Tire Questions

[InfinitySky]

As a new owner of a Model 3, I’m trying to move on in life without a spare tire. The more threads I read the more confused I get about what I should actually do to protect myself on the road from all the nails, screws, etc that will inevitably end up sticking into my tire. I know Tesla will cover towing for me if I get stuck due to a flat up to 50 miles. That’s pretty much all I understand at this point. Here are my questions:

What is the consensus on how to protect yourself? Should I shell out the extra $ for AAA? Should I purchase tire insurance from the local discount tire or will they fix a flat for you there if you didn’t buy tires from them?

If I don’t buy anything and just stick with the Tesla 50 miles thing, where would they tow it to if a service center isn’t within range? A certified Tesla shop or just any repair shop?

 

[RayK]

In my estimation, it's useful to pay for a AAA membership for any vehicle you drive. While Tesla may arrange to tow you in case of a flat, or may even send a mobile ranger with a replacement wheel/tire, I'd rather have AAA as a backup since they have more experience and territorial coverage for breakdowns/flats. The only downside that I can see with AAA is that in remote places you may get an operator who has never seen a Tesla before. In that instance, you may have to instruct them on proper towing and/or jacking techniques.

I'd say all tire shops will repair a flat for a price, assuming it's repairable in the first place, even if you didn't previously buy tires from them. Some shops may even fix a simple flat (using a plug most likely) for free if you have previous history with them; purchased tires from them or had repairs done on a vehicle. If you have a favorite local shop, give them a call and ask what their policy is.

In any case, at minimum, I would carry the following equipment in your car:

• 12V tire inflator; I carry this: Slime 40051
  
• tire pressure gauge; yes I know the car has TPMS but a simple dial gauge can be used on the tires when the car is parked. The inflator probably has one built into it but when you need to quickly check your tires, a gauge is easiest
  
• tire plug kit; T-handle awl, rubber plugs and cement
• pliers; to pull out the offending nail/screw/whatever
• tarp, since Murphy's Law says that wherever you pull over, there's going to be mud/snow/puddles
• heavy-duty gloves, unless you like your hands getting dirty/muddy/greasy/cut

edit: My history with tire repairs on my 3 is this: two punctures in the same factory tire in about a year. The first one was repaired at the Tesla Service Center ($42), while the second time it was not repairable and I replaced both back tires ($700). Both times I was able to drive there as the leak was fairly slow. Both times I was closer to my normal tire shop but elected to go to Tesla. I think when time comes to replace the factory rubber, I'm going to go to Wheel Works near my house.

ref: Nail in tire = Tesla or Discount Tire

 

[XLR82XS]

There are tire repair kits online that are good and definitely stick a pair of gloves in the car as RayK suggests. If you have to be towed for a tire repair any reputable tire shop can handle a plug and/or patch (provided tires do not have foam liner) Crazy to pay upwards of $50 for a tire plug at a Tesla SC.

AAA is good just may have to show the mobile ranger how to jack the car but in my case, I have Seven Sparta jack pucks so I would just advise them to use that.

 

[kbecks13]

I'd definitely recommend carrying a 12V inflator, i've had 2x flats so far with my car and it has saved me both times by allowing me to pump some air in and limp to a tire shop

Also super nice so you can avoid ever going to a gas station again

I have one by AstroAI and it works great: https://www.amazon.com/AstroAI-Port...12+volt+air+compressor&qid=1595521140&sr=8-10

 

[RayK]

If you have to be towed for a tire repair any reputable tire shop can handle a plug and/or patch (provided tires do not have foam liner) Crazy to pay upwards of $50 for a tire plug at a Tesla SC.

Just to clarify, the tire plug kit may not be totally effective with the factory MXM4 tires that have the noise reduction foam liners, but it may help enough to keep air in the tire until you can get to a tire shop. In both of my cases with punctures I added air to the tire and was able to drive 10 miles to the service center at normal speeds. Here's my first adventure with the tire: Flat tire day

AAA is good just may have to show the mobile ranger how to jack the car but in my case, I have Seven Sparta jack pucks so I would just advise them to use that.

