Tesla Cybertruck
#1201
Lexus Champion
Uh oh...
Tesla has said that the Cybertruck's production ramp-up would take some time. Like any of its new vehicle launches, the automaker will likely find processes that can be improved upon, costs that can be cut, and components that don't wear in the real world as they did in testing.
As it turns out, that's exactly the case with the 2024 Tesla Cybertruck's aero wheel covers. Some early adopters have found that the covers are eating away at the sidewall of their tires. As a result, Tesla has reportedly stopped including the aero covers with new Cybertruck deliveries, possibly until they are redesigned. Let's dig into the problem with the help of a video by
.
factory tires on the Cybertruck are pretty unique. In fact, they're made by Goodyear specifically for the Cybertruck, complete with custom sidewalls. That's not to say you can't get a similar size replacement for them, but the fancy designs on the sidewall of the factory tires are unique to Tesla.
That being said, the design in the sidewall is meant to match up to the Cybertruck's aero covers. These hard plastic covers function similarly to the ones found on the Model 3; they are removable and meant to improve range. However, they extend past the actual wheel itself and mesh into the design of the aero cover.
The entire cover isn't hard plastic, however. Tesla anticipated that the cover could make contact with the tire itself, so it made the ends of the covers a softer, flexible rubber compound so that they wouldn't dig into the sidewall. The covers are also spaced out from the edge of the tire several millimeters so they don't actually make contact with the wheel under normal driving circumstances... or so Tesla thought.
As it turns out, a heavy vehicle will deform the bottom of the tire outward at the contact patch where the tire meets the ground. That's completely normal. In fact, it's been this way pretty much since the first tubeless radial tires were commercialized by Michelin in the 1940s. But that deformation causes the aero cover's rubber to make contact with the sidewall of the tire.
So with each rotation of the sidewall, the rubber caps of the aero cover rub the sidewall and remove a small portion of the rubber. You can see how this can become a problem after a decent amount of miles. It could also be the reason that we saw one of these aero covers fly off of a Cybertruck in September.
clear that Tesla is looking to fix the issue. With the covers no longer being available until at least March, something is in the works. And it's not like Tesla hasn't explored alternative aero cover designs in the past; its current ones just look less like something you'd pick up off the shelf at AutoZone—hopefully, for the sake of new owners, it will remain that way if the covers are desdesigned as expected.
While this is definitely an issue of premature wear, I can't help but wonder which will come first, replacing the tire due to sidewall wear, or replacing the tires due to a 6,800 pound, 845-horsepower EV chewing through tread?
https://insideevs.com/news/707193/te...el-cover-flaw/
Tesla Cybertruck Aero Wheel Covers Are Chewing Into Tire Sidewalls
The Cybertruck's fancy Goodyear tires are being chewed up by its wheel covers. Here's what's happening next.
Tesla has said that the Cybertruck's production ramp-up would take some time. Like any of its new vehicle launches, the automaker will likely find processes that can be improved upon, costs that can be cut, and components that don't wear in the real world as they did in testing.
As it turns out, that's exactly the case with the 2024 Tesla Cybertruck's aero wheel covers. Some early adopters have found that the covers are eating away at the sidewall of their tires. As a result, Tesla has reportedly stopped including the aero covers with new Cybertruck deliveries, possibly until they are redesigned. Let's dig into the problem with the help of a video by
That being said, the design in the sidewall is meant to match up to the Cybertruck's aero covers. These hard plastic covers function similarly to the ones found on the Model 3; they are removable and meant to improve range. However, they extend past the actual wheel itself and mesh into the design of the aero cover.
The entire cover isn't hard plastic, however. Tesla anticipated that the cover could make contact with the tire itself, so it made the ends of the covers a softer, flexible rubber compound so that they wouldn't dig into the sidewall. The covers are also spaced out from the edge of the tire several millimeters so they don't actually make contact with the wheel under normal driving circumstances... or so Tesla thought.
As it turns out, a heavy vehicle will deform the bottom of the tire outward at the contact patch where the tire meets the ground. That's completely normal. In fact, it's been this way pretty much since the first tubeless radial tires were commercialized by Michelin in the 1940s. But that deformation causes the aero cover's rubber to make contact with the sidewall of the tire.
