CYBERTRUCK TIRE EATS A BOLT IN A REMOTE LOCATION ON SUNDAY MORNING

[Nexus6]

Before I even got my truck, I bought this well-reviewed patch kit:

https://a.co/d/632eXwU

I've already used it, but not on the Cybertruck hahahaha. It plugged a nail puncture well, didn't even need to jack it or remove the tire.

I also have a battery-powered compressor, but based on my tests, I would need to recharge it at least once to fill a completely flat tire lol

Yep. Plug kits. I keep one in our Model X, Suburban and Colorado.
https://a.co/d/8FImEgO
I keep this Side Wall Patch kit in my truck because I go off road. Plug Kits and Side Wall Patch kits are often times easier than jacking up and swapping out a spare when Offroad. Gets you back to civilization where it’s easier to deal with.

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[TwilightHan]

How much do you think it costs to replace a Cybertruck foundation series tire? After 4 months and over 2,100 miles, unfortunately I found out. Turns out the estimate is $518.50+ tax. However, if you happen to get a flat on a Sunday at 11am, and you are outside of a mobile service area - you are completely fucked. This happened to me earlier today. Cruising down the road and started hearing a nasty clunk - the kind you only hear when you have a flat or something stuck in the tire. Sure enough, as I walked around the car, I could hear the loud hissing of air leaking from the tire and spotted a decent size bolt lodged into. See picture.

The only roadside assistance option from Tesla was to tow me to a closed service center that was 40 mins away and would not open until Monday. After explaining that I actually had an appointment at a different service center (closer to home) on Monday for another issue, they gave me a quote of over $900 to get it there. Apparently Tesla only covers a trip to the nearest center and then the 3rd party towing company quotes the additional mileage.

I love this truck and would absolutely buy it again, but like other Tesla's the lack of a spare tire just plain sucks - especially after hours in remote locations. To top it off, the spare tire kit is currently sold out, so even if I wanted to park the truck and go that route now I can't get one. For purchasing a 'fully optioned' truck, the least Tesla could do is send a spare tire to folks who opted for the Foundation Series. That definitely would have come in handy today.

I had this problem with my
Mercedes. The problem was exacerbated because front and rear tires were different sizes to. I sliced my sidewall in Arizona near white pocket one time and could not find a tire for days. So I started carrying an extra front and back tire. ?

always carry a spare, if you want to minize risk.

Funny part about this setup was the weight acted like a pendulum. So going 80mph on the highway was scary.

 

[Nexus6]

Until it is your sideway that is cut. Then the spare is very much needed.

I keep a side wall patch kit as well as a plug kit. “Gets you out of Dodge”. Yea a full size spare is the best option and I’ll be carrying all three (plug kit sidewall patch kit and Full size Spare) in my CyberBeast.
https://a.co/d/8FImEgO

 

[dw321]

I keep a side wall patch kit as well as a plug kit. “Gets you out of Dodge”. Yea a full size spare is the best option and I’ll be carrying all three (plug kit sidewall patch kit and Full size Spare) in my CyberBeast.
https://a.co/d/8FImEgO

Learn something new every day. Have you used the sidewall kit and did it work?

 

[Prime8]

Yes, but they are not called "patch kits" they are plugs. Traditional patches require jacking and removing the wheel and breaking the tire bead from the rim, not really practical for a roadside repair. Make sure you get a plug kit that has some good pliers (for removing the hazard) and a sharp blade for cutting the plug flush. I also like having some spare insertion needles, in case one breaks while poking the plug in.

That bolt puncture could be easily repaired less than 10 minutes, without jacking the car and without removing the lug nuts or the wheel. The Cybertruck would make it even easier, just put the suspension in "Extract" mode so you can plug it from the top, rather than laying on the ground. And based on where the pucture is, the repair would probably last the life of the tire.

Pedant gonna pedant eh? But as others have said "patch" kits can get you out of trouble if you have a more than a simple tread or shoulder puncture. The point is Tesla should have included a spare tire or at least a comprehensive emergency repair solution.

 

[Nexus6]

Learn something new every day. Have you used the sidewall kit and did it work?

I haven’t used it yet but there’s pretty good reviews.

 

[ToyHauler]

@HaulingAss, is this the compressor you have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YTKQLVK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Jager]

No disrespect, but anyone who chooses to drive without a spare tire, or some other means of tire repair, is almost certainly going to have an "adventure" at some point. It's not just Tesla - lots of vehicles these days come sans spare.

