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Plaid 21” rear tire woes - factory defect?
- Thread starter KOL2000
- Start date
The heat comes from the rubber flexing. This is why running tires that sit flat (even with zero camber) on too low of a pressure will eventually blow out. The flexing of the rubber generates considerable heat. This is what is going on with the ps4s with all the camber. To solve, the Tesla answer seems to be "more pressure." Higher pressures will let it deflect less, but also dramatically reduce grip. You can do this but only a fraction of the contact patch will be doing any work. But wasn't grip the point of all the camber? This is why less camber is the real solution and can deliver more efficiency, more grip and better tire life than running more pressure.
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Joining the club.... refresh with 21s. Found this today... Tesla's quote for two new rear tires is $1,140 + tax. Plenty of the tire life left.... just not on the inside 
Awiner
Member
Excellent photo to show what both negative camber AND negative toe do together to destroy these tires. Look at how the inner tread line has been scrubbed off the tread to sidewall area.Joining the club.... refresh with 21s. Found this today... Tesla's quote for two new rear tires is $1,140 + tax. Plenty of the tire life left.... just not on the inside
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That’s a negative toe issue combined with negative camber stress in that area.
Potentially negative toe would destroy these alone. The excessive negative camber surly doesn’t help.
Awiner
Member
Tesla will only verify alignment in the medium height setting per their service manual shop instructions. Need to have a independent suspension shop with an alignment rack run an analyzation in the setting you most commonly will be driving it. For most of us this is the lowest setting and where we are forced during highway driving.
Going to need to have them look at it, I know camber isn’t adjustable in the rear but at least if there’s a toe issue maybe they’ll correct that.
Awiner
Member
Remember that as you go lower in suspension height not only does negative camber increase but also does negative toe (toe out).
So if Tesla analyzes it in Medium the rear toe may be ok. In LOW however it may be negative toe out and a tire eater it becomes.
Can’t analyze in Medium and know that Low yields.
Right, and the highway speeds usually yield low suspension setting, which is probably 90% of my driving.
headcase
Member
Just a friendly reminder for those who prefer riding in the medium suspension on the highway (like myself for additional comfort), you can manually return the suspension to medium upon getting on the highway. The downside is you have to do that each time, which is a pain. (And could easily be resolved by a simple software update, grrr...)
Another 6k miles and another rear tire failure same as before. Its insane. They should be transparent and put a disclaimer on their website. "rear tires won't last more than 6-8k miles" and it would have also been nice if they told me my Dec. 2021 Plaid would not have the advertised ability to play steam games.
Awiner
Member
You can see the scrub here. Negative rear toe is scrubbing this. Again if Tesla only sets toe in medium height setting that doesn’t address driving in low which invitees negative camber and increases negative toe. Having adjustable camber (aftermarket arms) coupled with adjusting both camber and toe in the most driven height setting will solve this issue (unless there is a severe defect in the tire).
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HighPotential
Member
I don't think its an alignment issue. It's a tire structural failure IMHO. I had my NEW rear Michelins T2 aligned, in LOW setting, per the pics. I went to drag races and ten days later boom, one of them was destroyed just like all the other ones here. My theory is the tire structure begins to break from the torque of launching on the inner seam at the sidewall. Once it starts to break, it gets worse faster.
Awiner
Member
Interesting indeed. I’ve never seen a S analyzed in LOW with such little rear camber and so much rear positive toe.
This is what medium+ ride height usually sits around.
Do you know exact type of alignment rack and system was used ?
Just discovered I have the same, inner wall operation on both tires.. so frustrated..
Hayseed_MS
Spreader of "Endless Non Sequitur"
Has anyone tried the other tire options out there? I see some Pirellis listed on TireRack and some cheap Falkens. If these Michelins only last 6-8k miles, it might just make sense to get the cheap tires
My PZero winters now have approx. 15k miles this season. No abnormal or accelerated wear. All stock and set to tesla specs. I have the pokey LR version and drive spirited but seldom "launch".
May try the merc marked ev contis on tire rack.
Yeah, I’m debating between the Pzero winters or the EV all season Contis for my winter set. Probably leaning towards the all seasons because our winters aren’t as aggressive as the Northeast
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