What is the consensus on the optimal tire size for the MYP with 21" Uberturbines?

[maximusa]

Stock tires are 275/35/21 on the rear 10.5" wheels and 255/35/21 on 9.5" wheels in the front. These tires look stretched, have little to no protection for the rims, and ride quality is jarring on imperfections on the road

Which scenario plays out the best?
1) Move the rear tires onto the front wheels, and order 295/35/21 tires in the rear
Pros:

• Better looks, potentially better ride
• Little impact on speedometer
• Likely more grip

Cons:

• Will likely impact range with more tread contact on the road
• Due to the wider tires in the front, steering may be impacted vs stock

2) Chose a tire with a larger sidewall (285/40/21 on the rear and 265/40/21 in the front)
Pros:

• More sidewall and likely better comfort than stock
• Likely more grip

Cons:

• Will likely impact range with more tread contact on the road
• Speedometer will be affected
• could cause rubbing if the user lowers the vehicle

 

[florida_man]

You're going to get different responses depending on EU vs US because of the tire market offering different sizes. I have heard a lot of EU members recommend what I considered to be very unusual tire sizes but in the EU they're common sizes.

In the US, I would go with either 275R35 square (to facilitate tire rotation and replacement) or 275 front 295 rear for maximum traction.

I think 275/35/21 is the hard limit for front tires before you start hitting the suspension.

caveat- I am still on the stock 255/275 F/R setup

 

[52 16 57 39]

2020 MYP and I’m purchasing new tires for the Übers in about a month… I have a 1” drop from the UPP springs and I’m very much leaning 275/35 front & 295/35 rear.

Rear should not be a problem… Front I’m just a smidge nervous about rubbing while entering/leaving driveways or when the suspension is flexed.

 

[florida_man]

One other option is to just go with 18 or 19 inch wheels and run 275 width tires on all 4 corners. I'm still researching this but it looks like a promising way to shave a lot of unsprung weight.

 

[maximusa]

19" or 20" Martian wheels. 18" look off with low profile tires. Also you can only select 19, 20 or 21" on the Tesla Service options

 

[florida_man]

Right now I am leaning towards 19x9.5 w/ 275/45/19 square setup. It's not a cheap upgrade tho and my factory setup still has a ton of tread life left.

 

[Spinkick]

Am I the only one who really likes the stretched look? I have a set of 20's for the winter. The ride isnt all that bad to me. I am coming from daily driving vehicles with "sporty" suspensions, though. I've never owned an SUV, which I'm guessing are very "plush"

 

[florida_man]

The stretched look isn't the problem. Up to a certain point, wider wheels will actually make handling better. The problem with the Model Y is that the uberturbines are insanely heavy and the suspension struggles to keep them planted over bumps. Going to 19x10 w/ 275/45/19 won't be any less stretched, but it shaves like 15 lbs a corner off I think.

Yeah ubertubines are 38-39 lbs front, 33 lbs per tire (michelin pilot all seasons) which is 71-72 lbs a corner. Going to something like a martian 19x9.5 gets you down to 24 lbs a corner + 30 per corner for 275/45/19 tires which is about 55 per corner. So the total difference is a bit over 15 lbs a corner, you get the idea. There are probably lighter wheel/tires combos out there, this is just the result of a little research.

 

[Spinkick]

I wonder why the ubers are so gd heavy? Maybe they want that momentum for regen ? haha

 

[maximusa]

Larger wheels are always heavier, they are also cast so that doesn't help either.

 

[Spinkick]

Yeah, I have some Forged/cast Martians for my winter tires and its crazy how much lighter they are. I'm sure Tesla saves a bundle using cast wheels.

 

[florida_man]

I wonder why the ubers are so gd heavy? Maybe they want that momentum for regen ? haha

They're shitty cast wheels. Cast is heavy but cheap to manufacture. All the good aftermarket wheels are forged- it's stronger so you need less material for a given amount of strength.

As always, when the question is "why did Tesla do things that way" the correct answer is always "to save money."

 

[Megabrode]

I don't know what the consensus is for up-rated MYP tire size, but I've been very happy with 265/40/21 front, 295/40/21 rear. The wider rears have prevented curb rash a couple of times now. Yes, the car looks better. Yes, ride is (much) more civilized. Yes, the speedo is slightly off (no biggie). And yes, there is very slight tire-to-plastic rubbing in front with full lock, but only in reverse. I notice no degradation in range or handling. I would not attempt to lower the vehicle with these tires -- but IMO it doesn't need lowering, at least for appearance, because the tires fill the wheel wells very nicely. I got the Conti DWS O6, great all-seasons substantially cheaper than the Michelin AS4.

 

[SpicyPaneer]

I don't know what the consensus is for up-rated MYP tire size, but I've been very happy with 265/40/21 front, 295/40/21 rear. The wider rears have prevented curb rash a couple of times now. Yes, the car looks better. Yes, ride is (much) more civilized. Yes, the speedo is slightly off (no biggie). And yes, there is very slight tire-to-plastic rubbing in front with full lock, but only in reverse. I notice no degradation in range or handling. I would not attempt to lower the vehicle with these tires -- but IMO it doesn't need lowering, at least for appearance, because the tires fill the wheel wells very nicely. I got the Conti DWS O6, great all-seasons substantially cheaper than the Michelin AS4.

How much is the range effected by that size?

 

[Megabrode]

So many other things affect range — hills, temp, wind, driving "style," etc. — I find it pretty much impossible to isolate the impact of tire size. I noticed no loss in range when I switched out the stock Pzeros. Even if there is a slight loss, that trade-off is more than worth it. In 30K miles of driving, 15K on the Contis, I've never felt range anxiety.

Other threads on this topic attempt to quantify the difference.

 

[GigaShangHai]

The maximum limit of the rear wheel is 315 R21 30, which brings better control, and the impact on battery life can be ignored. by chinese user

 

[pkc415]

Anyone running 275/35/21 front & 315/30/21 rear?

 

[SpicyPaneer]

The maximum limit of the rear wheel is 315 R21 30, which brings better control, and the impact on battery life can be ignored. by chinese user
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What kind of range hit is this set up, rear looks totally bad@$$.

 

[maximusa]

I just moved the 275's to the front and got the 295 Michelin Pilot Sports A/S in the rear. Ride and looks are noticeably better. Handling is the same, if not better. More rim protection in the rear is nice too.

 

[breakg]

The maximum limit of the rear wheel is 315 R21 30, which brings better control, and the impact on battery life can be ignored. by chinese user
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What do run for the front? 275/35/21? I like the looks