So with each rotation of the sidewall, the rubber caps of the aero cover rub the sidewall and remove a small portion of the rubber. You can see how this can become a problem after a decent amount of miles. It could also be the reason that we saw one of these aero covers fly off of a Cybertruck in September.
clear that Tesla is looking to fix the issue. With the covers no longer being available until at least March, something is in the works. And it's not like Tesla hasn't explored alternative aero cover designs in the past; its current ones just look less like something you'd pick up off the shelf at AutoZone—hopefully, for the sake of new owners, it will remain that way if the covers are desdesigned as expected.
While this is definitely an issue of premature wear, I can't help but wonder which will come first, replacing the tire due to sidewall wear, or replacing the tires due to a 6,800 pound, 845-horsepower EV chewing through tread?
https://insideevs.com/news/707193/te...el-cover-flaw/
#1202
Lexus Champion
It's stuff like this that detracts me from Tesla. I was a fan of this thing, but now it looks like it's just a gigantic piece of junk that looks cool.
Based on things I've seen it unable to do (like take a minorrrrrr off road incline a FWD car could probably do), then this mess with tires?? Tire and rim combo engineered so badly, what the hell else is janky???
Based on things I've seen it unable to do (like take a minorrrrrr off road incline a FWD car could probably do), then this mess with tires?? Tire and rim combo engineered so badly, what the hell else is janky???
The following 2 users liked this post by AJT123:
BayeauxLex (02-04-24),
LexTess (02-04-24)
#1203
Lexus Champion
It's stuff like this that detracts me from Tesla. I was a fan of this thing, but now it looks like it's just a gigantic piece of junk that looks cool.
Based on things I've seen it unable to do (like take a minorrrrrr off road incline a FWD car could probably do), then this mess with tires?? Tire and rim combo engineered so badly, what the hell else is janky???
Based on things I've seen it unable to do (like take a minorrrrrr off road incline a FWD car could probably do), then this mess with tires?? Tire and rim combo engineered so badly, what the hell else is janky???
Had I based my decision for buying my model Y on a first generation model 3, I probably wouldn't of bought a Tesla
#1204
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Based on things I've seen it unable to do (like take a minorrrrrr off road incline a FWD car could probably do), then this mess with tires?? Tire and rim combo engineered so badly, what the hell else is janky???
#1205
Lexus Champion
The following users liked this post:
LexTess (02-04-24)
#1206
Lexus Champion
Sometimes I have to keep in mind that the intelligence distribution of population is such that half the people are below the median. That's especially true when conversing with fanboys of certain brands, these people can lack important crucial thinking skills and logic. If you also add in a financial ownership in the form of corporate shares it can further cloud judgement and views.
Keep up the personal attacks
Last edited by AMIRZA786; 02-04-24 at 10:32 AM.
#1207
Lexus Champion
Uhhh, yeah kinda. This gets a pass??? You're giving it one. Why can Telsa get away with this stunning lack of quality control? Tesla always gets a pass. Imagine a Lexus delivered like this. They can't even design the wheels right... I am assuming this causes a safety hazard. It sure doesn't speak well for the rest of the vehicle. This thing ain't cheap.
I saw a gentle incline that the CT couldn't make it up. It wasn't a paid for thing.
I saw a gentle incline that the CT couldn't make it up. It wasn't a paid for thing.
This issue with the tires will be fixed, if it's truly an issue they will change the tires in warranty and then move on to the next discovered issue. That's Tesla's philosophy, if someone doesn't like it, buy a Lexus 😂
The following users liked this post:
LexTess (02-04-24)
#1209
Pole Position
the tire damage thing is odd as you'd have expected that particular issue to manifest itself during testing where Tesla engineers put exponentially more miles on this truck than any owner has been able to do since taking delivery. Regardless, fix as you find is exactly how Tesla goes about things. It will get addressed one way or the other.
The following 2 users liked this post by swajames:
AMIRZA786 (02-04-24),
Margate330 (02-04-24)
#1210
Lexus Test Driver
I'm guessing proper air pressure in the tires might slow down the damage from rubbing.
Just a guess tho.
#1211
Lexus Champion
#1212
Lexus Test Driver
Accidental double post...
