Tires: Model Y Performance with 21" Ubertines

[DaBagBoy]

So I was excited to pickup my M Y Perf in June...love the torque....had a lot of fun pinning passengers heads against that headrest.

BUT, I noted with the first light snow that I was sliding a LOT more than I enjoyed or was accustomed from my Model 3 and several AWD 3 series BMWs. So I finally flipped the car into Chill Mode in early December and thought about snow tires.

NOW we finally had a real snowfall of about 3" over the weekend, and the hold was pathetic, fishtailing on acceleration and braking on straights at 40mph. I was bitching to a friend about it and then we looked at the tires...

I expected the tires to "wear quickly" but I have 10,900 miles on the car and the wear bars are nearly showing, the stock tires are Pirelli PZeros....meanwhile the front tires have at least half of their tread left. Then I started reading here and elsewhere about rear wheel bias and possibly little to no regen with the front tires?

My Qs are -
a) is this severe wear a possible warranty claim?
b) has anyone found any 21" snow or All Season tires? my tire dealer is suggesting 18" new wheels for the winter
c) can I replace just the rear tires? my local guys alway want to do all 4 tires

 

[glide]

So I was excited to pickup my M Y Perf in June...love the torque....had a lot of fun pinning passengers heads against that headrest.

BUT, I noted with the first light snow that I was sliding a LOT more than I enjoyed or was accustomed from my Model 3 and several AWD 3 series BMWs. So I finally flipped the car into Chill Mode in early December and thought about snow tires.

NOW we finally had a real snowfall of about 3" over the weekend, and the hold was pathetic, fishtailing on acceleration and braking on straights at 40mph. I was bitching to a friend about it and then we looked at the tires...

I expected the tires to "wear quickly" but I have 10,900 miles on the car and the wear bars are nearly showing, the stock tires are Pirelli PZeros....meanwhile the front tires have at least half of their tread left. Then I started reading here and elsewhere about rear wheel bias and possibly little to no regen with the front tires?

My Qs are -
a) is this severe wear a possible warranty claim?
b) has anyone found any 21" snow or All Season tires? my tire dealer is suggesting 18" new wheels for the winter
c) can I replace just the rear tires? my local guys alway want to do all 4 tires

You’re going to have to buy a separate set of tires/wheels for winter.

I believe someone was planning to make an all-season tire for the staggered 21” setup but it has not materialized yet. Even if it did, replacement costs would be more than I would care to deal with.

Bottom line, you need to ditch the 21’s in winter (or even if it is simply cold where you live).

Performance tires on a CUV anywhere outside of CA just does not make sense.

 

[jcanoe]

So I was excited to pickup my M Y Perf in June...love the torque....had a lot of fun pinning passengers heads against that headrest.

BUT, I noted with the first light snow that I was sliding a LOT more than I enjoyed or was accustomed from my Model 3 and several AWD 3 series BMWs. So I finally flipped the car into Chill Mode in early December and thought about snow tires.

NOW we finally had a real snowfall of about 3" over the weekend, and the hold was pathetic, fishtailing on acceleration and braking on straights at 40mph. I was bitching to a friend about it and then we looked at the tires...

I expected the tires to "wear quickly" but I have 10,900 miles on the car and the wear bars are nearly showing, the stock tires are Pirelli PZeros....meanwhile the front tires have at least half of their tread left. Then I started reading here and elsewhere about rear wheel bias and possibly little to no regen with the front tires?

My Qs are -
a) is this severe wear a possible warranty claim?
b) has anyone found any 21" snow or All Season tires? my tire dealer is suggesting 18" new wheels for the winter
c) can I replace just the rear tires? my local guys alway want to do all 4 tires

A) Any warranty claim would be with the tire manufacturer.
B) None that I can find. Contact TireRack as they may have information on any new tires coming soon that will fit your Model Y 21" wheels but your best bet for this winter would be to go with a winter tire package (18" or 19".)
C) No, you will need to swap out all 4 wheels with whatever you decide (18" or 19")

 

[kadify]

No offense, but someone in Michigan should know that you need a dedicated snow tire or at the very least a set of good all seasons...

