Model Y Tire Replacement

[patyojon]

I have a 2020 Model Y Performance with 275/35/21's in the front and 255/35/21's in the rear. I have about 20,000 miles on the car and the rear tires are starting to wear down but the front still looks good. Do I have to replace all 4 tires if I do the rear or can I just do the back 2? Also looking for advice on tires to replace them with or should I just stick with the OEM Pirelli Pzero's (expensive)? Live in Los Angeles so weather isn't much of an issue.

Thanks!

 

[GingerJay]

I have a 2020 Model Y Performance with 275/35/21's in the front and 255/35/21's in the rear. I have about 20,000 miles on the car and the rear tires are starting to wear down but the front still looks good. Do I have to replace all 4 tires if I do the rear or can I just do the back 2? Also looking for advice on tires to replace them with or should I just stick with the OEM Pirelli Pzero's (expensive)? Live in Los Angeles so weather isn't much of an issue.

Thanks!

Aren't the bigger tires supposed to be in the rear in a staggered set up??

 

[jcanoe]

You can replace just the rear tires if the front tires still have usable tread remaining. Invest in an inexpensive tread depth gauge (under $10) that reads out in 32nds of an inch. 3/32nd is the legal minimum but you may find that wet traction is greatly reduced when the remaining tread depth is under 4/32nd. Measure each tire's remaining tread depth at the inner, center and outer groove. Uneven tire wear can indicate an alignment is needed. Uneven tire wear (flat spots) can indicate wheel issues such as a bent wheel (rim) or an out of balance wheel and tire.

Most new tires have 10/32nd tread depth when new. You want the tread design to be the same for front and rear wheels, so stick with the same tire else plan to purchase front tires to match the new rear tires soon. (Not many Performance Model Y owners have been able to get 20k miles from the OE tires (especially the rear tires). Hard acceleration is too tempting; really does a number on the rear tires.)

 

[patyojon]

Aren't the bigger tires supposed to be in the rear in a staggered set up??

You're right, typed that backwards

 

[patyojon]

You can replace just the rear tires if the front tires still have usable tread remaining. Invest in an inexpensive tread depth gauge (under $10) that reads out in 32nds of an inch. 3/32nd is the legal minimum but you may find that wet traction is greatly reduced when the remaining tread depth is under 4/32nd. Measure each tire's remaining tread depth at the inner, center and outer groove. Uneven tire wear can indicate an alignment is needed. Uneven tire wear (flat spots) can indicate wheel issues such as a bent wheel (rim) or an out of balance wheel and tire.

Most new tires have 10/32nd tread depth when new. You want the tread design to be the same for front and rear wheels, so stick with the same tire else plan to purchase front tires to match the new rear tires soon. (Not many Performance Model Y owners have been able to get 20k miles from the OE tires (especially the rear tires). Hard acceleration is too tempting; really does a number on the rear tires.)

Thank you so much, very helpful!

 

[CaseyL]

Invest in an inexpensive tread depth gauge (under $10) that reads out in 32nds of an inch.

I like this simple analog tire gauge. It's a little more ($14) but it has a dial display. I had a cheaper stick type and it worked fine but it fell apart.

Amazon.com

 

[Goobers]

I like this simple analog tire gauge. It's a little more ($14) but it has a dial display. I had a cheaper stick type and it worked fine but it fell apart.

Amazon.com

I might get that. Thanks for the link

I also had a basic one a long time ago... used it once, then somehow bent the needle later and haven't touched it since.

 

[jcanoe]

I have been using this tread depth gauge:

Legacy Tread Depth Gauge

Correction: Minimum legal tread depth is 2/32nd not 3/32nd. I have 6/32nd remaining on the 19" OE Continental Procontact RX tires (was 9/32nd when new) and am experiencing loss of grip when driving on wet roads. I.e. my Tesla Model Y has been sliding when turning off of a main road onto a side street at speeds under 20 MPH. I have since lowered the tire pressure by 2 PSI (pressure was set higher from over the winter) and will see if this helps improve wet road grip. If not, it looks like I will be buying new tires long before the tread is worn down to 2/32nd.

 

[TomB985]

I bought a set of Überturbine takeoffs last winter, and the rears were almost worn out. The fronts looked great, though, so I just replaced the rears. 8,000 miles later, all four still look great.

