Winter Tires?

[RGB]

Just wondering - does Tesla offer any? Would you just use whatever works for the Lotus?
Or maybe just not take it for a ride in the cold?

[walk_n_wind]

I assume you'd be best off with a 2nd set of wheels and winter tires mounted? Just checked Tire Rack, and while I'm impressed that they have the Tesla Roadster in their database, they don't have any wheels to fit it:

Wheels for 2008 Tesla Roadster

What are the stock tire sizes on the Roadster? It seems the spec sheet on Tesla's website is missing that info...

[Tdave]

According to the Tesla Tech Specs, wheels and tires are:

Size - front 6J x 16
Size - rear 7.5J x 17

Size - front 175/55 R16
Size - rear 225/45 R17

The Roadster Sport has the same wheels, but different sized front tires:

- Front: 6J x 16 - 195/50 R16
- Back: 7.5J x 17 - 225/45 R17

[doug]

Though the wheels have an extra bolt hole, I believe the tires are just the same as on the Elise. You might check to see what they have to say on the lotus forums. www.lotustalk.com




.

[walk_n_wind]

Tire rack only reports the stock Yokohamas for the Roadster:

Compare Tire Search Results

Which claim to be "Extreme Performance Summer." And man are they expensive... Don't have the time now, but it would be worth searching the sizes individually to see what's out there, even if non-matching brands. Or you can always go off-size if there are a set of tires close enough...

There was a good thread about selecting non-stock tire sizes for my MR2 here:

OEM sized tires for MR2 Spyder - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

[Alpine Driver]

RGB,

I am sure Craig /TM munich will tell us a "working solution". Last time he was here with the electric blue VP, he had Pirelli snow tires mounted on it, but told that there are "some problems" - as they are not completely the same size as the summer tires - with the software and the "parameters" of the car?

[walk_n_wind]

Yep, the 08 Elise and 08 Roadster have the same tire sizes:

Sizes To Fit Your Vehicle - Roadster

Sizes To Fit Your Vehicle - Elise

And, as one would probably conclude, those Yokohamas are supposedly the OE fitment for both the Roadster and the Elise.

[walk_n_wind]

On the note of winter tires, I imagined removing the wheels. Then I realized, I wouldn't have the tools to:

http://www.autospeed.com.au/cms/gall...&a=111251&i=11

Torx of some kind? Do they supply a lug nut remover? Probably not, since fix-a-flat is the substitute for a spare, right?

[doug]

On the note of winter tires, I imagined removing the wheels. Then I realized, I wouldn't have the tools to:

http://www.autospeed.com.au/cms/gall...&a=111251&i=11

Torx of some kind? Do they supply a lug nut remover? Probably not, since fix-a-flat is the substitute for a spare, right?

You need a spline tool. It's a similar to idea to torx, but a different shape. Spline tools are not too hard to find. There's probably a hex to spline adapter in the little tool bag they give you. Not sure, though.

[TEG]

The Roadster owner's manual, page 82, describes the TR0055 "locking wheel bolt adapter" (located in the tool kit) which converts to a more typical 17mm socket / wheel wrench.