Why are Tesla tires filled with foam?

Essential accessories for Tesla owners

Once you have bought your Tesla there are a number of essential accessories that may be prudent to buy, including those to deal with punctures, charging, security and maintaining the car. We list them here together with the reason why, alternatives if there are any and a handy link to where you can get them.

Dealing with flat tyres

Your Tesla will not come with a spare tire/tyre, nor does it come with run flat tires/tyres, so if you get a puncture you are potentially stuck. Tesla offer a service where they will tow you up to 50 miles and possibly bring you a replacement wheel if you’re near a service centre, but this has a couple of problems. Firstly, you may be over 50 miles from anywhere you know, and secondly, tire places close overnight which is when you most want to get somewhere safely. And if the puncture is a slow one, all you may really need is a 5 mins of an air compressor to top up the pressure. Tesla also don’t eben provide a compressor to help inflate the tires if needed.

Kensun Portable Air Compressor

Unfortunately Tesla are increasingly shipping acoustic tyres which have a foam lining and this prevents the goo found in some tire repair systems getting to the hole. We therefore recommend a compressor only like the Kensun Portable Air Compressor . This can be used at home or from the car 12c system and if you do get a flat, in many cases this will top the air up enough to get you home.

Dynaplug tire puncture repair kit

Even a slow flat can be a pain if you are a long way from home and many recovery companies use a kit like the Dynaplug tire puncture repair kit. With this you can push an repair into the tire to fill the leak and and slow down the loss or pressure. In some instance it can fix the tire completely although it is worth getting it checked out when convenient.

Tesla Jack Pad Pucks

When lifting the car with a trolly jack, care needs to be taken to not damage the battery. It can be done without jack pads, but many carry a set of Tesla Jack Pad Pucks to make it a little easier, especially for people not familiar with working on Teslas.

Complete Compact Spare Tire Kit — Fits 2020-2021 Tesla Model Y

Tesla don’t supply a spare wheel, and they don’t even supply a tire compressor. We therefore recommend either a portable air compressor to blow up tires after a flat or a Complete Compact Spare Tire Kit. This one fits the Model Y but you can also get ones for the other Tesla models.

Keeping things clean on the outside

Your car means a lot to you and for many owners a Tesla represents the most expensive car they may have purchased, so keeping it clean and protected seems a natural thing to do. We’ve written a guide to how we do it that balances looking after the car and making it reasonably efficient, and these are the products we recommend.

MEGUIAR’S G55032SP Complete Car Care Kit

You’ve spent a lot of money on you Tesla and you want to keep it look its best. MEGUIAR’S have been making car care protects for years and for the home enthusiast we recommend the MEGUIAR’S G55032SP Complete Car Care Kit as a great way to start. Ideal to treat yourself or it makes a great gift. The products can also be bought individually.

AIPER Electric Pressure Washer with Long, Hose Reel, Adjustable Nozzle and Spray, Orange

A decent power wash is pretty much essential to getting a clean car and as Teslas are pretty long, a long hose comes in handy. We recommend the AIPER Electric Pressure Washer with Long, Hose Reel, Adjustable Nozzle and Spray, Orange as a good example of a power wash for home use.

SONAX Rubber Care

The rubber seals on Tesla cars have a tendency to dry out and can become squeaky and/or allow water ingress. The treatment is relatively easy, apply some SONAX Gummi Pfleger rubber care and you’ll restore the properties for smoother operation.

Keeping things clean on the inside

Its not just the inside of the car that needs looking after. Whether its dirty boots or pets, here are some ideas.

Tesla model 3 floor mats

The Tesla Model 3 SR+ with the semi premium interior does not come with floor mats. You could of course buy the Tesla official mats or you can buy these Heavy Duty & Flexible Eco-Friendly All Season Model 3 floor mats. They come well rated and being rubber can take pretty tough use.

Tesla Model Y Parcel shelf

The Tesla Model Y doesn’t come with a rear parcel shelf. There is talk of a retro fit one from Tesla, but that might take years, but you can buy a Retractable Rear Trunk Parcel Shelf that does the same.

3D MAXpider Custom Fit All-Weather Cargo Liner

We all put rubbish in the trunk from time to time, well this 3D MAXpider Custom Fit All-Weather Cargo Liner maybe just the thing to keep it clean and protect the carpet from getting wet. Other sizes are available for other models of Tesla.

