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Skip Every Other Tire Rotation

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gavine

Petrol Head turned EV Enthusiast
Apr 1, 2014
2,646
2,235
Philadelphia, PA
Tesla recommends tire rotation every 5,000 miles, but I think you could ship every-other interval. Here's the math (percentages are theoretical but I believe still accurate if scaled differently) -->

@0-miles
Front = 100%
Rear = 100%

@5,000-miles
Front = 90%
Rear = 80%

<Rotate>

Still @5,000-miles
Front = 80%
Rear = 90%

@10,000-miles
Front = 70%
Rear = 70%

Rotate? Why? Makes no sense to rotate when tires are all even again.

@ 15,000-miles
Front = 60%
Rear = 50%

<Rotate>

Still @ 15,000-miles
Front = 50%
Rear = 60%

@ 20,000-miles
Front = 40%
Rear = 40%

Same thing....no rotation needed.

So rotate at first 5,000, then at 10,000 mile intervals after that. Does this make sense or am I smoking crack here?
 
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For a 60, I expect you would be fine. For a P85+, which I have, no way. I'm going through tire faster than the pumpkin pie went through the hired girl (you can thank my mom for that lovely image). It really depends upon how you drive.

It shouldn't matter how you drive. The same rule applies. Maybe the interval is shorter, but the interval on subsequent rotations should be double the original. Otherwise, you're rotating tires with the same tread at the 2nd schedule rotation...waste of time and money.

Instead of a 10% vs 20% F/R in my original post, let's assume there's it's 10% vs 30% this time -->

@0-miles
Front = 100%
Rear = 100%

@5,000-miles
Front = 90%
Rear = 70%

<Rotate>

Still @5,000-miles
Front = 70%
Rear = 90%

@10,000-miles
Front = 60%
Rear = 60%

Rotate? Why? Makes no sense to rotate when tires are all even again. 60% each

@ 15,000-miles
Front = 50%
Rear = 30%

<Rotate>

Still @ 15,000-miles
Front = 30%
Rear = 50%

@ 20,000-miles
Front = 20%
Rear = 20%
 
I have 4100 miles on 3 of my tires, and 1500 miles on the other one (front) due to picking up a screw which required tire replacement.

I should be due for a rotation soon, but I have no idea how the math would work out on that. :crying:
 
Could be more of a difference on the P85D. I told the SC that I would be rotating mine every 2,500 miles and they said they will be tracking my vehicle to check on the wear as there is no current history how the D wears.

I'm seeing less of a difference on my P85D, not more. I rotated the Hakka R2 snows at 5500 miles and there was less than 1mm difference, front and rear. Driving style could be part of it, though: while I get my share of Insane mode launches, my lifetime consumption is 322 Wh/mi over 7800 miles.
 
It is important to LOOK at your tires and the only way to do that is by removing and doing a rolling inspection. Also nice to look at the suspension etc. Every 2500 is too often? Feeling lucky today and everyday? Be sure to carry a spare!!
--
 
I do not rotate as I like just purchasing 2 tires at a time and keeping the tires with best tread on the driving wheels. With good alignment I have not had issues with wear and it is a LOT less hassle. I am now at 65,000 miles on my truck and the tires are still good.
 
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I do not rotate as I like just purchasing 2 tires at a time and keeping the tires with best tread on the driving wheels. With good alignment I have not had issues with wear and it is a LOT less hassle.

Sounds like you are rotating, just with a longer interval. :wink:

Assuming rears wear significantly more than first...

+Replace rears when worn.
+Replace fronts when worn and 'rotate' the worn rears to the front.
+From here on depends on wear between front and rear, but anytime fronts get replaced and rears don't there is a 'rotation'.
 
Anyone with a D that's rotated yet, if so how did the wear look. You would think that it would be more even wear because of the dual motors. Still breaking mine in with 1500miles and don't see any wear difference from front to rear and I'm launching it all the time.
 
I think the problem with the Model S is the inside wear on the rear tires. So in your example above when the wear is "even" it's actually even not across the entire tire. The inside of the rear will be worn more than the inside of the front. So it still makes sense to rotate to give the inside shoulder a break. I'm rotating every 3,000 miles and my lead-foot wife is getting 15,000 miles out of the 21" Conti DWS on a P85.
 
I do not rotate as I like just purchasing 2 tires at a time and keeping the tires with best tread on the driving wheels. With good alignment I have not had issues with wear and it is a LOT less hassle.

1. Purchasing two tires at a time is not something you want to do. The reason is that tire manufacturers often make silent changes to the tires and you want like tires on all four positions. Think of it like wallpaper. when you paper a room you want all from the same production batch or they are likely to mismatch. (Obviously, this doesn't apply to staggered tire sizes.)

2. You always want the deepest tread at the rear of the car regardless of drive orientation.