Martian Wheels MW03

[zrzrzrzr]

All 4 wheels finally arrived safely today.
View attachment 562515
W1. Well packaged.

View attachment 562516
W2. TPMS Installed.

View attachment 562517
W3. Label & Engraving

View attachment 562518
W4. Won't be mounted for a while.

I want to put one on the car (Model 3 Performance with big Brembo Brakes) to check clearances. Which would be worst case... front or rear?

View attachment 562519
W5. Included metal MW center caps, plastic lug nut covers, and a nice microfiber towel.

I requested Tesla center caps, but they sent MW, which look to be high quality, machined from an aluminum billet with a green rubber? O-ring to hold them in.

I didn't get a towel

 

[TonyJag]

The issue as explained to me is related to this:

You need a lot of volume of air to seat the bead, and if it's all escaping through the knurling faster than you can put it in then you won't succeed.

Don't they still use pneumatic bead expanders that wrap around the outside? Perhaps they don't work well with radials.

 

[UWGorilla]

Are they allowed to send Tesla caps? Figured that would be a trademark issue.

This is the reason why they swapped to MW caps but they had a few leftover as they sent sets my way.

 

[zrzrzrzr]

But what makes this setup troublesome? As a tire shop, do they encounter this issue often? Or are there certain variables that cause this. I’m just trying to understand the situation to learn more about it.

Just noticed that the knurling is different from the first batch and second batch that got sent out.
TexasTeslaRacing (vertical lines)

TonyJag (Diagonal Lines)

 

[zrzrzrzr]

Good News - They were able to get the last tire on. They bumped the pressure up to 95 psi and finally got it on.

Bad News - My 21mm socket is too big for the Martian Wheels. What are you guys using to install lug nuts on these?

I did install two of them just to snap a before and after pic though.

 

[TonyJag]

.....

Bad News - My 21mm socket is too big for the Martian Wheels. What are you guys using to install lug nuts on these?

I am so glad that you brought this up! The 21/22 mm socket that came with my Modern Spare kit won't fit either, because the 22mm end is a bit too big. It barely fits in the stock 20" wheels. All the more reason to use a ratcheting torque wrench to replace both the lug and jack wrenches. The Modern Spare jack didn't work out either. I am doing a story on Modern Spare in another thread and will bring this up.

You must have a thick-walled socket, perhaps impact (black). A deep impact 21mm socket as well as an Astro 21mm socket fit easily in the Martian wheel. The Astro is part of a set of impact sockets with shallow broach and plastic sleeves to protect the wheel and studs. The 21mm, and maybe the 19mm (if I want to use the Modern Spare lug nuts), will henceforth travel in the Tesla.
Astro Pneumatic 7835 5 piece Impact Socket Set Protective Sleeve

 

[zrzrzrzr]

I am so glad that you brought this up! The 21/22 mm socket that came with my Modern Spare kit won't fit either, because the 22mm end is a bit too big. It barely fits in the stock 20" wheels. All the more reason to use a ratcheting torque wrench to replace both the lug and jack wrenches. The Modern Spare jack didn't work out either. I am doing a story on Modern Spare in another thread and will bring this up.

You must have a thick-walled socket, perhaps impact (black). A deep impact 21mm socket as well as an Astro 21mm socket fit easily in the Martian wheel. The Astro is part of a set of impact sockets with shallow broach and plastic sleeves to protect the wheel and studs. It will henceforth travel in the Tesla.

I linked the socket I have in my post, it's the CRAFTSMAN Deep Impact Socket, Metric, 1/2-Inch Drive, 21mm (CMMT16081). I'll go shop around locally to find one with a smaller OD.

 

[TonyJag]

I linked the socket I have in my post, it's the CRAFTSMAN Deep Impact Socket, Metric, 1/2-Inch Drive, 21mm (CMMT16081). I'll go shop around locally to find one with a smaller OD.

Good. Take a look at the Astro set I mentioned above.

 

[TexasTeslaRacing]

Good News - They were able to get the last tire on. They bumped the pressure up to 95 psi and finally got it on.

Bad News - My 21mm socket is too big for the Martian Wheels. What are you guys using to install lug nuts on these?

I did install two of them just to snap a before and after pic though.

View attachment 562605 View attachment 562606

3/16"" deep socket works better than 21mm IMO. Slightly smaller than 21mm

 

[TonyJag]

3/16"" deep socket works better than 21mm IMO. Slightly smaller than 21mm

You meant 13/16", right? That's 20.6375 mm.

 

[TexasTeslaRacing]

You meant 13/16", right? That's 20.6375 mm.

Yes, my fat fingers. 13/16

 

[zrzrzrzr]

Yes, my fat fingers. 13/16

Thanks. Any particular brand you recommend that works? The Craftsmen works fine for the stock wheels, just not the Martians.

 

[Viper GTS]

Spline drive lug nuts are your friend when it comes to not marring up your new wheels.

McGard Spline Drive Lug Nuts 65310BK

That's the part I used. The base (silver part) is a separate piece that stops turning once it makes contact with the wheel. That combined with spline drive makes them mandatory for every set of wheels I actually care about.

 

[Danny Brown]

I just got my wheels (18x8.5) on Wednesday. They also have the angled knurling.

I’m dropping them off momentarily to have the tires mounted.

 

[srk67]

Has anyone tested 255/35/19 tires on the 8.5 width rim?

 

[dsgerbc]

Spline drive lug nuts are your friend when it comes to not marring up your new wheels.

McGard Spline Drive Lug Nuts 65310BK

That's the part I used. The base (silver part) is a separate piece that stops turning once it makes contact with the wheel. That combined with spline drive makes them mandatory for every set of wheels I actually care about.

While I have a few sets of these, I must warn everyone. NEVER EVER apply any kind of power tool to these. Not even to partially tighten them. The edges of the splines get damaged, and then rust starts, making these look like *sugar*. Tighten/remove by hand only.

 

[Viper GTS]

While I have a few sets of these, I must warn everyone. NEVER EVER apply any kind of power tool to these. Not even to partially tighten them. The edges of the splines get damaged, and then rust starts, making these look like *sugar*. Tighten/remove by hand only.

This is absolutely true. I have generally been lazy and figured if they ever bothered me I'd just replace them. But they do not like impacts. To be fair to McGard, they are quite clear about this. But they are not kidding.

 

[Sam1]

I just got my wheels (18x8.5) on Wednesday. They also have the angled knurling. View attachment 562768

I’m dropping them off momentarily to have the tires mounted.

Wonder why the angle? Would it be that it holds on better during cornering over the straight lines?

 

[TonyJag]

Wonder why the angle? Would it be that it holds on better during cornering over the straight lines?

Maybe they are less likely to leak than those which have open valleys straight across the bead.

 

[bvend]

Got my wheels Wednesday and here they are mounted. 18x7.5 (17.3lbs) perfect condition and I got a towel. Used my original tires Look even better in person Model 3 Stealth. I painted the calipers