Yes, I forgot to mention the pucks. I carry a set of four in the sub-trunk, along with most of the items I highlighted.

 

[TraumaDoc]

I can second this, had a factory MPS4 with foam plugged at the roadside - it was a quick puncture in the centre of the tread, went from 3.1 to 0.5 psi in around 45 seconds. The plug held it from 2.8psi down to 1.9psi after 18 hours and 45miles.

 

[EmOne]

There are tire repair kits online that are good and definitely stick a pair of gloves in the car as RayK suggests. If you have to be towed for a tire repair any reputable tire shop can handle a plug and/or patch (provided tires do not have foam liner) Crazy to pay upwards of $50 for a tire plug at a Tesla SC.

AAA is good just may have to show the mobile ranger how to jack the car but in my case, I have Seven Sparta jack pucks so I would just advise them to use that.

I may be wrong, but I thought the "special" Michelin P4S on the M3P has a foam liner; not sure why can't fix with the plug--definitely seems to have worked for the screw puncture (how the heck DOES that happen?!) that I repaired 600 miles ago...

 

[EmOne]

I can second this, had a factory MPS4 with foam plugged at the roadside - it was a quick puncture in the centre of the tread, went from 3.1 to 0.5 psi in around 45 seconds. The plug held it from 2.8psi down to 1.9psi after 18 hours and 45miles.

I think you meant 3.1 BAR not PSI; seems your plug failed whereas mine did not. Not clear at all to me why the foam layer would prevent a good seal since I'm almost certain that the air seal would be taking place at the lever of the rubber layer of the tire and I don't see how foam would interfere.

 

[WesC]

Haven't had a spare tire since 2012. Keep an air compressor in your car. If you get a flat chances are you can pump it up enough to get the a shop to patch it. That has worked for me like 4 times.

I also keep a tire plug kit and the green slime fix a flat in the car. Haven't used either before yet though.

 

[Wennfred]

I take a modern spare with me when I go on long trips, I also have the patch kit but I will tell you that the patch/plug kit won’t work.

What happens with Tesla wheels and tires is that pothole will cause the tire to expand once it hits the edge of the hole and the wheel will cut the sidewall of the tire. Seen this on Youtube with “Out Of Spec Motors” this is when I realize no matter what a spare tire would be it. This Modern Spare (will link it below) can go to 80mph while others are limited to 50mph. I figured once I get to my destination I can have a tire shop fix my flat.

I carry a small air compressor that hooks up to the 12 volt cigarette adapter, The modern spare tire with the lug nuts it came with, an expandable breaker bar with 21mm Lug socket, a Porsche 911 scissors jack w/handle, Jack pads. I also carry the Plug kit so later I can pull a Nail or Screw out and fix it myself.

Replacing the tire with a Spare takes no more then 15 minutes if you have everything organized and have practice with it.

I rather do this then to wait 2 hours for AAA or Tesla roadside. You never know when your out where there’s no Cell Phone signal. I take mine on trips to Las Vegas.

Time is money.

search results - Modern Spare

Fred

 

[Wennfred]

Discount Tires will always fix your flat for free even when if the tires were purchased elsewhere, I always tip them good for that service and this why I always get my tires from them or Costco.

But the point is getting to a tire repair shop when you’re out in the middle of the sticks. Better to be prepare on long distance runs and not having to rely on anyone else.

Fred

 

[john5520]

I take a modern spare with me when I go on long trips, I also have the patch kit but I will tell you that the patch/plug kit won’t work.

What happens with Tesla wheels and tires is that pothole will cause the tire to expand once it hits the edge of the hole and the wheel will cut the sidewall of the tire. Seen this on Youtube with “Out Of Spec Motors” this is when I realize no matter what a spare tire would be it. This Modern Spare (will link it below) can go to 80mph while others are limited to 50mph. I figured once I get to my destination I can have a tire shop fix my flat.

I carry a small air compressor that hooks up to the 12 volt cigarette adapter, The modern spare tire with the lug nuts it came with, an expandable breaker bar with 21mm Lug socket, a Porsche 911 scissors jack w/handle, Jack pads. I also carry the Plug kit so later I can pull a Nail or Screw out and fix it myself.