Having said that not sure about the 10k miles. Seems low but then again if it's only the rear it could be because you're "pinning passengers heads against that headrest". I know I don't expect any of my tires to last more than a year with this car because I'm the same as you . if you want an idea of good snow tires, check around the forums. Lots of people have posted about this topic. I personally just bought some 19" replica r241 (wheels) and got 4 Vredestein wintrac pros which have done quite well so far. Granted it cost about $2.2k all in for that setup including an additional set of TPMS.

Also just a side note: I'm not positive but I don't think 18" wheels would fit over the MY Performance brake calipers. I suppose if you pay a shop to do it, they will be able to tell you when they go to put them on if they fit. Also if you do get a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires, you should be able to just replace the rear summer tires on your 21" Uberturbines wheels. Unless the front are close to being worn down also, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to swap just the tires that are low on tread as far as I know but could be wrong. I don't think Tesla has specifications that the tread needs to be within a certain range on each wheel? Could be completely wrong on that though.

 

[Canefan456]

Check this thread. While Michelin says they'll be producing PS4 All Seasons in the OEM size, this user says the currently available 265/35R21 will fit the fronts no problem.

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 on Uberturbines- 265/35 & 275/35R21

 

[Daks]

There is another thread here about someone putting slightly larger All Season tires on with a a much greater treadwear then our stock 21's which is 220.... If your local tire shop won't replace a different size then the front rear tire without replacing the front. Find another shop. The reason they want to do all 4 is more $ then anything else. If one tire is really worn, you should replace both tires on that axle. Which you are doing. Your front tires are 28" and you back 28.6" high... so if they pull then the tire sizes will be different and that's bad. well, they already are.

Martian wheels has an 18 that fits MYP. Tesla Model Y 18

I haven't run them or tried them, but they say it fits...

 

[DaBagBoy]

No offense, but someone in Michigan should know that you need a dedicated snow tire or at the very least a set of good all seasons...

Having said that not sure about the 10k miles. Seems low but then again if it's only the rear it could be because you're "pinning passengers heads against that headrest". I know I don't expect any of my tires to last more than a year with this car because I'm the same as you . if you want an idea of good snow tires, check around the forums. Lots of people have posted about this topic. I personally just bought some 19" replica r241 (wheels) and got 4 Vredestein wintrac pros which have done quite well so far. Granted it cost about $2.2k all in for that setup including an additional set of TPMS.

Also just a side note: I'm not positive but I don't think 18" wheels would fit over the MY Performance brake calipers. I suppose if you pay a shop to do it, they will be able to tell you when they go to put them on if they fit. Also if you do get a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires, you should be able to just replace the rear summer tires on your 21" Uberturbines wheels. Unless the front are close to being worn down also, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to swap just the tires that are low on tread as far as I know but could be wrong. I don't think Tesla has specifications that the tread needs to be within a certain range on each wheel? Could be completely wrong on that though.

Thanks, your reply was among the most helpful but TBH "someone from Michigan" has driven all seasons for 38 yrs and they did great with AWD BMWs and Subarus.....I've never bought a "summer tire" in the past and of course did sort of figure I'd be buying new tires...the hesitation was that I can be lazy AF about maintenance and dreaded changing tires and wheels twice a year.

So I called and ordered tires and wheels, which Belle Tire couldn't find but TireRack had found an 18" a wheel that was going to run $2,100 for all four.
Then I decided to look into the "other thread" and decided to get these all season -
265/35ZR-21 MICHELIN PILOT SPORT ALL SEASON 4 XL
275/35ZR-21 MICHELIN PILOT SPORT ALL SEASON 4 XL

Should be installed next week, thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Cmf2455]

I was planning tho get the Martian 18 inch wheels with the Michelin all season. The tire guy was concerned this would void my entire Tesla warranty. Is that true? Hard to ask Tesla. Also if the outer diameter of the wheel is different it could affect traction control and speedometer readings. Any opinions would be appreciated.

 

[jcanoe]

I was planning tho get the Martian 18 inch wheels with the Michelin all season. The tire guy was concerned this would void my entire Tesla warranty. Is that true? Hard to ask Tesla. Also if the outer diameter of the wheel is different it could affect traction control and speedometer readings. Any opinions would be appreciated.

