Model Y AWD - puck size discrepancy

[metatr0nX81]

I swear a saw a post somewhere (here, FB, reddit) that said the puck holes for the jack points in the MY AWD (Austin build) are smaller in diameter than the rest. I didn't believe it and just bought the best reviewed set on Amazon - sure enough, they don't fit. I can get some calipers out and measure the difference, but it seems significant.

Has anyone else experienced this? Are there other pucks that someone could recommend? I can't believe that Tesla would switch up something like that...oh wait, yes I can

 

[Bytor1]

Yes, I have a MYAWD and can confirm the holes are smaller.

 

[Hippo25]

I just bought 4 hockey pucks from the sport store and used a rubber bumper screwed into each of the pucks. The bumper just help center the puck at the lifting point and doesn't hold the puck in the place. But works fine with a hand jack for rotating tires.

 

[Mike500]

Early Tesla models starting with the old Model S used a fiberglass reinforced nylon 6-6 adapter with a 20mm socket. Later models like the Model 3 introduced the dimple die stamped aluminum socket that increased the diameter to 25mm.

Most all late models use a 25mm socket. Almost every vendor of jacking pucks are made for the 25mm socket.

Starting with the 2023 model, my Model 3 came with the 20mm socket.

I have been making custom adapters for scissors jacks, Quick Jacks, Rennstands, aluminum jack stands and regular "u" top steel jack stands for the past 5 years. I had to modify and turn all of them down to 20mm. They now fit and steadily support and lock in and will not allow the car to slide off.

 

[metatr0nX81]

Early Tesla models starting with the old Model S used a fiberglass reinforced nylon 6-6 adapter with a 20mm socket. Later models like the Model 3 introduced the dimple die stamped aluminum socket that increased the diameter to 25mm.

Most all late models use a 25mm socket. Almost every vendor of jacking pucks are made for the 25mm socket.

Starting with the 2023 model, my Model 3 came with the 20mm socket.

I have been making custom adapters for scissors jacks, Quick Jacks, Rennstands, aluminum jack stands and regular "u" top steel jack stands for the past 5 years. I had to modify and turn all of them down to 20mm. They now fit and steadily support and lock in and will not allow the car to slide off.

That's awesome - may I ask how you turn them down? You might have the market cornered at the moment

 

[chowsn]

I just bought 4 hockey pucks from the sport store and used a rubber bumper screwed into each of the pucks. The bumper just help center the puck at the lifting point and doesn't hold the puck in the place. But works fine with a hand jack for rotating tires.

Can you share a pic of what this looks like? I bought pucks for my Austin 2023 Model Y not ever thinking there would be a size difference (rookie thinking).

I now have no way to safely lift my car at home.

 

[jcanoe]

Can you share a pic of what this looks like? I bought pucks for my Austin 2023 Model Y not ever thinking there would be a size difference (rookie thinking).

I now have no way to safely lift my car at home.

If you have a low profile floor jack rated for 2 tons or more you have a way to safely lift your Tesla Model Y even without using a lift pad. Tesla Mobile service technicians don't use lift pads when rotating tires, etc.

 

[Hippo25]

Can you share a pic of what this looks like? I bought pucks for my Austin 2023 Model Y not ever thinking there would be a size difference (rookie thinking).

I now have no way to safely lift my car at home.

 

[Hippo25]

 

[Waterop]

If you have a low profile floor jack rated for 2 tons or more you have a way to safely lift your Tesla Model Y even without using a lift pad. Tesla Mobile service technicians don't use lift pads when rotating tires, etc.

I’m curious about this. If you don’t need the pads. Why do they have them? And how does a low profile jack work?
I plan on doing my own tire rotation.

 

[jcanoe]

I’m curious about this. If you don’t need the pads. Why do they have them? And how does a low profile jack work?
I plan on doing my own tire rotation.

Why do they have them? A single lift pad can be helpful when using a floor jack to help locate the proper lift point. Some floor jacks have a shallow round depression (like a cup) at the end of lift arm (the part of the floor jack that contacts the vehicle at the lift point.) If you insert the lift pad into the hole in the Tesla vehicle at the lift point then place the round part at the end of the lift arm in position the cup can capture, surround the larger part of the lift pad. This helps ensure the floor jack lift arm does not slip out of position when lifting the vehicle.

You should not use a lift pad with a scissor jack. A hydraulic floor lift in a garage has moveable lift arms with built in lift pads on each of the four lift arms. It would be up to the individual tire repair shop whether they would agree to use lift pads if provided.

A low profile floor jack is designed to be able to fit underneath a vehicle with limited ground clearance. Also, when a tire is flat, a low profile floor jack may be able to be positioned at the correct lift point. With a standard floor jack and a flat tire you might have to first drive onto a ramp or boards to get enough clearance to use a standard floor jack.

