UPDATED SEP-13-2015 -- Scroll to third post for MORE PHOTOS!
Back at the start of Spring I traded in my S85 (silver) for an 85D Tesla (red). Shortly after, I picked up a set of square 20x9 3SDM Wheels (LINK). They were a great setup, but I had wanted something a bit more aggressive looking. Since the folks at 3SDM offered a 20x10.5 rear I decided to give that a try. However the ET42 wheel didn't clear the fender liner, nor did the center cap clear the hub nut. In order to clear both I would have to run spacers which would not allow the wheel nuts to secure the wheels properly. They do offer an ET27 option, which I considered for a short while.
Then, during my contemplating what to do, and wanting to swap the wheels to something a bit more exciting, I came across the wheels you'll see pictured below. They were take-offs from a BMW E92 M3, which included BMW TPMS (won't work for Tesla), and tires which were also the wrong size. I've subsequently put the BMW TPMS for sale on eBay to recoup some costs, and my friend purchased the tires for his M3. He also purchased some of my 3SDM wheels, but I'm keeping the used 20x9 square set for my winter wheels. So 3SDM for winter, and HRE for summer.
Pricing for HRE wheels is not cheap, as many of you know. I had these wheels priced out at $7,800 new-- plus another $1,200 for tires and TPMS, mount & balance. Add in transit and this quickly added up to over $9k, and I managed to scored this set used for less than $3k with tires/sensors. Again, I was able to sell the tires/sensors, to help me afford to buy the correct Tesla size and load-rated tires/sensors.
Right before my purchase, a week ago, I posted up THIS THREAD asking for advice about the wheels. Didn't really get much in the way of replies, but there were enough threads already here for me to research. It seems most people are running a 10-inch rear, but a few people run 10.5-inch rears-- though typically ET35. There is an extra 7mm extra thrust here, a bit more aggressive than most. So I said what the heck, and purchased.... here are my results...
What you see below is:
HRE P41 Wheels
Finish: Brushed Tinted Clear
Front: 20x9 ET28
Rear: 20x10.5 ET28
Tires Installed
Front: 245/40-20
Rear: 275/35-20
Brand: Hankook
Style: Ventus S1 noble2
Category: UHP All-Season
In a perfect world, I would personally suggest that the best looking setup would be 20x9 up front ET30, and 20x10 in rear, ET35. That would be a nice, relatively flush setup, with plenty of inner clearance too. Actually you could go more aggressive in the front but at lock might rub the fender liner (I'm pretty sure I do on rare occasion now). My car is also lowered, so keep that in mind in the photos below. Again, 10.5 inch rear does work here... but it pokes a lot-- way more aggressive than most people might want. It isn't for the faint hearted.
As the photos display, the TIRE TREAD BLOCKS are pretty "flush" with the fender, but the shoulder of the tire, and the wheel itself, POKE beyond the fender. This is not a look that many like-- but I don't mind. Actually think it works pretty nicely here. Also be aware the stance/height you see pictured is "LOW" setting, and I never drive at that setting. I have the car aligned, as is typical, in the "STANDARD" height-- and drive that height always 100% of the time (set the slider to "Never" for low). This gives me the best of both worlds-- as the car is already lower than stock, i get the efficiency benefits of lower freeway driving-- but also the alignment is always as it should be. With the rear aftermarket upper control arms installed the alignment is still well within factory specs. No added camber, because I never actually drive in the LOW setting.
(Sidebar: there are a few photos to show the stance-- also there is a photo to show the "clear bra" material I had applied to my rear fender, near the rear tire-- to protect the paint from the wide stance that might otherwise cause rock chips from the extreme tire location) (Also its been raining here, but hopefully I'll have better daylight outside sunny photos to add to this post soon)
And with that said, enjoy the photos. If you folks have any questions let me know. I'm sure people are going to make comments about how an 85D doesn't need staggered wheels, or how the look is "stupid" -- and hey, thats fine I can take the heat. I did it because I like it, and its my car, so pffbbt.... haha.... and yes I added a P85D OEM CF spoiler, to my non-Performance car.. deal with it... and enjoy!!
