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Model 3 rim protection
- Thread starter jfabula
- Start date
Cars these days are a zero contact sport. You touch them to anything, and you do damage. Not the way it was in distant past!
I have tried many rim protectors and none of them work. They actually do more damage than good because they get grim between the rim and protector and damage the paint. They also are likely to start falling out on their own and become a whip that beats the crap out of your car until it falls off completely. And then when you hit a curb, they just push right out of the way and your wheel still gets damaged.
The solution: Take extra caution so you don't hit anything. Use your mirrors tilted downward for reversing. Make sure you do square turns to give time for the rear wheels to clear curbs, and just go super slow around parking garage obstacle courses. If you can't do those things no matter how hard you try, get a good wheel repair guy on speed dial, but don't waste time on rim protector or fatter tires.
I have tried many rim protectors and none of them work. They actually do more damage than good because they get grim between the rim and protector and damage the paint. They also are likely to start falling out on their own and become a whip that beats the crap out of your car until it falls off completely. And then when you hit a curb, they just push right out of the way and your wheel still gets damaged.
The solution: Take extra caution so you don't hit anything. Use your mirrors tilted downward for reversing. Make sure you do square turns to give time for the rear wheels to clear curbs, and just go super slow around parking garage obstacle courses. If you can't do those things no matter how hard you try, get a good wheel repair guy on speed dial, but don't waste time on rim protector or fatter tires.
Such alloygator type protector did damage a 21"tyre of my previous P85+.
When having them removed the rims got damages.
When having them removed the rims got damages.
M109Rider
Active Member
When I bought my Tesla, I thought for sure all you guys that scratched your rims, just didn’t drive well as a result.
Now that I have scratched 3 of the 4 rims, I will apologize to you all.
My wife scratched the last rim, and part of the quarter panel, but I try to put that one out of my mind ...
Now that I have scratched 3 of the 4 rims, I will apologize to you all.
My wife scratched the last rim, and part of the quarter panel, but I try to put that one out of my mind ...
TydalForce
Member
I have a bad history with tires and rims so I picked up these:
Wheel Bands
They weren't too hard to install, and I like the look ( I got black track with white bands). They've been on pretty solid for about 2 months now, no problems. I do notice some grime accumulating around them when I clean.
I have not yet had an opportunity to "test" them by driving into something. I'm trying real hard to treat this car better than my old Impreza.
Wheel Bands
They weren't too hard to install, and I like the look ( I got black track with white bands). They've been on pretty solid for about 2 months now, no problems. I do notice some grime accumulating around them when I clean.
I have not yet had an opportunity to "test" them by driving into something. I'm trying real hard to treat this car better than my old Impreza.
That's the first one I tried. Not good!
Just wait until you hit something, even slightly. They will get damaged on the slightest impact, and they are a ROYAL pain to take off with the tape residue and then costly to replace.
Wider tires, it will hurt range a little bit but better than damaged rims IMO. This paired with smart driving. There are a dozen or so Tesla's at my work, everyone but ours has a damaged rim. Guess who doesn't have factory tires?
I think a better personal examples of this is my friends Chrysler 200. Much like the Tesla, on the factory tires they curbed every single wheel. They finally upgraded to a wider tire and haven't had an issue since. Only change there was the tire and nothing in drive habit.
I think a better personal examples of this is my friends Chrysler 200. Much like the Tesla, on the factory tires they curbed every single wheel. They finally upgraded to a wider tire and haven't had an issue since. Only change there was the tire and nothing in drive habit.
ah okay I had been looking at those
still too pricey for me really, they just bands lol
Since scraping the rims can happen often depending on how often and where you drive, I wanted something good, but easy to replace and affordable to replace when a scrape happens
RedModel3
Member
LOL! Who here HASN'T scratched a rim? If you haven't, you just haven't YET. I think we could all start local meetup groups just to help each other repair our rims.
TydalForce
Member
Oof. Well, they're staying on until it's an issue! Hah. Hopefully, if I need them, I'll have better luck than you. Fortunately, I like the way they look at least
I can't speak from experience as I have never scraped a rim (although you will see me parked a mile from the curb and my wife laughing at me...). I can think of only one solution for you:
Those rim guards will be fine until you hit a curb. When you do hit a curb, you will find yourself going through a lot of trouble to remove all of them when you see the rim protector easily yielded and your rim got damaged anyway. That little strip of double sided tape holding on the thin plastic strip has zero ability to fight the forces of a 3-4k pound car hitting a curb. The tape will rip easily, like tape. Buying another set for $100+ won’t seem like a good idea to replace one since it didn’t do anything to help.