As long as the Martian MW03 wheel fits the Model Y, clears the brake calipers and the suspension and has the minimum required weight rating there should be no issue. Going to a -1 size wheel (one inch less in wheel diameter) while selecting a taller sidewall tire is a common practice when fitting winter tires. If in doubt, check with TireRack as they sell winter tire and wheel packages with 18", 19" and 20" wheels for the Model Y. The biggest variance may be that the Model Y's speedometer may read too high by a couple of MPH, i.e. display 62 MPH when you are traveling at 60 MPH.

Read your Model Y Owner's Manual and become familiar with the vehicle specifications especially the gross vehicle weight rating and the gross axle weight rating (in the Model Y GAWR varies for the front and rear axles and also varies by wheel size for the rear axle.)

Plug in your current tire size and the winter tires you are planning to use to into the size comparison tool at Tire Size Comparison to understand the differences.

 

[Cmf2455]

As long as the Martian MW03 wheel fits the Model Y, clears the brake calipers and the suspension and has the minimum required weight rating there should be no issue. Going to a -1 size wheel (one inch less in wheel diameter) while selecting a taller sidewall tire is a common practice when fitting winter tires. If in doubt, check with TireRack as they sell winter tire and wheel packages with 18", 19" and 20" wheels for the Model Y. The biggest variance may be that the Model Y's speedometer may read too high by a couple of MPH, i.e. display 62 MPH when you are traveling at 60 MPH.

Read your Model Y Owner's Manual and become familiar with the vehicle specifications especially the gross vehicle weight rating and the gross axle weight rating (in the Model Y GAWR varies for the front and rear axles and also varies by wheel size for the rear axle.)

Plug in your current tire size and the winter tires you are planning to use to into the size comparison tool at Tire Size Comparison to understand the differences.

Thanks. Do you think the ride would be significantly better- smoother? Maybe I should just keep the induction 20s- at least they look nice. Thanks

 

[jcanoe]

Thanks. Do you think the ride would be significantly better- smoother? Maybe I should just keep the induction 20s- at least they look nice. Thanks

Usually when you change to a smaller wheel with a taller tire sidewall you are proactively setting the vehicle up to be better able to survive encounters with bad road surfaces especially pot holes. It makes sense to have the winter tires with a taller side wall on 18" size wheels because winter is often when the roads are at their worst. If you are just interested in improving the ride of your Model Y then a 19" wheel/tire would offer some improvement.

An option, not inexpensive, is to install a coilover suspension as these can be adjusted (using tools and some elbow work) to have either a softer or a sportier, firmer ride. Another option, not as expensive as buying coilover suspension is to install luxury ride or comfort ride springs. These springs are not adjustable but they will provide a softer ride at the expense of some of the handling response of the vehicle. Finally, if money is no object, you could investigate installing air suspension in the Model Y. I know that third party air suspension kits are available for the Model 3, I've not seen one yet for the Model Y. Maybe I have not looked hard enough.

Of all of the OEM wheels that Tesla offers with the Model Y the 20" Induction is a good choice if you want a sportier ride because there are many brands and model of sport/perfomance tires for the Model Y in this wheel size (255/40-20.) The down side is there is currently only a few brand/models of all season tires currently for the Model Y in this size wheel. The OE Goodyear Eagle F1 tire is rated higher overall on TireRack by customers than the OE Continential Procontact RX all season tire that comes with the 19" wheels. That said, neither of these all-season tires performs well when it counts on snow and ice covered roads. Any winter rated tire is going to be better at stopping on snow and ice than an all -season tire.

 

[GeorgeC1]

So I was excited to pickup my M Y Perf in June...love the torque....had a lot of fun pinning passengers heads against that headrest.

BUT, I noted with the first light snow that I was sliding a LOT more than I enjoyed or was accustomed from my Model 3 and several AWD 3 series BMWs. So I finally flipped the car into Chill Mode in early December and thought about snow tires.

NOW we finally had a real snowfall of about 3" over the weekend, and the hold was pathetic, fishtailing on acceleration and braking on straights at 40mph. I was bitching to a friend about it and then we looked at the tires...

I expected the tires to "wear quickly" but I have 10,900 miles on the car and the wear bars are nearly showing, the stock tires are Pirelli PZeros....meanwhile the front tires have at least half of their tread left. Then I started reading here and elsewhere about rear wheel bias and possibly little to no regen with the front tires?