Tesla Model 3 Trunk Mats Custom Cargo Liner All Weather Trunk Protection Mat

A cheaper alternative to the 3D Maxspider is the Tesla Model 3 Trunk Mats Custom Cargo Liner All Weather Trunk Protection Mat. Its not as well finished as the 3D Maxspider but for occasional use it may be all you need.

Model 3 Front and Rear Trunk sill Protector

The Model 3 trunk or boot sill is made out of plastic as is the frunk and will easily get marked over time. These Model 3 Front and Rear Trunk sill protectors will help lift the appearance of the car giving it a classier look and be harder wearing

Tesla Model 3 Model Y Dashboard Cover Wrap

Tesla only offer the Model 3 and model Y with a limited interior choice which is not to everybody’s taste. However the simple shape of the interior makes applying a Tesla Model 3 Model Y Dashboard Cover Wrap pretty easy. You can also get wraps for the centre console to match.

Tesla M3 & MY HEPA cabin air filters

The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y air filters can be upgraded with a Cabin Air Filter HEPA Replacement Filter Set. These are built to a higher standard than those fitted to the cars as Standard and can be fitted at home with a small amount of DIY skill.

Tempered Glass Screen Protector for M3 and MY — Matte/Anti Glare/Anti Finger Print

The screen in the Model 3 and Model Y doesn’t have a protector or matte coating resulting in potential damage and glare. This Tempered Glass Screen protector provides both protection and a matte coating. You can also buy versions which are not glass and a little cheaper, although for the few extra bucks, we think it’s worth it for the extra protection this version gives.

Upgraded Tesla LED Puddle Lights

The standard fit Tesla interior and door lights are not the brightest and one of the common upgrades owners make is to replace these lights. These Upgraded Tesla LED Puddle Lights are significantly brighter than the Tesla ones and fit most Teslas.

Security

Tesla security is pretty good with pin to drive and the ability to track your car from the phone app, however it is not fool proof and additional security measures may be worth taking. Cars equipped with sentry mode also need a suitable storage device as many cheap memory sticks are just not up to the job.

Steering Wheel Lock

Sometimes the best deterent to a theft is an obvious physical one that everyone understands. The Steering Wheel Lock has been around for years and while not the prettiest deterent it is effective. At least this one is in red.

Samsung T7 USB Portable Solid State Drive

When using sentry mode or the dash cam, the car requires a storage device of some form to keep the video clips. These devices get a lot of writes and rewrites and a traditional memory stick will typically be either too slow or fail over time with the repeated use. Better devices are those used for either constant writes and rewrites such as Solid state hard drives or memory cars designed for video recording. A popular solid state drive is the Samsung T7 Portable Solid State Drive which has taken over from the previous favourite, the T5. You can alsp partition this to have MP3s including Boombox files on the same physical device. If you would prefer something smaller, then a memory car such as the SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC Memory Card with a write speed of up to 90MB/s coupled with a quality USB memory card reader is a far better choice than a dedicated USB memory stick.

Sentry mode warning sticker

A simple security upgrade to act as a deterrent is to add Sentry mode warning stickers. Sentry mode is great, but capturing something happen is still a problem to sort out, whereas prevention is better than cure and warning people to stay away might just mean the damage or break in attempt don’t happen in the first place.

Apple Airtag

Tracking your car not using the Tesla system has just got even easier if you are an iPhone user. The Apple AirTag is a really clever bit of tech that uses nearby apple mobile phones to silently transmit its location back to you. This will keep you informed if your car is stolen or if you’ve left it with a garage and they put the car in service mode.

Charging

Your car will come with pretty much everything you need to charger the car, but there are occasions when you may need a helping hand. The most typical is when using the universal mobiles charger or UMC and you need a longer reach to get to a socket. Here are some suggestions.

Miscellaneous

And finally here are a few more items that you might just like. Whether its gifts for people or accessories we just couldn’t place in one of our other categories! We trust you find them useful suggestions:

Tesla Black Mug

Do you miss your Tesla when in the office? Now you can be reminded with this great Tesla Black Mug.. It looks great in our eyes and would make a great present for that Tesla obsessed person in your household.

Self-Adhesive Noise Reduction Kit

One of the DIY improvements many make to the Model 3, Model Y and to a lesser extent the Model S is the addition of a Self-Adhesive Noise Reduction Kit.. This one by Basenor is well reviewed and easy to fit yourself.

