Definitive Rim & Tire size for the Y!

[gadgetfreaky]

Hi, i've been trying to figure it out for a few days now read thru so many posts. Is there a definitive Rim & tire size guide including what weight load specs we should be looking for?

I want the most comfortable, long range, quiet ride but also want a good looking car.

I just got the Long Range Y on friday with the 19" Gemini. I think i'm sticking iwth the 19" as I wan tthe most range, comfortable ride.

1. What size rim for 19" that would look good but also help from curbing rims? Some have said 8.5 or 9"? I don't understand offset, but what offset should it be?

2.For Tire size, what's best? all 4 same? or "stagger" what's pros/cons?

3. If I upgrade the suspension to the ohlins and drop the car 1", does it make a difference in rim/tire size choice?

thank you so much! it's all a bit confusing

 

[gadgetfreaky]

Also, what about weight? flow formed or forged rims? Does it make a difference?

 

[gadgetfreaky]

would love some feedback on this?

 

[jcanoe]

Start by referencing the Tesla Model Y Owner's Manual specifications, page 182. The Gross Axle Weight Rating, Front/Rear weight distribution informs that the rear wheels, tires of the Model Y carry more of the weight of the Model Y. https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_y_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf

Tesla specifies the tire Load Rating as Extra Load = XL: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlNH13YfN8QIVp3RvBB04UQuaEAAYASAAEgIpV_D_BwE&techid=55&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMIlNH13YfN8QIVp3RvBB04UQuaEAAYASAAEgIpV_D_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!354820920374!b!!g!!tire load range chart&gclsrc=aw.ds

The Load Index indicates the minimum rating for the tires. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInc2vxYfN8QIV73NvBB1dowOlEAAYASAAEgJefPD_BwE&techid=35&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMInc2vxYfN8QIV73NvBB1dowOlEAAYASAAEgJefPD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!3756!3!354820920365!e!!g!!load index&gclsrc=aw.ds

Go to the Tire Rack site and look up tires for the Long Range Model Y, 19" and 20" wheels, you will see the 19" tires and 20" tires each have a different Load Index. Also, the Performance Model Y uses staggered 21" wheels (the rear wheels/tires are wider than the front wheels/tires.) The Load Index is not the same when you have staggered wheels.

The tire speed rating should be followed for best handling and safety based on the top speed of the vehicle. The exception would be winter tires, snow tires. You won't find winter tires with the same speed rating as the performance tires, grand touring tires, all-season tires, all weather tires.

 

[jcanoe]

TSportline has a page that details the specs of the factory wheels, tires for the Model Y; TSportline sells aftermarket wheels.
The Tesla Model Y Wheel Guide

 

[jcanoe]

Tire Rack has a page that provides an overview of Wheel Offset: https://www.tirerack.com/wheels/tec...76259!e!!g!!what is wheel offset&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[jcanoe]

Finally, if you are considering different size tires for your Model Y this Tire Size Comparison page may help: Tire Size Comparison

 

[Trip McNealy]

Go to the Tire Rack site and look up tires for the Long Range Model Y, 19" and 20" wheels, you will see the 19" tires and 20" tires each have a different Load Index. Also, the Performance Model Y uses staggered 21" wheels (the rear wheels/tires are wider than the front wheels/tires.) The Load Index is not the same when you have staggered wheels.

On that note, what if one were to get 21" wheels for the Long Range model? Would we still have to get staggered wheel sets? If you tell me it's not worth it and/or the LR will waste power or not have enough juice to drive 21" wheels that's fine too

 

[jcanoe]

On that note, what if one were to get 21" wheels for the Long Range model? Would we still have to get staggered wheel sets? If you tell me it's not worth it and/or the LR will waste power or not have enough juice to drive 21" wheels that's fine too

Long Range Model Y owners have installed 21" wheels, they don't have to be the Tesla 21" Uberturbine wheels. If you do "square up" a set of 21" Uberturbine wheels they need to be the rear wheels. The front wheels, tires do not have sufficient load index rating for use at the rear of the Model Y. You might like the look of 21" wheels. In addition to the way the staggered 21" Uberturbine wheels look another reason Tesla chose staggered 21" wheels on the Performance Model Y is that the front wheels are not as heavy, the efficiency hit is not as much as if all 4 wheels were the rear 21" wheels.

 

[DayTrippin]

Based on the first line of your criteria, stay away from the 21's. I had a lot of the same criteria as you. So I bought the MY LR with 19's. The stock tires aren't bad so far. They have been pretty quiet on my roads and the ride comfort is far better than the MYP I had on order with the staggered 21's and their supposed sport suspension.

I'll likely go with different rims to save weight as the Geminis are about 30 pounds. I am looking for something around 21-22 pounds. I'll go with a 19x8.5 rim to give a bit more curb protection for when my wife drives. Once the stock tires wear out, I'll look see if anything better is out there. I tow so weight capacity for tires and wheel are something I am tracking closely.

