The upper control arm moves WITH the tire, so it will not "bounce" into the arm. It might have just been a fluke on the Nokian tires that were wider than the factory spec. If the existing tires don't rub, then you are good, but if they do, a simple temporary fix may be some thin wheel spacers on the 2 front wheels: These cost only $21, are easy to install and will temporarily solve the problem without a bunch of hassle or by dramatically affecting handling: https://amzn.to/41Q7JWf
Then on your next tires, you can go one size narrower, and just remove the spacers. Coil spring spacers will not only be very bad handling-wise, but they will not affect the spacing, as again; the upper control arm moves WITH the tire! Sadly, the current trend on car wheels is unnecessarily wide and low profile wheels/tires. It's stupid engineering-wise, and makes the ride poor, the tires fragile and expensive, doesn't provide any real handling gain, AND clobbers range! Shows that marketing still rules the day. My Tesla 3 Performance came with stupid 20" 35% aspect tires that will be instantly destroyed by a modest pothole, usually along with the wheels. I immediately swapped for 19" 40%, which doesn't sound like much, but it's a massive improvement in safety, tire cost, and ride quality. Even when I drive it on a track at the limit, there is no performance issue. Usually on a newish car, you can quickly locate someone willing to take your "expensive" performance wheels/tires in exchange for comparable age lower-spec wheels for free! Win-Win! On Fri, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:04 PM Cor van de Water <cor.vandewa...@gmail.com> wrote: > Yep, with 235/40 iso 255/45 the speed and ODO will read about 5.5% too > high. > If you just want the 20mm skinnier tires with about the same wheel > diameter to not affect the speed and ODO, you should try to find 235/50R19 > tires. > Cor. > > On Fri, Mar 14, 2025, 8:09 PM Mark Hanson via EV <ev@lists.evdl.org> > wrote: > >> PS, >> >> >> >> A friend Chip Gribben just noted to me the Tesla-3 has skinnier 235/40 >> R19’s (instead of the Y’s 255/45 R19). The Model-3 has *more* upper A arm >> clearance due to the smaller tires. >> >> >> >> The only problem is according to Phil’s calculator, the Model-3’s tires >> are also smaller diameter throwing off the speedometer/odometer. >> >> >> >> Best Regards, >> >> Mark >> >> >> >> From: Mark Hanson [mailto:markehans...@gmail.com] >> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2025 9:53 PM >> To: 'p...@ingineerix.com' >> Cc: 'Electric Vehicle Discussion List'; 'Kevin Horton' >> Subject: Coil Spring Spacers: Tesla Y upper control arms chewing up >> inside tire corner >> >> >> >> Thanks a bunch Phil, nice comparison tire calculator. >> >> >> >> Since I just discovered this after buying new Summit tires, I’ll have to >> wear them out first, then get skinnier tires, maybe putting in some coil >> spring separators to limit travel. >> >> >> >> It looks like a design flaw, having the upper A arm hardware within an >> inch of the tire & touching when it bounces. I did get 62K out of them >> before they scraped through on the upper inside front tires. Rotating more >> often will allow for equal “scraping” 😊 >> >> >> >> Best Regards, >> >> Mark >> >> >> >> From: (-Phil-) [mailto:p...@ingineerix.com] >> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2025 2:25 PM >> To: Mark Hanson >> Cc: Electric Vehicle Discussion List; Kevin Horton >> Subject: Re: [EVDL] Coil Spring Spacers: Tesla Y upper control arms >> chewing up inside tire corner >> >> >> >> Maybe consider one size narrower? Maybe the Nokians "ran wide". You >> can use a calculator here to make sure the OD stays the same or less: >> https://www.calculator.net/tire-size-calculator.html >> >> >> >> On Fri, Mar 14, 2025 at 11:06 AM Mark Hanson <markehans...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> Thanks Phil/Kevin etc, >> >> >> >> I have the *stock* wide 255/45R19 tires on the car, about 11” wide. They >> seem too wide to me but that’s what the car came with. >> >> >> >> The first set made it to 50K miles - Continental’s that came with the car. >> >> >> >> The Nokian’s (much cheaper than Continentals) I’m replacing today made it >> to 62K (which is good) but shouldn’t be rubbing on the inside edge every >> time I hit a bump in the road. The clearance to the upper A arm is only >> about an inch from the wide tires. Looks like a design flaw – but if it >> takes +50K miles to eat into the tire corner, maybe not so bad. I can see >> tire rubber shards on the top of the A-arm where it sticks out near the >> tire. >> >> >> >> The car is in the local “Techne-Mech” shop today getting wheel alignment, >> new tires and looking at the A-arms, tie rods etc. >> >> >> >> I may have to drive to the dreaded Tesla dealer in Richmond, about 4 >> hours away since they have *no* stealerships in Roanoke VA. Our other EVs >> (Bolt & Leaf) have *local* dealerships. >> >> >> >> Best Regards, >> >> Mark >> >> >> >> From: (-Phil-) [mailto:p...