Logitech F310 Wired Gamepad

If you enjoy playing games in your car while charging, then you really need a game controller like the Logitech F310 Wired Gamepad. Not only are the controls easier to access, it also stops your front tires being warn away through frantic turning of the steering wheel.

4-Port USB 3.0 Ultra Slim Data Hub

The Model 3 and Model Y no longer come with USB data ports other than in the glovebox. This makes life annoying if you want to plug in a sentry/dashcam data storage device, a media device, a gamespad and a USB disk of lightshow programmes. While some of these things can be comobined onto a SSD with multiple partions, you can also use a USB Data Hub. This one from Anker is slim and works well.

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Airless tire

This article is written like a personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor’s personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic. Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style. ( February 2022 ) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

12-16.5 Mk1 Croc Tyre with rim center fitted

Airless tires, non-pneumatic tires (NPT), or flat-free tires are tires that are not supported by air pressure. They can be used on small vehicles such as riding lawn mowers and motorized golf carts. They also are used on heavy equipment required to operate on sites where risk of tire punctures is high. Tires composed of closed-cell polyurethane foam are also made for bicycles and wheelchairs.

Advantages & disadvantages [ edit ]

The main advantages of airless tires is that they do not go flat and need to be replaced less frequently. Heavy equipment outfitted with airless tires will be able to carry more weight and engage in more rugged activities. [1]

Airless tires generally have higher rolling resistance and provide somewhat less suspension than similarly shaped and sized pneumatic tires. Other problems for airless heavy equipment tires include dissipating the heat buildup that occurs when they are driven. Airless tires are often filled with compressed polymers (plastic) rather than air, or can be a solid molded product.

Airless tires are attractive to cyclists, as bicycle tires are much more vulnerable to punctures than motor vehicle tires.

The drawbacks to airless tires depend on the use. Heavy equipment operators who use machinery with solid tires may become fatigued. Any airless tire will be heavier than the rubber tire it is meant to replace.

However, airless tires are not popular with hardcore off-roaders, as those vehicles often need to travel long distances at highway speeds. At speeds above 80 km/h, they can be unstable, causing severe vibrations (and passenger discomfort), and therefore potential for drivers to lose vehicle control. [2]

Installation of airless tires depends on the use. Heavy equipment will need special equipment to mount, but an airless bicycle tire can be mounted with little effort. Solid airless lawnmower tires come pre-installed on the wheel, allowing quick installation. [ citation needed ]

Examples [ edit ]

Parts of this article (those related to Section) need to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. ( June 2019 )

An Airless tire fitted on a Mobike

Many bicycle-sharing systems use these tires to reduce maintenance. In 1938, J. V. Martin in the United States invented a safety tire with hoops of hickory encased in rubber and fitted with criss cross spokes of ribbed rubber. It could drive over 100 mm (4 inches) blocks when tested in a springless test car. [3] In 2005, Michelin started developing an integrated tire and wheel combination, the «Tweel» (derived from «tire» and «wheel,» which are combined into one new, fused part), which operates entirely without air. Michelin claims its «Tweel» has load carrying, shock absorbing, and handling characteristics that compare favorably to conventional pneumatic tires. [4] However, the tire has a lot of vibration when driving over 80 km/h (50 mph). Therefore the tire is only available for golf carts, ATV’s and skid steer vehicles. In 2019 however Michelin and GM announced their goal of making a new airless tire for passenger vehicles available in 2024. [5] The automotive engineering group of the mechanical engineering department at Clemson University is developing a low energy loss airless tire with Michelin through the NIST ATP project. Resilient Technologies and the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Polymer Engineering Center are creating a «non-pneumatic tire», which is a round polymeric honeycomb wrapped with a thick, black tread. The initial version of the tire is for the Humvee and is expected to be available in 2012. [6] [7] It is also the first group to make a commercially available mass-produced airless tire after its acquisition by Polaris, [8] albeit only as coupled with their vehicle. The tire trademark is «Terrainarmor». Bridgestone is developing the Bridgestone Air-Free Concept Tire, which can hold 150 kg (330 lb) per tire. [9] The Energy return wheel (ERW) has the outer edge of the tire connected to the inner rim by a system of springs. The springs can have their tension changed to vary the handling characteristics. [10] Hankook Tire is developing the iFlex airless tire. [11] However, many tire manufacturing companies are yet to start making airless tire due to different limitations. Major companies like Goodyear say its airless tires won’t be road-ready until 2030. [12]