Used to be a dad with a teenage daughter learning to drive would insist that she demonstrate changing a flat tire before he'd turn her loose. Nowadays you have grown men calling someone else to come change their tire for them. Might be that the "adventure" that such often entails is a bit of karma come home to roost.

Tires on the Cybertruck ought to be a cinch to plug compared to other vehicles, given both the rear-wheel steering and the ability to elevate the suspension. For other vehicles with much lower ground clearance - like a Model 3 - don't expect to always be able to have sufficient access to the puncture to be able to effect a repair, especially in the rear. EV-specific tires with their very stiff sidewalls and sound-deadening foam require a surprising amount of force to insert the rasping tool. Having a really cool tire plug kit but no way to get enough pressure at the puncture site and no way to get the wheel off the vehicle might very well be the height of frustration.

A spare tire, jack, breaker bar, 21mm extended socket, torque wrench, vehicle pucks, heavy duty tire plug kit, and compressor will together solve a host of problems. Throw in a set of cheap strap-on knee pads and you should be set.

 

[HaulingAss]

Funny part about this setup was the weight acted like a pendulum. So going 80mph on the highway was scary.

Please don't take offense, but I'm not going to mince words, I'll just say what what I think.

That's just dumb! In my opinion it shows a lack of critical thinking skills and an unatural fear of being stranded. I would bring a satellite phone before I did that. Please tell me you had one of those too, a tire plugging kit and 5 gallons of potable water too, it would be irrational to have the double spares before a satellite phone, plugging kit and water. A flat tire is not the only way you can be stranded.

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

@HaulingAss, is this the compressor you have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YTKQLVK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

I was looking at that one and love its size. I was also looking at the Makita AC001.

https://www.amazon.com/Makita-AC001-Compact-Air-Compressor/dp/B00SCSBPQA

I definitely need to get a tire patch kit and air compressor. This will be my first vehicle w/o a spare. I call it tire leak anxiety.

 

[HaulingAss]

No disrespect, but anyone who chooses to drive without a spare tire, or some other means of tire repair, is almost certainly going to have an "adventure" at some point. It's not just Tesla - lots of vehicles these days come sans spare.

Used to be a dad with a teenage daughter learning to drive would insist that she demonstrate changing a flat tire before he'd turn her loose. Nowadays you have grown men calling someone else to come change their tire for them. Might be that the "adventure" that such often entails is a bit of karma come home to roost.

Tires on the Cybertruck ought to be a cinch to plug compared to other vehicles, given both the rear-wheel steering and the ability to elevate the suspension. For other vehicles with much lower ground clearance - like a Model 3 - don't expect to always be able to have sufficient access to the puncture to be able to effect a repair, especially in the rear. EV-specific tires with their very stiff sidewalls and sound-deadening foam require a surprising amount of force to insert the rasping tool. Having a really cool tire plug kit but no way to get enough pressure at the puncture site and no way to get the wheel off the vehicle might very well be the height of frustration.

A spare tire, jack, breaker bar, 21mm extended socket, torque wrench, vehicle pucks, heavy duty tire plug kit, and compressor will together solve a host of problems. Throw in a set of cheap strap-on knee pads and you should be set.

I agree with everything you said except for not being able to access the puncture to effect a repair (you do what you have to) and kneepads.

On a Cybertruck you can just position the puncture on the top of the tire and bend over (with suspension raised). On a Model 3 you can always access the puncture, but it will likely require rolling the car to expose the puncture just below the bodywork at the rear of the tire and most people will need to lay on the ground on their shoulder to get the reamer and insertion tool in. Kneepads would be more useful for installing a spare tire. The included lubrication is your friend on a small puncture. If a person doesn't have the physical strength to do that, they probably can't get a 100 lb. spare wheel on the lugs either. Depending upon ground conditions, it's not always trivial to get a large vehicle jacked high enough either. No method is sure fire, contrary to what many people will pretend.

Like any job, you have to use your head. On a low car like the Model 3 you might find a couple of rocks to drive two diagonal tires onto to unload the suspension on the tire you need to repair. Like most things in life, achieving what you want is mostly a matter of brainpower, not brawn. Yes, you do need a threshold amount of strength to do any task, but there are always ways to reduce the required level of strength to a minimum.

No matter what your strategy for dealing with equipment failure, there will be potential difficulties and the potential inability to become mobile again. Cars and tires are generally reliable, choices you make can reduce the chances of failure, including watching what you are driving over as much as possible (take this seriously), and keeping tires properly inflated (on the high side). These two things will practically eliminate the chances of sidewall damage that is not repairable (a simple sidewall puncture can almost always be repaired well enough to drive yourself to help, even if at reduced speed).