Replacing the tire with a Spare takes no more then 15 minutes if you have everything organized and have practice with it.

I rather do this then to wait 2 hours for AAA or Tesla roadside. You never know when your out where there’s no Cell Phone signal. I take mine on trips to Las Vegas.

Time is money.

search results - Modern Spare

Fred

I have a plug kit, 12V compressor, slime (I think it was a waste of money but can't hurt to have it), breaker bar, but I'm also going the Modern Spare route. IMO, nothing beats having a spare that can get you back on the road in less than 30 minutes.

 

[TraumaDoc]

I think you meant 3.1 BAR not PSI; seems your plug failed whereas mine did not. Not clear at all to me why the foam layer would prevent a good seal since I'm almost certain that the air seal would be taking place at the lever of the rubber layer of the tire and I don't see how foam would interfere.

Quite correct on bar vs psi.

The plug is mushroom shaped, you could see a hole where it had pushed through the foam and then trapped a ring of foam under it as it was pulled flush to the inside of the tyre.

Incidentally the foam wasnt what I was expecting, its a cm or so thick strip around the inside of the flat surface of the tyre, barely seems worth it...

 

[DaveRZ]

This brings up an interesting (to me) psychological question. Why is it that my Model 3, despite being my 3rd "no spare" car, is the only car where I think about (and sometimes worry about) getting a flat?

Previously I had a C5 Corvette without run-flat tires, and still have my Pontiac G8 which doesn't have a spare or jack, just a factory air pump and sealant cartridge (still unused after 11 years). Further, in 31 years of driving, I've only ONCE gotten a flat while driving, the others have always been a slow leak that results in a flat in the morning. Fill it back up and drive to a tire shop and get it patched, an hour late to work.
How often do people tend to get a flat that requires a spare (e.g, a blowout on the side of the road, or a large hole)? Am I just lucky in only needing it once in 31 years?

 

[Wennfred]

This brings up an interesting (to me) psychological question. Why is it that my Model 3, despite being my 3rd "no spare" car, is the only car where I think about (and sometimes worry about) getting a flat?

Previously I had a C5 Corvette without run-flat tires, and still have my Pontiac G8 which doesn't have a spare or jack, just a factory air pump and sealant cartridge (still unused after 11 years). Further, in 31 years of driving, I've only ONCE gotten a flat while driving, the others have always been a slow leak that results in a flat in the morning. Fill it back up and drive to a tire shop and get it patched, an hour late to work.
How often do people tend to get a flat that requires a spare (e.g, a blowout on the side of the road, or a large hole)? Am I just lucky in only needing it once in 31 years?

Just know that shizzzt happens unexpectedly. Just hate to be caught off guard especially somewhere out in the desert heading into Las Vegas. I guess I will look for and post that Out of Spec video with his blow out.

Fred

 

[Wennfred]

Start at 19:30 and he starts to talk and Bang! The blowout at 20:00

 

[RayK]

In my over 46 years of driving, I've only once had the honor of getting a flat tire bad enough to warrant using a spare or calling for a tow. It was when I was driving up to Tahoe to ski with my boss in my 1980 RX-7. At around 4am I ran over something on the highway which caused an immediate flat. I pulled over, emptied the trunk of all the ski gear and pulled out the spare and jack. I only then noticed that nowhere in the car did I have my wheel lock key . Sat at a gas station nearby for a couple of hours before my wife could find the key in my toolbox in the garage and drive it up (about 50 miles away). Note that this was way before we had cell phones.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

Modern spare for road trips.... Waiting a few hours for Tesla Roadside assistance show up is no fun. Swapping out the tire = under 30min and then you are on your way and can go to a tire store the next day. If I'm just driving around my area - no spare tire but roadside assistance likely isn't more than an hour away

 

[Wennfred]

 

[Dolemite]

First, you have to pick up auto-x or road racing as a hobby. Next, you get coilovers, sway bars, bigger brakes, and 19 x 10 wheels for track days + extreme-performance tires to match. Now, whenever you go on a road trip, you just throw a spare wheel in the back and call it a day.