Last edited by Margate330; 02-04-24 at 12:03 PM.
#1213
Lexus Test Driver
Sometimes I have to keep in mind that the intelligence distribution of population is such that half the people are below the median. That's especially true when conversing with fanboys of certain brands, these people can lack important crucial thinking skills and logic. If you also add in a financial ownership in the form of corporate shares it can further cloud judgement and views.
For instance the first point you made does not logically connect with the second point. Lol
#1214
Advanced
iTrader: (1)
Tesla can get away with it because...they are not Lexus. Tesla has been releasing vehicles in their early stages since the Roadster. Early adopters fund their vehicles, and they constantly make incremental improvements. And this strategy works, their cars get better over time and now they outsell any car Lexus has to offer. The only vehicle in North America on the market that outsells the model Y is the F-150.
This issue with the tires will be fixed, if it's truly an issue they will change the tires in warranty and then move on to the next discovered issue. That's Tesla's philosophy, if someone doesn't like it, buy a Lexus 😂
This issue with the tires will be fixed, if it's truly an issue they will change the tires in warranty and then move on to the next discovered issue. That's Tesla's philosophy, if someone doesn't like it, buy a Lexus 😂
Example is seen here, hubcaps have existed for maybe 100 years or more, yet Tesla could not get it right. Sure, its a bit different than other hubcaps, but imo that's irrelevant. Now instead of saying how ridiculous this issue is, how did the engineers not see this happening and they f*ed up. We get "This issue with the tires will be fixed, if it's truly an issue they will change the tires in warranty and then move on to the next discovered issue."
However, I am 100% sure when the Bz4x had the possibility of wheels falling off you likely didn't dismiss it saying "the issue with the wheels falling off will be fixed". You probably ridiculed Toyota and the BZ4x.
Now my opinion is both issues are ridiculous and should have been caught well before vehicles were sold to customers. Complete oversight by both manufacturers and down right silly. A wheel falling off might be considered a worse issue but a hubcap digging into the sidewall increasing the possibility of a blow out isn't much better.
#1215
Lexus Champion
imo I think this is the issue. People here who defend Tesla's are pretty biased when it comes to any other manufacturers and it causes other people to sway on the extreme of hating on Tesla. (not saying others aren't biased towards toyota / lexus).
Example is seen here, hubcaps have existed for maybe 100 years or more, yet Tesla could not get it right. Sure, its a bit different than other hubcaps, but imo that's irrelevant. Now instead of saying how ridiculous this issue is, how did the engineers not see this happening and they f*ed up. We get "This issue with the tires will be fixed, if it's truly an issue they will change the tires in warranty and then move on to the next discovered issue."
However, I am 100% sure when the Bz4x had the possibility of wheels falling off you likely didn't dismiss it saying "the issue with the wheels falling off will be fixed". You probably ridiculed Toyota and the BZ4x.
Now my opinion is both issues are ridiculous and should have been caught well before vehicles were sold to customers. Complete oversight by both manufacturers and down right silly. A wheel falling off might be considered a worse issue but a hubcap digging into the sidewall increasing the possibility of a blow out isn't much better.
Example is seen here, hubcaps have existed for maybe 100 years or more, yet Tesla could not get it right. Sure, its a bit different than other hubcaps, but imo that's irrelevant. Now instead of saying how ridiculous this issue is, how did the engineers not see this happening and they f*ed up. We get "This issue with the tires will be fixed, if it's truly an issue they will change the tires in warranty and then move on to the next discovered issue."
However, I am 100% sure when the Bz4x had the possibility of wheels falling off you likely didn't dismiss it saying "the issue with the wheels falling off will be fixed". You probably ridiculed Toyota and the BZ4x.
Now my opinion is both issues are ridiculous and should have been caught well before vehicles were sold to customers. Complete oversight by both manufacturers and down right silly. A wheel falling off might be considered a worse issue but a hubcap digging into the sidewall increasing the possibility of a blow out isn't much better.
I have different expectations when it comes to Toyota and Lexus, a brand that's been around for nearly 100 years now and prides themselves on perfection. Take it or leave it
Last edited by AMIRZA786; 02-04-24 at 12:28 PM.