What do you do if you have a flat tire

[PungoteagueDave]

This is true too. That’s why I posted my kit for my CyberBeast and what I carry on my other Trucks. Everyone has their own use case. Prepare as needed.

Your pics of your tire system for your CT don’t show a jack or an impact wrench/breaker bar. The other normal trucks as shown have only 85-ft-lb torques specs, jacks and wrenches. You or I can get those wheels on and off. How do you deal with changing the CT tire? Or are you limited to the patch kits and compressor as shown? If that’s the case (no spare), you’ve covered some flat tire cases. Repair kits wont help with most flats from rocks, glass, curb strikes, potholes, debris, valve stem breakage, rim damage, belt failure, or any type of blowout. They are good for screws and nails, and that’s pretty much it. Those are the most common tire failure reason in urban areas which is why I carry an inflator/slime kit in every vehicle, so clearly a legit strategy, but we still must plan for wheel/tire replacement, hence my comments above - and roadside assistance having supplanted most self-help strategies. A Cybertruck isn’t a Tacoma when it comes to replacing a spare tire.

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[Nexus6]

Your pics of your tire system for your CT don’t show a jack or an impact wrench/breaker bar. The other normal trucks as shown have only 85-ft-lb torques specs, jacks and wrenches. You or I can get those wheels on and off. How do you deal with changing the CT tire? Or are you limited to the patch kits and compressor as shown? If that’s the case (no spare), you’ve covered some flat tire cases. Repair kits wont help with most flats from rocks, glass, curb strikes, potholes, debris, valve stem breakage, rim damage, belt failure, or any type of blowout. They are good for screws and nails, and that’s pretty much it. Those are the most common tire failure reason in urban areas which is why I carry an inflator/slime kit in every vehicle, so clearly a legit strategy, but we still must plan for wheel/tire replacement, hence my comments above - and roadside assistance having supplanted most self-help strategies. A Cybertruck isn’t a Tacoma when it comes to replacing a spare tire.

You’re wrong

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I change my wheels every winter, and I don't think the lug nuts are hard to change at all. I use a 26-inch torque wrench to break the nuts, and of course, to do the final torque. Less than 70 pounds of force required. I wish I had a lift, but I'm slumming it with a hydraulic jack.

Yep, that’s how I’ve done it too. But who caries that with them on the road? A 26” breaker bar (it is bad for a torque wrench to use it for this purpose) is fine. But try a normal wrench length. I can’t do it and most couldn’t. Same for having a car lift or hydraulic jack on the side of the road. Bottle jacks might work but not safely with the CT. I just can’t see planning on a spare tire to be any use to a normal, or even mechanically-inclined driver, except for having it in hand for a wrecker to swap out. Seems not worth the price in range/lost space in that case.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

You’re wrong

Help me out with why.

 

[riggster]

Yep, that’s how I’ve done it too. But who caries that with them on the road? A 26” breaker bar (it is bad for a torque wrench to use it for this purpose) is fine. But try a normal wrench length. I can’t do it and most couldn’t. Same for having a car lift or hydraulic jack on the side of the road. Bottle jacks might work but not safely with the CT. I just can’t see planning on a spare tire to be any use to a normal, or even mechanically-inclined driver, except for having it in hand for a wrecker to swap out. Seems not worth the price in range/lost space in that case.

I was mainly commenting that removing the Tesla lug nuts is not hard if you have the right equipment. I don't carry that with me on the road. When I have a flat, which is rare but seems to happen to me more than other people on this thread, I call my wife and have her bring me everything I need to change a tire, including the hydraulic jack. Pop the new tire on, then drive to the tire shop to have it repaired. Everything is ready in my garage, so it doesn't take long. I'll take a plug kit and an inflator on a cross-state trip.

 

[Nexus6]

For anyone interested in what is in my “get you home” Tire Repair Kit. Watch the video.

The only flats I have ever had on my vehicles could and can be fixed with this kit.

I’ve plugged several holes from screws, nails and even bolts. Replaced a leaking valve stem. Have had a cut sidewall but didn’t have this kit with me but confident it would have worked to get me home or to a shop.

Watch the video if you’ve never plugged, patched or changed a valve stem in the field before (without having to jack or remove your wheel!).



and for all you nay sayers this is a good one about stacking rope plugs to fill nasty gashes to get you home.