If you like the way it looks, it would be a lot better to use pin striping tape or paint than these rim guards.
All rim guards are basically a money grab by vendors that saw an opportunity to make money off the situation. The ones that hook into the tire/rim gap are even worse than the ones you bought, but much easier to remove and throw in the trash.
I was just so peeved this week, when I discovered a significant phantom rash on 1 of my wheel.
And the thing is, I'm probably at 90th percentile of driving population in terms of curb-awareness. I rarely parallel park, and when I do I give generous berth. If I smacked something, atleast I could blame myself. This time, I honestly have no idea when it happened.
They are 20"s.
Honestly, the only thing to do is either get wider tires, or tires that by design have an extra bit of lip for protection. And also downsize the wheel to get more sidewall. Some curbs are short, or short and sloped, so it helps there. It also allows you to more safely ride up and down small curbs (a necessity sometimes in europe -- though i dont practice it). Lots of other benefits to downsizing from 20 or 19 as well
And the thing is, I'm probably at 90th percentile of driving population in terms of curb-awareness. I rarely parallel park, and when I do I give generous berth. If I smacked something, atleast I could blame myself. This time, I honestly have no idea when it happened.
They are 20"s.
Honestly, the only thing to do is either get wider tires, or tires that by design have an extra bit of lip for protection. And also downsize the wheel to get more sidewall. Some curbs are short, or short and sloped, so it helps there. It also allows you to more safely ride up and down small curbs (a necessity sometimes in europe -- though i dont practice it). Lots of other benefits to downsizing from 20 or 19 as well
Wider tires will help on the most minor curb hits. Anything hard is still going to damage the rim. And if your tires still have 2-4 years of life left, spending $1000 for new tires and install could buy you about 10 repairs from a mobile wheel repair service. Doesn’t make sense.
New wheels and tires to reduce curb rash could buy you 20 to 30 repairs. Why would anyone do that?
New wheels and tires to reduce curb rash could buy you 20 to 30 repairs. Why would anyone do that?
upkerry14
Member
If you're gonna hit the rims anyway this cheaper version might do just as well? $199.00 for some plastic? Seems like a rip off. https://www.amazon.com/Cowles-Produ...ords=rim+protectors+car&qid=1584902812&sr=8-2
This will sound like a testimonial, and perhaps it is:
AlloyGator Alloy Wheel Protection - Protect Your Rims From Scratches
I had these installed by:
First Impression Premier - Sarasota Clear Bra and Paint Protection Specialist
I had them on my P85DL and they lasted four years with zero problem. I put them on my P3D+ which was in a serious accident a few days after delivery. The Alloy Gators survived although the car had major surgery required.
Thye are not cheap, but they work exactly as designed and do not every come off, not even when another car makes a direct hit on the wheels. In my case the tires were destroyed and there was wheel damage. Still there was no rim rash and the Alloy Gators helped prevent and even worse outcome.
They are not cheap, but they do do the job well.
Sorry, I have no accessible photos.
AlloyGator Alloy Wheel Protection - Protect Your Rims From Scratches
I had these installed by:
First Impression Premier - Sarasota Clear Bra and Paint Protection Specialist
I had them on my P85DL and they lasted four years with zero problem. I put them on my P3D+ which was in a serious accident a few days after delivery. The Alloy Gators survived although the car had major surgery required.
Thye are not cheap, but they work exactly as designed and do not every come off, not even when another car makes a direct hit on the wheels. In my case the tires were destroyed and there was wheel damage. Still there was no rim rash and the Alloy Gators helped prevent and even worse outcome.
They are not cheap, but they do do the job well.
Sorry, I have no accessible photos.
upkerry14
Member
Garlan Garner
Banned
My alloygators worked perfectly.
Keep in mind that you have to remove ALL of the air out of the tire before removing the alloygators....otherwise you will tear up your tires and rims getting those things out of there.
Here is a pic of my Alloygators on my P3D+. ( almost invisible ). Over 1 year old.