@ingineerix.com] >> Sent: Friday, March 14, 2025 11:47 AM >> To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List >> Cc: Kevin Horton; Mark Hanson >> Subject: Re: [EVDL] Coil Spring Spacers: Tesla Y upper control arms >> chewing up inside tire corner >> >> >> >> Yeah, Normal Model Y doesn't do this. Did you put different size tires >> on? I don't recommend spacers, the Model Y ride is already pretty poor. >> >> >> >> On Fri, Mar 14, 2025 at 8:07 AM Kevin Horton via EV <ev@lists.evdl.org> >> wrote: >> >> This is very odd. I haven't seen any similar complaints on the Tesla >> forums that I frequent, so it is quite possible that something is different >> with your car. Does it have stock wheels and tires? Or, is there perhaps >> excessive wear of the controls arms bushings or ball joints? I have seen >> many complaints of issues with those. >> >> Good luck, >> >> Kevin Horton >> >> > On Mar 14, 2025, at 08:29, Mark Hanson via EV <ev@lists.evdl.org> >> wrote: >> > >> > Hi Folks, >> > >> > >> > >> > It looks like there’s less than an inch of travel before the upper A >> arm mount hits the inside of the wide tire, chewing into it. Thinking some >> coil spacers, either this type or the 4 smaller piece type would limit the >> spring travel. OR installing skinnier tires like the Model-3 has. Has >> anyone installed a skinnier tire on the Tesla-Y? >> > >> > >> > >> > https://www.amazon.com/Rubber-Coil-Spring-Spacer-Inch/dp/B07Y5LLV2N >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > Have a renewable energy day, >> > >> > >> > >> > Mark >> > >> > >> > >> > Mark E. Hanson >> > >> > 184 Vista Lane >> > >> > Fincastle, VA 24090 >> > >> > 540-473-1248 phone & FAX, 540-816-0812 cell >> > >> > REEVA: community service RE & EV project club >> > >> > Website: www.REEVAdiy.org (See Project Gallery) >> > >> > UL Certified PV Installer >> > >> > My RE&EV Circuits: www.EVDL.org/lib/mh >> > >> > REEVA Demo: <http://youtu.be/4kqWn2H-rA0> http://youtu.be/4kqWn2H-rA0 >> > >> > < >> https://www.weatherlink.com/embeddablePage/show/a88920376f864ecabaed843dd8975b8d/signature> >> Fincastle Solar Weather Station >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > From: Mark Hanson [mailto:markehans...@gmail.com] >> > Sent: Friday, March 14, 2025 9:22 AM >> > To: mark hanson >> > Subject: Fwd: Tesla Y upper control arms chewing up inside tire corner >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > Sent from my iPhone >> > >> > >> > Begin forwarded message: >> > >> > From: Mark Hanson <markehans...@gmail.com> >> > Date: March 14, 2025 at 8:10:33 AM EDT >> > To: Electric List <ev@lists.evdl.org> >> > Subject: Tesla Y upper control arms chewing up inside tire corner >> > >> > Hi Folks >> > When my Tesla Y suspension travels, the upper A arm is so close to the >> tire that it chews rubber out of the inside of the tire. It’s occurring on >> both front tires, more prevalent in the right side for some reason, chewed >> down to the cords, wires sticking out, almost caused a blow out. It’s in >> the shop now but they’re checking camber alignment, toe in. >> > It looks like the wide tires are too close to the upper control arm and >> any suspension travel more than an inch will chew into the tire. The car >> has 113K miles currently. >> > Best regards, >> > Mark >> > Sent from my iPhone >> > >> > -------------- next part -------------- >> > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> > URL: < >> http://lists.evdl.org/private.cgi/ev-evdl.org/attachments/20250314/bb7c63bb/attachment.htm >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org >> > No other addresses in TO and CC fields >> > HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/ >> > >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org >> No other addresses in TO and CC fields >> HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/ >> >> -------------- next part -------------- >> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... >> URL: < >> http://lists.evdl.org/private.cgi/ev-evdl.org/attachments/20250314/26bacbae/attachment.htm >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> Address messages to ev@lists.evdl.org >> No other addresses in TO and CC fields >> HELP: http://www.evdl.org/help/ >> >> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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