Tire foam, remove or not?

[Beans4Me]

When I bought my tesla I remembered someone talking to a service advisor about removing the tire foam from his tire because it had come loose and balled up causing an imbalanced wheel. The guy tired to get them to dismount the remaining tires and remove all the foam because he didn’t want this to happen again but they said he’d have to pay for that proactive service.

I just had my winter tires mounted and I have access to the foam on my original tires. Should I remove the foam before they get remounted in the spring or its not really a problem and I should just leave it?

 

[jjrandorin]

When I bought my tesla I remembered someone talking to a service advisor about removing the tire foam from his tire because it had come loose and balled up causing an imbalanced wheel. The guy tired to get them to dismount the remaining tires and remove all the foam because he didn’t want this to happen again but they said he’d have to pay for that proactive service.

I just had my winter tires mounted and I have access to the foam on my original tires. Should I remove the foam before they get remounted in the spring or its not really a problem and I should just leave it?

I have been driving with tesla specific foam tires for 5 years, so I dont think its a problem... but i also dont swap wheels for winter. Where I am, its common to roll around on summer tires all year round (I have done so for like 20+ years), especially since most of them are good in the rain as well.

Personally I wouldnt be taking it out, as its for road noise and my car already has plenty of that (lol).. but if you dont want it, seems like it would be better to buy tires without the foam vs ripping it out yourself.

 

[jkdman123]

If you remove it, I'd say you would need to get the tires rebalanced. Theoretically, the foam is evenly distributed around the tire, but it's probably not perfect.

 

[Chewy13]

If you remove it, I'd say you would need to get the tires rebalanced. Theoretically, the foam is evenly distributed around the tire, but it's probably not perfect.

Tires and wheels would have to get rebalanced anyways, OP has winter tires on his wheels now.

 

[Beans4Me]

It’s not that I want to remove them. It was a question whether they are prone to having problems so I should remove them now that they are not mounted.

@jkdman123 the tires are not mounted right now. They are sitting in my basement. They will get remounted in the spring at which point they get rebalanced.

 

[Tam]

When I bought my tesla I remembered someone talking to a service advisor about removing the tire foam from his tire because it had come loose and balled up causing an imbalanced wheel. The guy tired to get them to dismount the remaining tires and remove all the foam because he didn’t want this to happen again but they said he’d have to pay for that proactive service.

I just had my winter tires mounted and I have access to the foam on my original tires. Should I remove the foam before they get remounted in the spring or its not really a problem and I should just leave it?

That's a defect and not by design.

For the following buy of new tires, you can ask for the non-foam padding tires if that's still a worry, but I would not remove the current foam right now until it's a problem.

 

[Beans4Me]

That's a defect and not by design.

For the following buy of new tires, you can ask for the non-foam padding tires if that's still a worry, but I would not remove the current foam right now until it's a problem.

I understand they’re designed to stay on. I tried tugging on them and they seem pretty secure. It’d probably be a pretty crappy job to have to remove the foam. I just want troubles in the future.

Regarding the foam I don’t care either way. I didn’t buy the EV variant of winter tires so I have no foam now. I can’t say I notice much difference in road noise but maybe my hearing is shot so it doesn’t even matter

 

[jkdman123]

I understand they’re designed to stay on. I tried tugging on them and they seem pretty secure. It’d probably be a pretty crappy job to have to remove the foam. I just want troubles in the future.

Regarding the foam I don’t care either way. I didn’t buy the EV variant of winter tires so I have no foam now. I can’t say I notice much difference in road noise but maybe my hearing is shot so it doesn’t even matter

There are studies that show they offer little help and others that show they might help a few dB. The down side to the foam is you can't use the quick fix sealants if you have a small leak because the foam soaks up the sealant and prevents it from getting to the hole.

 

[Mercimek]

Have not any problems with the foam on both all season and winter tires over almost 2 years. I do remember the post you referenced - I think it was a one off as I haven’t seen it pop up as an issue since. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Chewy13]

FWIW, my MYLR had foam pull loose within the first 2000 miles or so of owning the car. Prior to that, I felt it coming loose and the service center would send me on my way without fixing any vibrations - until it was catastrophic and the car was violently shaking.
Foam is dead to me, and I will never buy tires with foam in them again. If I were you, I’d remove it - it’s a ticking time bomb.

 

[JaredM3]

My brother in law’s model 3 foam let go in his tire midway from Montreal to Ottawa… made for a slow drive cause of the vibration from the imbalance. It was crazy how violent it was.