My Qs are -
a) is this severe wear a possible warranty claim?
b) has anyone found any 21" snow or All Season tires? my tire dealer is suggesting 18" new wheels for the winter
c) can I replace just the rear tires? my local guys alway want to do all 4 tires

The factory tires do not have a mileage warranty. This is the norm for high performance summer only tires. Your tread ware is about what you should expect given the tires and a sub 4 second zero to sixty time. If you want to play you pay! You may find with all season tires you lose a bit of acceleration as the traction control may have to kick in more aggressively or sooner.

 

[Ssmtsx]

Thanks, your reply was among the most helpful but TBH "someone from Michigan" has driven all seasons for 38 yrs and they did great with AWD BMWs and Subarus.....I've never bought a "summer tire" in the past and of course did sort of figure I'd be buying new tires...the hesitation was that I can be lazy AF about maintenance and dreaded changing tires and wheels twice a year.

So I called and ordered tires and wheels, which Belle Tire couldn't find but TireRack had found an 18" a wheel that was going to run $2,100 for all four.
Then I decided to look into the "other thread" and decided to get these all season -
265/35ZR-21 MICHELIN PILOT SPORT ALL SEASON 4 XL
275/35ZR-21 MICHELIN PILOT SPORT ALL SEASON 4 XL

Should be installed next week, thanks for everyone's help!

I just had those Michelin’s removed after 500 miles. They were noticeably louder than the factory pirellis. Thankfully Michelin has a 60 day ride satisfaction guarantee. BTW my watt hour per mile with those tires was 306.

 

[Sixth]

I just had those Michelin’s removed after 500 miles. They were noticeably louder than the factory pirellis. Thankfully Michelin has a 60 day ride satisfaction guarantee. BTW my watt hour per mile with those tires was 306.

I bought Uberturbines with the stock Pirellis. Ironically, i find the 21” quieter in comparison to our 19” Geminis with stock Continentals.

 

[airbrett]

I just had those Michelin’s removed after 500 miles. They were noticeably louder than the factory pirellis. Thankfully Michelin has a 60 day ride satisfaction guarantee. BTW my watt hour per mile with those tires was 306.

What did you replace them with? I wonder if the noise difference is the result of any noise reduction in the OEM Pirellis like foam.

 

[Ssmtsx]

What did you replace them with? I wonder if the noise difference is the result of any noise reduction in the OEM Pirellis like foam.

I just went back to the pirellis. I was worried about having the summer tires in the cold/snow...I’ve got another car I can drive if it snows so hopefully I’ll be ok.

 

[Scarecrow]

FWIW, I measured the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 noise level with an Apple Watch 6 at 70mph on the same section of highway as the factory Pirelli P Zero 4. The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 are about 3-4db louder with a max reading of 67db. This is with only 50 miles. I did get a higher rating at 70db which is notably louder, but the tires were over inflated to 46 psi.

My watt per hour is 308, which is no change from the Pirelli. Obviously, not enough time to evaluate if the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4 really do impact the range.

 

[KubASS]

Interesting. I have the 2021 MYP and just replaced my factory Uberturbines with a set of 19” Tsportline TSV wheels with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4s and both the noise level and comfort have improved over the P Zeroes. Their performance is also much better in close to freezing temperatures.

 

[Scarecrow]

I’m hoping after the break in period that the tires quiet down slightly. It would be nice to have less road noise than the P Zeroes.

 

[Scarecrow]

I finally reached 200 miles on the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4s. It took awhile with local stay at home orders, SC visits, and PPF.

The Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4s have identical decibel noise measurements at 70mph compared to OEM Pirelli P Zero 4 Elites at 63db. This was on the same stretch of road. I couldn’t control for other variables such as temperature.

FWIW, I took multiple readings in various Ubers coming back and forth from the SC across the same section of road. The vehicles ranged from Honda Accords to Infiniti QX60. One Honda Accord was the loudest at consistently over 70db. The Infiniti QX60 was the quietest at 63db (same as MY). The median was probably around 67db. The MY is not louder than these other cars, so Tesla may have a point about ICE noise drowning out road and wind noise. I didn’t ride in any Uber black town cars or luxury german. My guess is they are probably 3-5db quieter than the MY though.