 

[ARMANDO PADILLA]

great advice, guys, ordering a patch kit now. I have a compressor already.
I'd like to add some advice when making roadside repairs
You should always try and get to a safe spot or off the road if you can
I have known people who died this way. got hit by oncoming traffic while trying to fix a flat.
my friend's mom died this way when I was in High school.

 

[Nexus6]

great advice, guys, ordering a patch kit now. I have a compressor already.
I'd like to add some advice when making roadside repairs
You should always try and get to a safe spot or off the road if you can
I have known people who died this way. got hit by oncoming traffic while trying to fix a flat.
my friend's mom died this way when I was in High school.

Of course, get to ans safe a location as possible.
All of the repairs I made in our Model X was at home because we noticed the slow leak of the Tire Pressure. I have never had to make a repair on the shoulder of a busy highway. If a tire has gotten that flat, that abruptly without a prior “Low Tire Pressure “ warning, then it’s probably a catastrophic failure (not very likely) and you’re probably going to need a tow.

 

[CyberGus]

I ran over a roofing nail and discovered it with the low-pressure indicator

Why were you driving on the roof? ?

 

[pkauf01]

I hear ya, but I value my life more than that. An insane amount of people die each year getting flattened by highway drivers texting instead of paying attention.

I'd rather have it towed to a shop.

There is finally the real reason not to fix shit on the side of the road. I’m 60 and don’t want to die saving 250 and proving I’m capable. I know I am and would rather make it another day.

 

[Nexus6]

There is finally the real reason not to fix shit on the side of the road. I’m 60 and don’t want to die saving 250 and proving I’m capable. I know I am and would rather make it another day.

Dangerous yes, so is crossing the street.
Just for context so everyone can make informed risk assessments. There were an average of 17.6 deaths per year from Roadside Assistance from 2015-2021.

Contrast that to 6600-7000 Pedestrian deaths last year.

Do we not take the risk to cross a street too?
Just ask Grok:

 

[Beetlebug62]

The comments about removing the lugs and retorquing seemed odd. I'm 63, and I rotate my wheels 2x a year, on my 2018 Model 3. It has the same specs. 129ft-lbs of torque. Harder than on any of my other cars, but certainly not impossible.

Anyhow, on my Model 3, I have AAA, patch kit, compressor, and a compact spare with jack for road tripping.

I plan to do the same for my Cybertruck. I have mounted snows, so I have a wheel I can carry if necessary.

 

[pkauf01]

Dangerous yes, so is crossing the street.
Just for context so everyone can make informed risk assessments. There were an average of 17.6 deaths per year from Roadside Assistance from 2015-2021.

Contrast that to 6600-7000 Pedestrian deaths last year.

Do we not take the risk to cross a street too?
Just ask Grok:

Still won’t do the side of the highway change if I can avoid it. Yes, there are risks in everything. But some I can reduce by choosing to not do.

 

[HaulingAss]

Seriously- get a spare. What is wrong with that? Put it in the bed or hang it from the hitch.

What's wrong with a spare? My 2010 F-150 came with one bolted under the bed. 15 years later, it's still there (and I bet it doesn't have enough air pressure). It's 80 lbs. of dead weight. You also need a jack and lug wrench, so another 25 lbs. Why wrestle with all that on the side of the road when you can just push a plug in there and be on your way in a few minutes?

Get a plug kit and know how to use it. It will get you back on the road in less time and with less effort than a spare tire. And it can handle the situation where two tires drive over the same road hazard and both get punctured. How many spare tires are you going to carry?

Here's a good emergency inflator that runs on 120V:

Hyper Tough Dual Power Digital Inflator for P195/65R15 Car Tire, Car-DC 12V or Home-AC 120V - Walmart.com

It only weighs 3.5 lbs.

 

[HaulingAss]

You CANNOT fix 99% of Tesla flats on the roadside. Impossible. Maybe 20-25% are susceptible to pug/slime/inflate kits. The rest are beyond self-help unless you carry a tire repair shop system and a huge unwieldy spare.

That's a bunch of BS. I've adventured all over remote places in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and New Zealand over the last 46 years and I've never had a flat that couldn't be easily plugged and re-inflated. Yes, it's possible to have a flat that can't be plugged, but no, it's not 75-80%, LOL!

A spare tire, on the other hand will not solve your problem if you drive over something that punctures a front and rear tire on the same hazard.

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