No need for tire rotations with dual motor?

[SomeJoe7777]

All Model S's, whether coil or air, RWD or AWD, 19" or 21", square or staggered, all have different rear camber than front camber.

Measuring tread depths with a tread depth gauge gives you a good idea of how the tires are wearing, but not a complete picture. The camber differences will wear the outside shoulder blocks of the tires in the front and rear differently, and it will take a long time for that difference to show up in the tread measurements, which are not on the shoulder blocks. After 5K - 10K miles, your tread measurements will still show everything is wearing evenly, when there's actually 1.5-2mm less tread on the rear tires' shoulder blocks than the front tires.

Furthermore, tire internals will get used to flexing a certain way. Nylon and steel belts as well as the rubber start to make noise after 5K - 10K miles due to the continuous flexing the same way. Rotating the tires in a rearward-cross pattern flips the rotation direction of 2 tires each time you rotate, which keeps the noise levels low.

Even if your tires are wearing dead even by tread measurements, rotating them every 5K miles will maximize their life and minimize their noise, especially late in the tire's life. If you haven't rotated them, the last 2mm of usable tread is going to be very noisy.

Note that you cannot rotate in a rearward-cross pattern with staggered setup (typically on P models with 21" wheels -- they use 245/35R21 on the front axle and 265/35R21 on the rear axle). For those tires, you will have to rotate using a same-axle swap (exchange LF and RF, and then exchange LR and RR).

Note also that you cannot rotate in a rearward-cross pattern if you have aftermarket tires that use a directional tread. This would be unusual, but I mention it here to be complete. If you happen to have such tires (none of the Tesla OEM tires fall into this category), then rotate using a same-side swap (exchange LF and LR, and then exchange RF and RR).

For everyone else, use rearward cross: LF -> RR -> RF -> LR -> LF.

 

[KArnold]

Not to mention, if you have ever bought tires for any car you can get this done for free. Just takes an hour or so of time. So why not?

 

[JPP]

Had my wife's 2015 S70D in for 2 year service (18k miles). Tires (original Primacys) rotated per routine.

 

[wjhepworth]

Wow, 48k miles! I have almost 12k miles on my MS and starting to think about new tires. There seems to be no way I am getting more than 20k out of my OEM tires, GY Touring. Maybe with no rain or snow it would be OK but any rain and I start to oversteer in corners. My car is dual motor.

Yeah, even the dudes at the service center were surprised. Not sure why, I beat those tires up including many miles on gravel roads and frequent "demonstrations" of Tesla performance.

 

[wjhepworth]

I have a 70D, no air, 19" tires. I rotated them once, because I just felt like I had to.

Throughout their 42k miles (so far), the tire wear has been VERY even (i.e. all 4 tires, inner/middle/outer were always either the same or within 1/32s).
.

So you have the Primacy's?

 

[aaron0k]

70D. Primacy tires; 45k miles of life, no rotations.

 

[Max*]

So you have the Primacy's?

Correct,.

 

[The Duke]

Not sure what I'm doing correctly, but to see comments about folks having to replace a set of tires with under 20K miles on them..

This is not you, I take it.

 

[Qbenjamin]

This is not you, I take it.

Not at all, I usually drive pretty conservatively.

 

[Xcelerator]

MX90D has different sized front and rear tires. They cannot be rotated in the traditional sense. I suppose you could swap left and right, but the Tesla service in Dallas said that wouldn't be beneficial.

 

[Ande]

what if you have directional, wider tires on the rear wheels ? - will they (as a part of the service) actually swap tires on rims, both front and rear, or just skip it ?

 

[smilepak]

Wow, 48k miles! I have almost 12k miles on my MS and starting to think about new tires. There seems to be no way I am getting more than 20k out of my OEM tires, GY Touring. Maybe with no rain or snow it would be OK but any rain and I start to oversteer in corners. My car is dual motor.