I would never buy another set with foam inserts. I doubt you’d even notice a sound difference anyways…this summer i went from the OEM continentals with foam on my model 3 to Michelin PS4S without foam and I would damn near say they are quieter lol.

Not sure about my new MYP yet, Just got it this summer on Pilot Sport A/S, so I havent burnt a set of tires yet, but I will not be getting foam in the next set.

 

[Mercimek]

My brother in law’s model 3 foam let go in his tire midway from Montreal to Ottawa… made for a slow drive cause of the vibration from the imbalance.

I doubt you’d even notice a sound difference anyways…this summer i went from the OEM continentals with on my model 3 to Michelin PS4S without foam and I would damn near say they are quieter lol.

Not sure about MY yet, Just got my MYP on Pilot Sport A/S this summer, so I havent burnt a set of tires yet

How is the efficiency difference with the Michelins?

 

[electricar]

When my acoustic foam OEM tires wore out I replaced them with no-foam tires and can’t notice any difference in noise level. Acoustic foam is right up there with run-flat technology as a solution in search of a problem.

 

[JaredM3]

How is the efficiency difference with the Michelins?

From the stock continental RX’s or whatever they were, like maybe 10%?? Think I’ve actually gotten better at timesZ It’s Probably because you start taking corners faster and more aggressively. I think people put too much thought into tire selection on EV’s.

I can say on my 23 MYP, I can very easily beat the claimed mileage, without even really trying hard. Much more effecient than my model 3. Is it the tires that do this? Doubt it. Driving style does.

I also have an S plaid, and while I can say, I can also beat efficiency ratings, it doesnt happen often lol

All comes down to how you drive in my opinion

 

[Beans4Me]

@jkdman123 i would never use the fix a flat sealant. The best way to ruin your stuff while making a huge mess.

@Chewy13 what’s the best way to remove the foam?

I’ll probably steer clear of foam in the future. Unfortunately I’ve got a few years left on these tires.

 

[fholbert]

My brother in law’s model 3 foam let go in his tire midway from Montreal to Ottawa… made for a slow drive cause of the vibration from the imbalance. It was crazy how violent it was.

What? Science 101, even if the glue let’s go centrifugal force is holding the foam in place. More to this story than your BIL is telling.

 

[Chewy13]

@jkdman123 i would never use the fix a flat sealant. The best way to ruin your stuff while making a huge mess.

@Chewy13 what’s the best way to remove the foam?

I’ll probably steer clear of foam in the future. Unfortunately I’ve got a few years left on these tires.

Not sure. I haven't done it, and my winter set is on a second set of wheels. When I get new tires, I won't have foam.
They make a tire scraper for when you're doing patches - maybe pick up one of those?

Amazon.com

 

[JaredM3]

What? Science 101, even if the glue let’s go centrifugal force is holding the foam in place. More to this story than your BIL is telling.

Sorry, I should have said he had stopped in Casselman to charge. So unsure of when exactly it let go, but after slowing from highway speeds, I guess would have given the chance for the portion of foam to fall out of place. Once continuing his drive, the part of foam was probably in a different area of the tire.

I drove it, it was bad. I’m also the one who got it in for same day service at the SC by my house. It was the foam, or at least part of it.

 

[Chewy13]

Sorry, I should have said he had stopped in Casselman to charge. So unsure of when exactly it let go, but after slowing from highway speeds, I guess would have given the chance for the portion of foam to fall out of place. Once continuing his drive, the part of foam was probably in a different area of the tire.

I drove it, it was bad. I’m also the one who got it in for same day service at the SC by my house. It was the foam, or at least part of it.

To add to this, since I had the foam come loose in my car. I had a periodic vibration that would come and go. So yes, while the tires are rotating the foam is staying put - but once your park or stop, this is ample opportunity for the foam to move. Eventually so much so, that it wads up and can't flap back to the circumference of the tire - and rather it just balls up, and causes undrivable vibrations.

What kills me - is that I felt the vibrations in my steering wheel and the SC kept telling me everything was fine. It wasn't until the foam had balled up, and causing undeniable shaking at 40+ MPH, that the SC would pop the bead and take a look.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Such one-off events are extremely peculiar. And rare.

There are literally MILLIONS of these acoustic tires on the road, yet these are the first complaints I've ever read. Foam failure would be a warranty claim, so covered for replacement at no- or low-cost.

There ARE benefits in noise reduction, so this appears to be very much adieu about next to nothing.

Keep your foam and enjoy the better, quieter ride.