Raven S - Low height rides better than Standard

[FatherTo1]

Hi everyone,

We have a Raven S Standard Range. It came with 21" wheels and Continental tires and rode quite smooth. I downsized to 19" Slipstreams to have greater selection of tires and more affordable tire options.

The 19s have Goodyear Eagle Touring tires. Right after swapping wheels I felt the 19s offered more dampening and a more comfortable ride. After a while the Goodyears feel stiff and the ride is bumpy. Unless I am remembering this incorrectly, it seems the 21s were smoother overall on my regular commute than these 19s. Am I just imagining things? Also, with the 19s, it seems the S rides better in the Low height setting versus Standard height. I don't feel any difference between Standard and Sport setting (with Standard height). Is something possibly wrong with my air suspension? I can hear the air suspension hissing and adjusting so it can't be broken, right?

Just to be clear, the ride isn't bone jarring. It is acceptably smooth but I remember it being smoother before. Air pressure hasn't changed. Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions? Thank you.

 

[Skateboardgolf]

Spend enough time on this forum, and you will learn to hate your 21 inch wheels, for they break too easily on potholes, don’t have enough rubber, etc. I tend to not believe what everybody else says on this topic.

My P85+ with 21 inch wheels rides amazingly smooth and comfortably. I love my 21 inch wheels, and have every intention of buying my next MS with 21 inch wheels.

do you still have your old 21s? Hopefully you can swap them back.

 

[FatherTo1]

Spend enough time on this forum, and you will learn to hate your 21 inch wheels, for they break too easily on potholes, don’t have enough rubber, etc. I tend to not believe what everybody else says on this topic.

My P85+ with 21 inch wheels rides amazingly smooth and comfortably. I love my 21 inch wheels, and have every intention of buying my next MS with 21 inch wheels.

do you still have your old 21s? Hopefully you can swap them back.

Thanks, Skateboard, and yes I still have the 21s (no buyers yet).

I like the look of the 21s better and agree that they ride amazingly well for their size and thin rubber. However, I do not look forward to the $1600 cost of tires annually at the rate I drive.

 

[Joleary]

How many miles your putting on a year?? These tires only last 12-15k miles?

 

[FatherTo1]

I do about 20K miles a year and, yes, reports are the 21" tires last about 18k-25k real world miles.

 

[Skateboardgolf]

I like the look of the 21s better and agree that they ride amazingly well for their size and thin rubber. However, I do not look forward to the $1600 cost of tires annually at the rate I drive.

Here's how I solved that - get different tires!
I purchased the Hankook Ventus V12 EVO2 275/30R21 rear and 245/35R21 in the front.
They last twice as long, cost half as much as the stock Michelins, and are just as quiet. There are dozens of members here who swear by them, as myself. Good luck!

 

[ahkahn]

Yeah, the Goodyear touring tires 19" aren't much better. Mine lasted 26,000 miles, and many report even less than that. I've got about 45,000 on some Pirelli Cinteratos now and they're barely half way.

 

[cduzz]

The model S has 2 components to the suspension, the shock and the spring; the shock has a material that slows down motion (in both the up and down direction) in the suspension; the air spring actually caries the weight of the car and will attempt to return to the original set point. Normal air springs, such as in the model S, have a perverse problem -- they have a higher spring rate (stiffer) when they have more air pressure in them, which happens when they're extended. Conversely they have a low spring rate (softer) when they're at the "lowest" setting. Ideally you want the opposite -- you typically want a long suspension to be softer and a short suspension to be stiffer.

Also, air springs normally have one spring rate function (the springs get stiffer as they compress, unlike a classic steel spring). A traditional steel spring sprung suspension can actually have a very complex spring rate function by varying the geometry of the coils and coil count over the length of the spring.

The raven suspension (and other "active" suspensions) compensate for this by giving the shock the ability to vary the damping rate.

I personally am a big fan of the magic green balls of the french suspension; they pump hydraulic fluid into a ball that has gas in it as well; the spring rate function is dictated by the shape of the green ball; the system can pump more or less fluid into the ball to raise or lower the suspension independently of the spring rate.

 

[Chaserr]

How many miles your putting on a year?? These tires only last 12-15k miles?

I would kill for that kind of tire life, mine rarely last half that long. (also P85+ - Tesla maliciously removed my P and my 85 but I still have the + that chews up tires!)

 

[kskog]

I would kill for that kind of tire life, mine rarely last half that long. (also P85+ - Tesla maliciously removed my P and my 85 but I still have the + that chews up tires!)

My experience is that it is curves that kills the tires. As long as you drive mostly on straight roads and don't floor it too much, the tires will last long.

 

[Chaserr]

My experience is the more aggressive + suspension kills the tires faster than other teslas no matter how you drive.

 

[FatherTo1]

Yeah, the Goodyear touring tires 19" aren't much better. Mine lasted 26,000 miles, and many report even less than that. I've got about 45,000 on some Pirelli Cinteratos now and they're barely half way.

Got rid of the Goodyear Eagle Touring today and replaced with a set of Pirelli Cinturato P7 Plus. The Pirellis are much quieter and provide a more compliant ride. Energy efficiency is comparable to the Goodyears. I had the P7 Plus on a previous Lexus LS and it was a great tire, lasting about 40K miles.

 

[ahkahn]

Got rid of the Goodyear Eagle Touring today and replaced with a set of Pirelli Cinturato P7 Plus. The Pirellis are much quieter and provide a more compliant ride. Energy efficiency is comparable to the Goodyears. I had the P7 Plus on a previous Lexus LS and it was a great tire, lasting about 40K miles.

Yep - exact same tires I got. You'll be very happy with them!