References [ edit ]

^ Bridges, Jake (November 9, 2022). «Airless Tires Pros and Cons». BestCarFinder . Retrieved November 10, 2022 .
^
«The airless tyre remains elusive». Outback Travel Australia . Retrieved 2021-11-28 .
^
«Rubber Spokes Give Bounce to Airless Safety Tires». Popular Science. May 1938 . Retrieved 2015-10-20 .
^
Mihalascu, Daniel (2010-04-30). «Reinventing the Wheel: a Guide to Michelin’s Airless Tire» . Retrieved 2015-12-31 .
^
Golson, Jordan (2019-06-06). «Michelin develops new airless tyre» . Retrieved 2020-08-03 .
^
Rutherford, Mark (2008-11-17). «New honeycomb tire is ‘bulletproof’ «. CNET. Archived from the original on 2009-06-15 . Retrieved 2008-11-23 .
^
Youtube video. Archived from the original on 2011-12-18 . Retrieved 2011-12-27 .
^
Edelstein, Stephen (2013-11-18). «Polaris Airless Tires Go On Sale». Motor Authority . Retrieved 2015-02-15 .
^
Boyer, Mark (2011-12-31). «Bridgestone Air-Free Concept Tyre». inhabit.com . Retrieved 2012-04-19 .
^
Michler, Andrew (2011-12-28). «Airless, Springy ‘Energy Return Wheel’ Tire Promises To Improve Gas Mileage». inhabit.com . Retrieved 2012-04-19 .
^
Collie, Scott (2015-07-16). «Hankook’s high-speed tests inch airless tires closer to production». GizMag. US . Retrieved 2016-10-02 .
^
Gessner, Daniel. «Why you can’t buy airless tires for your car yet». Business Insider . Retrieved 2023-03-09 .

Tubeless tire
Radial tire
Low rolling resistance tire
Run-flat tire
Michelin PAX System
Airless tire
Tweel
Rain tyre
Snow tire
All-terrain tire
Bar grip
Knobby tire
Large tire
Mud-terrain tire
Paddle tire
Orange oil tires
Whitewall tire
Aircraft tire
Tundra tire
Bicycle tire
Tubular tire
Lego tire
Motorcycle tyre
Tractor tire
Racing slick
Formula One tyres
Spare tire
Continental tire

Model Y Run Flat Tires [What You Need to Know]

A flat tire is one of the worst situations for a driver. The flat changes the performance of your vehicle, reducing your control over it. Most car manufacturers tackle the problem by offering tires that can work while flat to give the driver time to reach a service shop. However, a few manufacturers are bucking the trend, including Tesla Motors. The Tesla Model Y does not have run-flat tires, nor do they come with spares. When your Model Y has a flat tire, Tesla expects you to have your vehicle towed to one of their shops for a replacement. However, they do provide a few precautionary measures to help reduce the likelihood of a flat. These precautionary measures try to prevent flat tires from occurring, saving you and your family in the process. By reading further, you will learn what these measures are and how they work when a tire goes flat. » MORE: What to Do if Your Tesla Gets a Flat Tire?

Does Tesla Model Y Have Run-Flat Tires?

Every driver will experience a flat tire at least once. Tires can blow out for a variety of reasons many of which are out of the driver’s control. Because of this, you must have some plan to deal with the condition during any long trip. One popular flat tire solution is run-flat tires. Run-flat tires are durable enough to allow you to drive normally even if the tires blow out. Despite the benefits of having them, some manufacturers still do not provide run-flat tires on their vehicles. Some of them even refuse to do so, including Tesla Motors. Instead of run-flat tires, Tesla adorns their vehicles with special, foam-filled tires, including the Model Y, Model 3, and Model X.

The Tires on the Tesla Model Y

Not made to run flat
Difficult to patch or repair, usually requiring a full replacement
Expensive to fix only Tesla shops have the materials and equipment to fix them

Fortunately, Tesla tires rarely face catastrophic failures. If they blow out, it is usually just a slow leak. So, you will most likely have enough time to get your Model Y off the road to safety before anything worse happens.

The Model Y Has No Spare Tire Either

Despite being one of the most innovative car makers out there, Tesla does not provide spare tires with their vehicles either. If your Model Y gets a flat, you are expected to pull over as quickly as possible and call for their roadside assistance program.

