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Should I rotate my tires?

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Hi All,

After a long road trip I measured my tread depth at 6,100 miles on the tires:

(outer, center, inner - mm.)

FL 6.3 6.5 6.3
FR 5.6 5.9 5.6
RL 6.3 6.3 6.5
RR 6.3 6.2 6.4

Tire wear seems pretty even to me but I know Tesla recommends rotation every 6K miles or so. I don't live very close to a Tesla service center (closest is about an hour away) and I am leery of non-Tesla shops knowing how to properly jack up the Model S. I live in Fort Worth, TX by the way. Thanks for any guidance you can give me.
 
I can’t comment on rotating the tires, but I can say that any tire place can jack the car.
The jack pads are really clear, I’ve jacked it myself and had tires changed at two different non-Tesla tire places. Neither place even blinked before lifting the car.
 
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Reactions: jrad6515
Hi All,

After a long road trip I measured my tread depth at 6,100 miles on the tires:

(outer, center, inner - mm.)

FL 6.3 6.5 6.3
FR 5.6 5.9 5.6
RL 6.3 6.3 6.5
RR 6.3 6.2 6.4

Tire wear seems pretty even to me but I know Tesla recommends rotation every 6K miles or so. I don't live very close to a Tesla service center (closest is about an hour away) and I am leery of non-Tesla shops knowing how to properly jack up the Model S. I live in Fort Worth, TX by the way. Thanks for any guidance you can give me.
It’s a good thing for Discount Tire and others in the same business that not many people share your irrational fear. Discount Tire has rotated my S many times and my 6-month old 3 once.But in your case I’d have Tesla do it. That way, you need not worry.

You do realize the Model S has been around for six years?
 
Last edited:
Hi All,

After a long road trip I measured my tread depth at 6,100 miles on the tires:

(outer, center, inner - mm.)

FL 6.3 6.5 6.3
FR 5.6 5.9 5.6
RL 6.3 6.3 6.5
RR 6.3 6.2 6.4

Tire wear seems pretty even to me but I know Tesla recommends rotation every 6K miles or so. I don't live very close to a Tesla service center (closest is about an hour away) and I am leery of non-Tesla shops knowing how to properly jack up the Model S. I live in Fort Worth, TX by the way. Thanks for any guidance you can give me.

I would be leary. Took mine to a Discount Tire and of course got some rim rash from work done. I had to get new tires.
 
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Reactions: jrad6515
Have 2017S 100D. 13,500 miles. Service tech came to house for 1st annual service today.Said was only 1/32 difference in tread depth front vs. rear. Advised not to rotate. Drove car to check alignment. Said that was good too. Also said they no longer change drive axle fluid at 1st service.
 
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Reactions: jrad6515
Depends on many variables, but prob less than you have experienced in past for other cars. Tesla’s are heavy, and super high torque, therefore wear is high. The stock tires wore out pretty quick. I’m at 40k and second set of tires. Then New Michelins are wearing more slowly. I have a winter set I use for nov-March. Road conditions in North rocky mountain area not great for wear, or is it the lack of stop and go traffic and lots of winding fun many roads?....;)
 
With ICE engines front tires tend to wear faster because there is more weight up front, among other things. How does it compare to a MS, with almost 50/50 weight distribution?

My front tires are at above 4/32, but my back ones are already on the markers (during the CPO refresh they only replaced two tires). I would like to ideally wait to change all 4 at the same time, but I am afraid it might be to much for the back ones...
 
I love America's Tire but they keep damaging my 19" wheels near the lug holes. Almost every single time I go for rotations, I end up with scrapes and paint chips in those areas. They have paid twice for wheel finish repair but I am considering rotating less often and just paying Tesla to do it and hoping for better results. My tire wear on my 85D has been consistently even since day one, partially due to my laid back driving style and 98% freeway driving use, so I don't feel as strongly about tire rotation as I do with my other vehicles.
 
Skip Every Other Tire Rotation

Tesla recommends tire rotation every 5,000 miles, but I think you could skip every-other interval. Here's the math (percentages are theoretical but I believe still accurate if scaled differently) -->

@0-miles
Front = 100%
Rear = 100%

@5,000-miles
Front = 90%
Rear = 80%

<Rotate>

Still @5,000-miles
Front = 80%
Rear = 90%

@10,000-miles
Front = 70%
Rear = 70%

Rotate? Why? Makes no sense to rotate when tires are all even again.

@ 15,000-miles
Front = 60%
Rear = 50%

<Rotate>

Still @ 15,000-miles
Front = 50%
Rear = 60%

@ 20,000-miles
Front = 40%
Rear = 40%

Same thing....no rotation needed.

So rotate at first 5,000, then at 10,000 mile intervals after that. Does this make sense or am I smoking crack here?