Back at the start of Spring I traded in my S85 (silver) for an 85D Tesla (red). Shortly after, I picked up a set of square 20x9 3SDM Wheels (LINK). They were a great setup, but I had wanted something a bit more aggressive looking. Since the folks at 3SDM offered a 20x10.5 rear I decided to give that a try. However the ET42 wheel didn't clear the fender liner, nor did the center cap clear the hub nut. In order to clear both I would have to run spacers which would not allow the wheel nuts to secure the wheels properly. They do offer an ET27 option, which I considered for a short while.
Then, during my contemplating what to do, and wanting to swap the wheels to something a bit more exciting, I came across the wheels you'll see pictured below. They were take-offs from a BMW E92 M3, which included BMW TPMS (won't work for Tesla), and tires which were also the wrong size. I've subsequently put the BMW TPMS for sale on eBay to recoup some costs, and my friend purchased the tires for his M3. He also purchased some of my 3SDM wheels, but I'm keeping the used 20x9 square set for my winter wheels. So 3SDM for winter, and HRE for summer.
Pricing for HRE wheels is not cheap, as many of you know. I had these wheels priced out at $7,800 new-- plus another $1,200 for tires and TPMS, mount & balance. Add in transit and this quickly added up to over $9k, and I managed to scored this set used for less than $3k with tires/sensors. Again, I was able to sell the tires/sensors, to help me afford to buy the correct Tesla size and load-rated tires/sensors.
Right before my purchase, a week ago, I posted up THIS THREAD asking for advice about the wheels. Didn't really get much in the way of replies, but there were enough threads already here for me to research. It seems most people are running a 10-inch rear, but a few people run 10.5-inch rears-- though typically ET35. There is an extra 7mm extra thrust here, a bit more aggressive than most. So I said what the heck, and purchased.... here are my results...
What you see below is:
HRE P41 Wheels
Finish: Brushed Tinted Clear
Front: 20x9 ET28
Rear: 20x10.5 ET28
Tires Installed
Front: 245/40-20
Rear: 275/35-20
Brand: Hankook
Style: Ventus S1 noble2
Category: UHP All-Season
In a perfect world, I would personally suggest that the best looking setup would be 20x9 up front ET30, and 20x10 in rear, ET35. That would be a nice, relatively flush setup, with plenty of inner clearance too. Actually you could go more aggressive in the front but at lock might rub the fender liner (I'm pretty sure I do on rare occasion now). My car is also lowered, so keep that in mind in the photos below. Again, 10.5 inch rear does work here... but it pokes a lot-- way more aggressive than most people might want. It isn't for the faint hearted.
As the photos display, the TIRE TREAD BLOCKS are pretty "flush" with the fender, but the shoulder of the tire, and the wheel itself, POKE beyond the fender. This is not a look that many like-- but I don't mind. Actually think it works pretty nicely here. Also be aware the stance/height you see pictured is "LOW" setting, and I never drive at that setting. I have the car aligned, as is typical, in the "STANDARD" height-- and drive that height always 100% of the time (set the slider to "Never" for low). This gives me the best of both worlds-- as the car is already lower than stock, i get the efficiency benefits of lower freeway driving-- but also the alignment is always as it should be. With the rear aftermarket upper control arms installed the alignment is still well within factory specs. No added camber, because I never actually drive in the LOW setting.
(Sidebar: there are a few photos to show the stance-- also there is a photo to show the "clear bra" material I had applied to my rear fender, near the rear tire-- to protect the paint from the wide stance that might otherwise cause rock chips from the extreme tire location) (Also its been raining here, but hopefully I'll have better daylight outside sunny photos to add to this post soon)
And with that said, enjoy the photos. If you folks have any questions let me know. I'm sure people are going to make comments about how an 85D doesn't need staggered wheels, or how the look is "stupid" -- and hey, thats fine I can take the heat. I did it because I like it, and its my car, so pffbbt.... haha.... and yes I added a P85D OEM CF spoiler, to my non-Performance car.. deal with it... and enjoy!!
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