Hopefully, the fronts will wear out with the rears so I can swap all four to all-seasons. Summer rubber isn't great in Minnesota.

 

[kpanda17]

I have orig MYP
Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 and no complaints, I will get a gauge and start measuring
I’m a huge Michelin many year, high mileage owner Fan
Keeping my eye on rhe Hancook EVOs as an option if I don’t get at least 4 years out of the Pilots, that would be rhe complete set replacement

We chatted on this forum, might be a different thread, with the MYP to buy a pair of 295s and rotate them into the 255/275 set, I thought the person that thought it up was brillant
I’m toying with the idea

3 pairs
On car 255/275
@ 6.5K rotate 275/295 adding rhe 295s for the first time
6.5K rotate 255/275
6.5K rotate 275/295
And so on
I’m at 6500 miles on my MYP so now is the time
Might make sense

I would get them at Costco, free road hazard

 

[Goobers]

I have been using this tread depth gauge:

Legacy Tread Depth Gauge

Correction: Minimum legal tread depth is 2/32nd not 3/32nd. I have 6/32nd remaining on the 19" OE Continental Procontact RX tires (was 9/32nd when new) and am experiencing loss of grip when driving on wet roads. I.e. my Tesla Model Y has been sliding when turning off of a main road onto a side street at speeds under 20 MPH. I have since lowered the tire pressure by 2 PSI (pressure was set higher from over the winter) and will see if this helps improve wet road grip. If not, it looks like I will be buying new tires long before the tread is worn down to 2/32nd.

If you consider wet traction as a high priority, that’s true of many tires. I don’t remember where I saw it (maybe a the local Honda dealer?), but there was an image showing that at about 4/32, you’ve started losing wet traction.

While 6/32 seems a little high… I guess it really isn’t that different.

On the flip side. Maybe where you’re turning suffers from something I’ve seen in SoCal. When there‘s even a drizzle after a long dry spell, a bunch of people start losing control. That’s because there’s buildup on the surface, primarily oil. And that oil plus water makes it slick.

 

[jcanoe]

If you consider wet traction as a high priority, that’s true of many tires. I don’t remember where I saw it (maybe a the local Honda dealer?), but there was an image showing that at about 4/32, you’ve started losing wet traction.

While 6/32 seems a little high… I guess it really isn’t that different.

On the flip side. Maybe where you’re turning suffers from something I’ve seen in SoCal. When there‘s even a drizzle after a long dry spell, a bunch of people start losing control. That’s because there’s buildup on the surface, primarily oil. And that oil plus water makes it slick.

Thanks. The first time it happened I thought maybe I tried to take an off ramp a bit too fast. So I intentionally started slowing down for turns whenever it is raining. The rear is sliding around turns, so it could be due to regenerative braking. The last time was a simple right turn, at under 20 MPH and my Model Y slid in the turn. The tread depth is between 6/32nd and 5/32nd in the rear; 7/32nd in the front. I have since lowered the tire pressure on the chance that the tires were not making full contact with the road at the inner and outer parts of the tread and will see if that helps.

 

[Watts_Up]

Just to add to ythe fry, I use this digital gauge with inch and mm disp;lay.
I regularly check each tire outside and inside tread depth.

 

[Watts_Up]

I would also recommend this Digital Tire Pressure Gauge .
I know, you can read the pressure on the car display, but I like to measure when the tirfe are cold,
and use the same device for all the tires, and also check the spare which has no TPMS.

 

[bicar]

I would also recommend this Digital Tire Pressure Gauge .
I know, you can read the pressure on the car display, but I like to measure when the tirfe are cold,
and use the same device for all the tires, and also check the spare which has no TPMS.

Where did you get the spare?

 

[JohnInFlorida]

I have a 2020 Model Y Performance with 275/35/21's in the front and 255/35/21's in the rear. I have about 20,000 miles on the car and the rear tires are starting to wear down but the front still looks good. Do I have to replace all 4 tires if I do the rear or can I just do the back 2? Also looking for advice on tires to replace them with or should I just stick with the OEM Pirelli Pzero's (expensive)? Live in Los Angeles so weather isn't much of an issue.

Thanks!

