Member
Kdewalt10
Member
Kdewalt10
Member
Yeah, I’m sorry I mistakingly thought you meant with the 20’s. You should be good with the 19’s except for if you’re trying the Tempest’s most recent version because those are 9.5 wide I think? So be careful with those but any others are only 9” wide so that should be all gravy baby
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