I was on Michelin Primacy MXM w ith 36k miles and had around 7 or 8 on my tires from the Service Center checking. I could've gone at least another 15-20 I think on those. But decided to replace them anyway. While the thread still good, the road noise have increased over time as it wear/tear. Plus, I was itching to try something else ahhaah

 

[Bigboy13]

Tire rotation is done traditionally on ICE cars because of weight of the engine. So makes sense to rotate tires every 5K, front to rear.
But since 4wd Tesla’s weight I would think is pretty even front to back, I don’t think it’s necessary. Even rear wheel drive drive cars I would think don’t need it since the rear motor in not very heavy. I have a standard Model 3 with about 8K on it now I’ll and have not rotated tires yet. I’ll measure tire depth and post an update.

 

[maximizese]

Tire rotation is done traditionally on ICE cars because of weight of the engine. So makes sense to rotate tires every 5K, front to rear.
But since 4wd Tesla’s weight I would think is pretty even front to back, I don’t think it’s necessary. Even rear wheel drive drive cars I would think don’t need it since the rear motor in not very heavy. I have a standard Model 3 with about 8K on it now I’ll and have not rotated tires yet. I’ll measure tire depth and post an update.

I don't think that's quite right. Weight distribution plays a role, but the biggest factor is alignment specs and driving style. Moderate to heavy braking will typically wear place greater force onto the front brakes due to common brake bias and physics. Rear tires will wear out faster on a RWD/AWD if the driver likes fast acceleration. I'd recommend getting them rotated every 5K-8K in an attempt to keep the treadwear as even as possible. I've had cars with staggered setups and fronts would wear out around 60% short of the manufacturer's rated mile claim, while the rears tend to last 40% beyond the manufacturer's rated mile claim...and this car has a 53/47 weight distribution.

 

[wjhepworth]

I have a 70D, no air, 19" tires. I rotated them once, because I just felt like I had to.

Throughout their 42k miles (so far), the tire wear has been VERY even (i.e. all 4 tires, inner/middle/outer were always either the same or within 1/32s).

I have had pretty much the same results. In fact my first set of Michelin Primacy tires went 45,000 and so far I am on 46,000 and counting on the second set. For my first set I rotated every 5k or so. Since about 70,000 miles I basically stopped rotating and have had no issues. Wear seems quite even. I don't take corners at 60mph or anything but I have put a ton of 80+ MPH on trips to WV where the tires were subject to miles long gravel roads. Very impressed so far.

 

[wjhepworth]

I don't think that's quite right. Weight distribution plays a role, but the biggest factor is alignment specs and driving style. Moderate to heavy braking will typically wear place greater force onto the front brakes due to common brake bias and physics. Rear tires will wear out faster on a RWD/AWD if the driver likes fast acceleration. I'd recommend getting them rotated every 5K-8K in an attempt to keep the treadwear as even as possible. I've had cars with staggered setups and fronts would wear out around 60% short of the manufacturer's rated mile claim, while the rears tend to last 40% beyond the manufacturer's rated mile claim...and this car has a 53/47 weight distribution.

I think what you are saying makes total sense. I have a pretty chill driving style and don't like to have to use brakes (sounds funny to say that). Generally I am sure I have bled off 90% of speed through regen braking rather than using brakes. Out of respect to my passengers I do try to avoid too many high speed turns.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

Like others said, if you brake hard often or corner hard a lot, then front wears out faster. If you accelerate hard then rear wears out faster.

For me, I have not rotated my tires 25K miles in. Rear is slightly more worn but overall same. I cant do x swap rotation anyways. Only front to rear so it doesn't really do me good if there was an alignment problem. Overall if you are reasonable in your acceleration, cornering, and braking, then everything is good in terms of rotation assuming no alignment balancing issues.

 

[Ande]

Have in mind, that at least performance models bias towards using the front motor during normal driving, and cold/slippery road weather.

 

[smilepak]

With awd or because of its EV, I haven't had the need to rotate mine that often. Once a year if any

 

[ckoval7]

When my car came back from service they measured the tread wear as being perfectly even all the way around and deemed a rotation unnecessary. I'm one to take off from stop lights a bit on the fast side.