Please fix the curb rash risk on Model Y !

[pdx_m3s]

The rims protect the tires when you run them into the curb. You don’t want to damage a sidewall because that is not repairable.

Uh no.

 

[instigator]

Just saw a Model 3 with carb rash ( not mine .. ) . Please Tesla.. if your still debating MY standard tire selection, please pick a tire that is wider then the rim.

 

[OUengineer]

Debating curb rash risk vs. handling/aerodynamics is a fair discussion. My opinion is a small +/-1/4 in tire width ( or rim ) change will not significantly impact handling/aerodynamics. This does bring up the topic of appropriate standard Tires & Rims for the 3 vs. the Y.

Customers that value performance/handling over practicality( low risk ) can choose those performance wheels at purchase. I see lots of complaints from owners with low profile Tires ( Tesla & non-Tesla ) when they hit a pot hole or rough road and end up with flats and bent rims. With the Y positioned as a SUV(ish) there is an expectation that an owner could drive on a dirt road/driveway or survive a city pothole. Making appropriate tires standard on Model Y would make sense.

Seemingly minor changes can very easily have a huge impact on aerodynamics. A 1/4" could be huge (or not). But this will also only impact highway mileage. However, personally, I'd rather have more grip from wider, meatier tires than more range.

Steering response is also impacted by a fatter tire. The steering response with meaty performance tires has always felt great to me, but I've also only switched from stretched non-performance tires to wider, performance tires so I can't compare to a stretched performance tire.

As far as curb rash goes, I rarely visit drive thrus and if I do, I'm super cautious. Never curbed a wheel anywhere else. A little tire protection is nice to have (and I usually do have it since I always swap for wider wheels and tires and/or run the widest tire for that wheel on every sports car I own), but not completely necessary.

 

[gilscales]

However, personally, I'd rather have more grip from wider, meatier tires than more range

Thats what I did, 255/40/19 DWS06 and really, really like them, just so happens to have a slight enough bulge to protect from most curb rash, a bonus

 

[kirby]

I have a model Y on order with 19" sport wheels. I saw a tube video that said the sidewalls on the 19" tires are narrower that the sidewalls on the 18", and consequently the wheels are more subject to damage when you hit a bad pothole. The guy showed where the 19" wheels were damaged and he was replacing them with 18" that have a wider sidewall. Anybody think this is true or is it bogus?
Thanks,
JK

 

[EVDRVN]

I have a model Y on order with 19" sport wheels. I saw a tube video that said the sidewalls on the 19" tires are narrower that the sidewalls on the 18", and consequently the wheels are more subject to damage when you hit a bad pothole. The guy showed where the 19" wheels were damaged and he was replacing them with 18" that have a wider sidewall. Anybody think this is true or is it bogus?
Thanks,
JK

The sidewall is not an issue on the 19" only the 20s.

 

[EVDRVN]

The fix for side rash is better driving skills. I don't want more tire drag and ugly wheels.

 

[Don TLR]

LEARN HOW TO DRIVE. The problem isn’t the wheels and tires, it’s your driving.

There are handling and aerodynamic reasons for Tesla’s wheel and tire width choices on the 3.

Or buy a Cybertruck, you probably won't damage those wheels unless you play in the rocks

 

[pdx_m3s]

I have a model Y on order with 19" sport wheels. I saw a tube video that said the sidewalls on the 19" tires are narrower that the sidewalls on the 18", and consequently the wheels are more subject to damage when you hit a bad pothole. The guy showed where the 19" wheels were damaged and he was replacing them with 18" that have a wider sidewall. Anybody think this is true or is it bogus?
Thanks,
JK

The outer diameter of the tires is the same regardless of wheel size. So as the wheel gets bigger, the tire sidewall by default gets smaller. The smaller the wheel, the larger the sidewall and therefore the more impact protection.

 

[Ghanziang]

The outer diameter of the tires is the same regardless of wheel size. So as the wheel gets bigger, the tire sidewall by default gets smaller. The smaller the wheel, the larger the sidewall and therefore the more impact protection.

So, to answer the question above directly. Yes it is true. The larger the wheels, the more likely you are going to have damage to the wheel when you hit an obstacle. This is true of all cars.

 

[RoBoRaT]

Just sharing PSA from other social media site.

Auto Park on Überturbines vs Curb. Ouch!

 

[baldyloxx]

we will always be better than the machine..

 

[jkoya]

Just sharing PSA from other social media site.

Auto Park on Überturbines vs Curb. Ouch!

Ouch is right !!

 

[wick013]

Showing the wheel bands from AO. Many color options. The only time I hit the curb (rear passenger wheel) the wheel band was damaged and saved the wheel from more severe damage. SO ugly or not (YMMV) I vote for the wheel bands, until the tire size changes.View attachment 429441 View attachment 429442

What kind of rim protectors did you get? Alloygator rim protectors 4 for $750 installed! Seems expensive since online price for Alloygators is $150!! Any alternatives?
Would put black rim protectors on my 20” induction wheels.

 

[Murphy’s Law]

That is disappointing. I thought SUV typically had bigger wheels than car counterpart.

except for the 21" wheels on the sport.

 

[EVDRVN]

If you have EAP you pay $2K extra for that grind. Tesla's way to get more revenue on the back side, or all four sides.

 

[CyberShy]

Well, that didn’t take long, did it?

 

[colepalmer]

Y is not an SUV.

It is sold by Tesla as an SUV

 

[Goobers]

It is sold by Tesla as an SUV

So you dug up a nearly 4 year old thread (last post prior to yours) to reply to nearly 5 year old post.

Okay…

 

[colepalmer]

So you dug up a nearly 4 year old thread (last post prior to yours) to reply to nearly 5 year old post.

Okay…

Quick comment not noticing the dates. Looks like you’re the one making a big deal about it. But I know common etiquette is rare in this world these days.