If I can save 8-9 pounds per wheel, I am definitely upgrading to something lighter and that looks better as long as I am not spending 4k or so for a set. It will give me better acceleration and ride quality. I see no benefit in going to 20's for my usage. I thought about going to 18's at one point as some very significant weight savings but I think they look a bit too small on the MY. Bigger is not always better in tire sizes.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

I'm going with 20" rims, probably going to go with Goodyear

 

[Ezmendriz]

Some folks are using 18x8.5 M3 ones although they did not have the required load rating.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

finally buying some rims as I get my ohlin coil overs installed. lowering it 1/2" but still after all this research just confused on rim size. I think I want 20" but do I get 9 or 9.5? or 10? what offset ? I want them to be flush with the car. i'm going comfort, then range, then looks, then perofrmance as priority. I also don't want curb rashes easily.

can anyone help? I think I'm going with these vossen HF-3 Introducing the Vossen HF-3 Wheel I have a white Y, so either satin black or carbon or tinted black

 

[avs007]

finally buying some rims as I get my ohlin coil overs installed. lowering it 1/2" but still after all this research just confused on rim size. I think I want 20" but do I get 9 or 9.5? or 10? what offset ? I want them to be flush with the car. i'm going comfort, then range, then looks, then perofrmance as priority. I also don't want curb rashes easily.

can anyone help? I think I'm going with these vossen HF-3 Introducing the Vossen HF-3 Wheel I have a white Y, so either satin black or carbon or tinted black

Are you doing a square or staggered setup? If you are going square, I'd probably go with a 9" wheel with 255/45-20. You'll get more rim protection then with a 9.5" or 10" wheel, and the extra sidewall should help with comfort. I know I'll be getting 255/45-20 when my goodyears wear out. Not sure about what offsets you should get... When I got my 2 piece forged wheels for my other car, the wheel shop helped me with offsets so that they sat flush with my car.

 

[Noflash]

I want the most comfortable, long range, quiet ride but also want a good looking car.

...

I'm going with 20" rims, probably going to go with Goodyear

Well you got one of your wishes...

 

[gadgetfreaky]

Are you doing a square or staggered setup? If you are going square, I'd probably go with a 9" wheel with 255/45-20. You'll get more rim protection then with a 9.5" or 10" wheel, and the extra sidewall should help with comfort. I know I'll be getting 255/45-20 when my goodyears wear out. Not sure about what offsets you should get... When I got my 2 piece forged wheels for my other car, the wheel shop helped me with offsets so that they sat flush with my car.

I don't know on square vs. staggered. pros/cons? if staggered, what would be the right thing to do? isn't stock square setup for the 19" wheels 9.5"? why go more narrow?

 

[avs007]

I don't know on square vs. staggered. pros/cons? if staggered, what would be the right thing to do? isn't stock square setup for the 19" wheels 9.5"? why go more narrow?

Lol, I guess I should've just asked if you had a performance or not. I just wasn't sure what look you were going for... I'd just go for squared then, it's much simpler and less hassle... (I had a staggered setup before, it was always a PITA)

 

[804son]

finally buying some rims as I get my ohlin coil overs installed. lowering it 1/2" but still after all this research just confused on rim size. I think I want 20" but do I get 9 or 9.5? or 10? what offset ? I want them to be flush with the car. i'm going comfort, then range, then looks, then perofrmance as priority. I also don't want curb rashes easily.

can anyone help? I think I'm going with these vossen HF-3 Introducing the Vossen HF-3 Wheel I have a white Y, so either satin black or carbon or tinted black

If your priorities are comfort, range, looks, performance in that order. Then stay with the OEM stock 19". It's that easy.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

Lol, I guess I should've just asked if you had a performance or not. I just wasn't sure what look you were going for... I'd just go for squared then, it's much simpler and less hassle... (I had a staggered setup before, it was always a PITA)

I have the long range.. thanks, i think i'll stick with squared. i'm assuming PITA was rotating tires?

 

[avs007]

I have the long range.. thanks, i think i'll stick with squared. i'm assuming PITA was rotating tires?

A little bit of everything... The first staggered setup I had was directional, so you couldn't just swap side to side. If you wanted to rotate, you had to dismount the tire, flip the tire, then remount... Then you could swap side to side... I had to do that with my other car, becuase it had an aggressive camber from the factory... But at the end of the day, it turned out to be the Michelin Pilot Sport tires, at least that's what Discount Tire mentioned to me, as saying they had these issues with the first two generations of Pilot Sport A/S becuase of the tread compound used in the center being different than the shoulder, causing uneven wear if you had camber. They wore much more evenly with the latest gen Pilot Sport A/S.

The other issue, was stability control. Not sure if this will be an issue on the Y, but with my other car, it would wear the rear tires to the wear indicators by 20k miles, but the fronts still had around 8/32" at the same mileage. If I replaced the rears without the fronts, the stability control would freak out if I took sweeping curves faster than 30mph... Luckily in my case, Discount Tire let me pro-rate the treadwear warranty for my front tires (they said since I had certificates they wouldn't even question it), and I was able to replace all 4 at the same time... I have gone thru a couple sets this way, and this is what they did. But like I said, I don't know if the Y is as sensitive about this as my Infiniti was.. So that's why when I got the Y, I didn't want to bother with staggered anymore.