Tesla has many reasons for staying with traditional-style tires for their vehicles. While run-flat tires and spares sound like great options for keeping drivers safe until they can get replacement tires, these features are no longer as useful as they once were.

Tire technology has developed enough that flat tires are rare enough events that it is more cost-effective to just call for a tow than driving to a shop using a spare. Getting rid of spares and run-flat tires also lowers the costs of the vehicle while providing more storage space.

The Tesla Model Y Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors

Instead of spares and run-flat tires, Tesla included a tire pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS) system as a standard feature on their newer models including the Model Y. The TPMS constantly tracks the pressure in your car’s tires. It then warns you when the pressure drops below a threshold, giving you time to reach a tire repair shop before the tires go flat.

The Model Y uses a wireless TPMS system. Its sensors are embedded into the insides of the tires where they transmit the tire conditions to the main unit under the hood. As a flat tire prevention tool, this system is cheap and reliable. Some drivers may not like dealing with driver-assist features such as TPMS, but the system keeps the costs of Tesla cars low.

The system also reduces the load weight on your car. Run-flat tires are heavy, and spare tires take up extra space. By replacing them with foam-filled, TPMS-equipped tires give your Model Y a small performance and range boost that it would not otherwise have.

The Cost of Not Having Run-Flat Tires on a Model Y

While the TPMS works, it does have its downsides. While preventing flat tires is useful and the ideal, flat tires will still happen regardless. However, without the proper equipment, Model Y drivers will be stuck on the side of the road if they find themselves with a flat tire.

Temperature Changes Can Break the TPMS

The TPMS assumes that your car’s tire pressure will remain static over the life of the car. In most cases, this works but can break if your area experiences frequent temperature changes. As the air temperature changes, it can lower or increase the pressure in your tires. This change can cause the TPMS to give a false warning.

Because they are exposed to the elements, the sensors in the tires can also break. When that happens, the system can no longer track tire pressures properly. Under this situation, the system may report a false warning or fail to repost problems that do occur.

You are Reliant on Tesla Roadside Assistance

The only standard flat tire solution for Model Y drivers is calling for a tow. Fortunately, Tesla does offer free Roadside Assistance. The service is available 24/7, provided your car is still under warranty. As such, you can get help with a simple phone call.

As dramatic cascade failures are rare, the technicians should be able to get you back on the road quickly. However, you must be able to make the call. If you travel a lot, you may find yourself where cell service is limited.

Tesla Tires Are Expensive

Because of the TPMS and their proprietary foam lining, Tesla tires are quite expensive to repair. If your Model Y gets a flat tire, you can expect the repair cost to start at $230 plus labor for each tire.

This is because the tires require equipment that smaller shops do not have. Therefore, you are stuck with Tesla dealers and partners such as Costco. Fortunately, some of these partners will discount you if you replace all your tires at once.

Model Y Flat Tire Repair Kits Are Available

If you are worried about getting a flat tire or just prefer to do things by yourself, you can get flat tire repair kits for your Model Y. You can even get spare tire kits. You pay a premium for the privilege, but you can get them from the Tesla Store.

Priced at around $350, Model Y tire repair kits come with everything you need to fix a flat tire. They even come equipped to handle any of Tesla’s factory wheel size options. The spares will even clear the Model Y’s large brakes.

These kits also come with sturdy, low-profile, custom scissor jacks with ratcheting handles. These jacks offer enough leverage at the design lift points that anyone can use them without issue under any condition. When not in use, the whole package collapses to take up as little space as possible in its six-inch storage case.

Conclusion

Despite being one of the most innovative car makers, Tesla Motors did not equip their Model Y vehicles with run-flat tires, spares, or any other standard flat tire solutions. Instead, they decided to use tire pressure monitoring to warn their drivers of potential blowouts before they happen.

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The articles here on ThatTeslaChannel.com are created by Greg, a Tesla vehicle and Tesla solar expert with nearly half a decade of hands-on experience. The information on this site is fact-checked and tested in-person to ensure the best possible level of accuracy.

About the Author

The articles here on ThatTeslaChannel.com are created by a Tesla vehicle and Tesla solar expert with nearly half a decade of hands-on experience. The information on this site is fact-checked and tested in-person to ensure the best possible level of accuracy.

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