In many ways a spare tire creates a false sense of security. The ability to repair most tire damage is a better strategy. But you always need backup plans, regarless of your primary strategy.

 

[HaulingAss]

I was looking at that one and love its size. I was also looking at the Makita AC001.

https://www.amazon.com/Makita-AC001-Compact-Air-Compressor/dp/B00SCSBPQA

I definitely need to get a tire patch kit and air compressor. This will be my first vehicle w/o a spare. I call it tire leak anxiety.

The tank is superfluous for filling tires, as long as the bead of the tire has not come off the rim. And if the tire has come off the bead (definitely not the normal situation), that small tank is not likely enough air anyway. A tank just takes up space and requires pressurizing before the tires can be filled. A waste of time, energy and space.

 

[CyberGus]

A joke for all you Texans out there:

Q: How many Aggies does it take to change a tire?
A: Two. One to make the drinks, and one to call Roadside Assistance

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

The tank is superfluous for filling tires, as long as the bead of the tire has not come off the rim. And if the tire has come off the bead (definitely not the normal situation), that small tank is not likely enough air anyway. A tank just takes up space and requires pressurizing before the tires can be filled. A waste of time, energy and space.

Yeah 1 Gallon isn't going to do a lot but it helps keep down on continuous runtime (ARB offers a 4L tank for their twin compressor which does indeed help). But it can be there as an add-on for using it for other items out of the truck, like nail guns, etc. The key for me is not waiting 25 minutes to fill a tire and burning it out. A lot of those tankless air compressors have a 10-15 minute run time before you have to shut it off for a while. I would like to at least get 1 tire off of it without worrying the compressor will crap out. The small tanks seem to have a more runtime. Some tankless ones can have long runtimes, but then you are looking at $600+ (like my ARB Twin Air compressor in my Jeep). Since this is a rare event, I just want something that is reliable and will work without breaking the bank.

For the bead, just need some starter spray and a lighter ;-)

 

[HaulingAss]

@HaulingAss, is this the compressor you have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YTKQLVK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Yes, that's the one. It's been working very well, and it makes all the right sounds to give me confidence in the mechanicals. My only reservation is the reliability of the control electronics. I have nothing to go on so I'm aware that it could become dysfunctional at any time.

I would only recommend this unit if going with a system like the MorrFlate hoses I use to fill all tires simultaneously. If filling one tire at a time, this compressor is a little overkill (a tire valve can only pass so much air without creating high backup pressure).

To be clear, I could make it work to fill one tire at a time, it's just that it would be overkill for that. It's sized perfectly to quickly add 10-20 lbs to all tires on a regular basis. It's not wise to drive any distance, especially not at higher speeds or in a sporty manner, aired down. That means having a convenient way to quickly fill all tires back up reduces the chances that one would get lazy and just drive on under-inflated tires.

Tires like the ones on the Cybertruck, like most tires, are more rapidly degraded by driving on them under-inflated. This increases the chances of punctures and failures down the road (as well as currently). It can also make them dangerously slippery in cold wet or frozen conditions (down the road). Excess heat cooks the rubber compounds causing a permanent loss of cold weather grip and over flexing causes permanent fatigue damage to the reinforcement fabrics embedded within the tires. Tires need to be respected to get the most out of them through their useful lives. Most tires actually get better through the early part of their life, followed by a long slow decline as the tread depth reduces and the structure of the tire degrades through heat cycles and flexing.

Tesla recommends not deflating the OEM AT tires below 36 psi. but there are conditions where less pressure could be required simply to get where you want to go, deep fine sand and spring snowpack being two such conditions, depending upon the steepness of the grade. I think the tires could be taken lower than 36 psi while not having unacceptable risk of de-beading or damage from overflexing and over-heating if the low pressures are only used on soft conformable surfaces. I've had mine down to 30 psi, but I re-inflated to 40 psi as soon as the low pressures were no longer necessary. I also limited my speeds to 20 mph while deflated that much and was careful not to put big side loads or acceleration/braking loads on the tires.

There are no hard and fast rules, it's just a matter of understanding your equipment and respecting the limits involved. Others will be happy deflating to 40 psi and just driving sensibly to the nearest source of high-volume compressed air (you still need a minimal inflator to re-inflate a tire after a puncture repair). Just know that you will be more limited where you can safely go in deep soft surfaces. I would put deep mud in this same category.

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