Although the Tesla Model Y weighs close to (~4500 lbs), when using a floor jack you are only supporting the weight of one side of the vehicle, so half the weight (~2250 lbs). You don't need to use a 3 ton rated floor jack. A floor jack rated for 2 or 2.5 tons is adequate.

 

[Bart404]

The stinky rubber pucks I bought on ebay seem to be too small for my 23MYP. I was thinking they must have started using larger holes.

 

[LBM4]

Use lube. It’ll fit in the hole. j/k

 

[fholbert]

I swear a saw a post somewhere (here, FB, reddit) that said the puck holes for the jack points in the MY AWD (Austin build) are smaller in diameter than the rest. I didn't believe it and just bought the best reviewed set on Amazon - sure enough, they don't fit. I can get some calipers out and measure the difference, but it seems significant.

Has anyone else experienced this? Are there other pucks that someone could recommend? I can't believe that Tesla would switch up something like that...oh wait, yes I can

Looking for the same answer. RPM also says the 2023 Austin built MY have a smaller hole. Where do we get the correct puck.

 

[Mike500]

That's awesome - may I ask how you turn them down? You might have the market cornered at the moment

I am a machinist and have both milling machines and wood and metal lathes. I have attached photos of some of my adaptors.

 

[CobaltLights]

Any recent experience with finding a compatible jack pad? I recently went to Costco for a rotation, but they refused on account of not having an appropriate pad themselves.

 

[Mike500]

On my Model 3 with the smaller 25mm sockets. I'm considering of designing an expansion plug in puck that is carried full time on the car. Yet, using an expansion plug, it can still be easily removed when desired.

If I was a real vendor as a moderator has asserted, I see this as a need for all Tesla owners. So, for the real developers and vendors, this is an opportunity to introduce these onto the market.

Being retired and in my 70's and do this as a hobby, I have no interest but to help other Tesla owners.

 

[Unaffiliated]

Any recent experience with finding a compatible jack pad? I recently went to Costco for a rotation, but they refused on account of not having an appropriate pad themselves.

I had a similar experience at my local Discount Tire Center. They had jack pads for every Tesla model ever made, but none of them fit my Austin-bullt Model Y built in June, 2023. The tire store manager said they always use a lift pad per Tesla instructions, so I was out of luck. I phoned Tesla to buy one and was told that the only parts available to owners are listed on the web site, which only seems to sell items like floor mats, chargers, and t-shirts. I have emailed 4 different aftermarket lift pad manufacturers to see if they plan to make one, all of whom either did not reply or did not seem anxious to make a separate model for the new Y. Quite a few negative reviews are starting to appear on the eBay ads for 2023 model Y lift pads by new Y owners who say their products did not fit and had to return them. You would think the sellers would get a clue from all these returns and start making some that fit. Whoever makes them first would own the market.
If no "lift arm pads" are needed, why does the user manual (PDF version 2023.26, page 204) state the following?:
"Position the lift arm pads under the designated body lift points at the locations shown."
"Place the lift arm pads under the designated body lift points ..."
"Damage caused by incorrectly lifting Model Y is not covered by the warranty."
Are they talking about the jack itself? If so, why are there holes in the "lift points", and why do all the tire dealers seem to use these pads? I must admit that as a Tesla novice, I find all the various terms used in discussions and eBay ads unclear. Are the "lift arm pads" mentioned in the Tesla manual the same thing as "jack pads" and "lifting pucks"? Do I have to call Tesla service if I get a nail in my tire when I'm 2 blocks away from a tire store?

 

[fiehlsport]

Lift arm pads are just the flat rubber pads that are built into the vehicle lift arms. Any rubber pad over the jack point is fine. The lift points on the Tesla just happen to have a hole in them, but it isn't required to put anything in the hole.

The holes are there for when the car is on an assembly line. These holes just happened to make a nice market for aftermarket jack pads that fit in there. They're not needed, but a nice invention. I've jacked up my car both ways - as long as the rubber pad on my jack is there, it doesn't gum up anything underneath the car.

 

[Mike500]

Lift arm pads are just the flat rubber pads that are built into the vehicle lift arms. Any rubber pad over the jack point is fine. The lift points on the Tesla just happen to have a hole in them, but it isn't required to put anything in the hole.

The holes are there for when the car is on an assembly line. These holes just happened to make a nice market for aftermarket jack pads that fit in there. They're not needed, but a nice invention. I've jacked up my car both ways - as long as the rubber pad on my jack is there, it doesn't gum up anything underneath the car.

I'll use the pads. The jack points as specified in Tesla's manual.

Not all lifts use runner pads. Some lifts have serrated linear lift contact arms that are supposed to grab onto the notched pinch welds of conventional unibody cars. That would cut into the thin aluminum structure of the battery carrier.