I have a 2022 Model Y Long Range with Continental ProContact tires. Each of them has treadwear bars. This means that a gauge is not required. All you have to do is run your finger down the groove and you should feel the ridge. Also, my tires have 53,000 miles on them now and are at 7/32" (original tires). Since I drive mostly highway miles, I ease off on the accelerator pedal early to slow down (instead of using the brakes) and I take corners at 30 mph +/- 2 mph, I am hoping that I can get 75k to 80k miles out of them. They are expensive to replace ($1,600 includes labor), so I am babying them. I rotated them with my 3 ton jack and the jack pads for the first time at 44k and I couldn't believe how even they were wearing - never had a car wear tires so evenly in my 45 years of driving. I have owned about 15 cars through the years and have driven over 60 cars (my father owned a transmission repair business).

You should replace your tires at 2/32" but you will notice decreased performance at 4/32" (some people replace their tires in the 4/32 to 2/32 range). You are throwing away money if you replace your tires at 6/32".

Tesla builds the best vehicles in the world and these Continental ProContact 19' tires are holding up well in this Florida heat.

 

[JohnInFlorida]

I have a 2022 Model Y Long Range with Continental ProContact tires. Each of them has treadwear bars. This means that a gauge is not required. All you have to do is run your finger down the groove and you should feel the ridge. Also, my tires have 53,000 miles on them now and are at 7/32" (original tires). Since I drive mostly highway miles, I ease off on the accelerator pedal early to slow down (instead of using the brakes) and I take corners at 30 mph +/- 2 mph, I am hoping that I can get 75k to 80k miles out of them. They are expensive to replace ($1,600 includes labor), so I am babying them. I rotated them with my 3 ton jack and the jack pads for the first time at 44k and I couldn't believe how even they were wearing - never had a car wear tires so evenly in my 45 years of driving. I have owned about 15 cars through the years and have driven over 60 cars (my father owned a transmission repair business).

You should replace your tires at 2/32" but you will notice decreased performance at 4/32" (some people replace their tires in the 4/32 to 2/32 range). You are throwing away money if you replace your tires at 6/32".

Tesla builds the best vehicles in the world and these Continental ProContact 19' tires are holding up well in this Florida heat.

Update: I have 69k miles on my original Continental ProContact RX 255/45R-19 tires and will replace them shortly. Darn! I was hoping to make it to 80k but I caught a screw in one of them at 48k and plugged it. Since then, it leaks air slowly. Also, I just rotated them for the second time and noticed that the inner treads are wearing down...Buying new Continental ProContact RX 255/45R-19's.

 

[Occhis]

Update: I have 69k miles on my original Continental ProContact RX 255/45R-19 tires and will replace them shortly. Darn! I was hoping to make it to 80k but I caught a screw in one of them at 48k and plugged it. Since then, it leaks air slowly. Also, I just rotated them for the second time and noticed that the inner treads are wearing down...Buying new Continental ProContact RX 255/45R-19's.

That’s impressive. I only got 43k on recent M3LR. What are your driving habits and do you drive mostly highway or city? Drive like a grandma, or normal non-aggressive style?
Just wondering b/c I have 19k on MYLR now and have 6-7/32 left, so I don’t expect to get anywhere near 69k. I assume you’re talking miles not km.

 

[CaseyL]

That’s impressive. I only got 43k on recent M3LR. What are your driving habits and do you drive mostly highway or city? Drive like a grandma, or normal non-aggressive style?
Just wondering b/c I have 19k on MYLR now and have 6-7/32 left, so I don’t expect to get anywhere near 69k. I assume you’re talking miles not km.

FWIW, we've got about 56,000 miles on the original Conti's with 5-6/32 left. The treadwear is pretty even all around. I only rotated once at 20,000 miles. I think I drive fairly normally instead of aggressively and don't make any jackrabbit starts. Our accumulated miles are split about 50/50 between in-town and road trips.

Basically, I drive our Model Y like I drove our Honda Accord.

 

[Ibrajose]

Hello I have a 2022 Model Y Performance with OEM tire sizes 275/35/21's in the back and 255/35/21's in the front. I have to change the tires, and I looking for advice on increse the tires sizes.

I like (275/35/21 Front and -295/35/21 Rear) to improved ride comfort and protection, but I don't know how it can affect the range.
Any suggestions?