Conserve mode: Need new tires!

[junkanoo]

So after only 1 year and 18k miles, I already need new front tires. Maybe 50% of that driving was done using conserve mode.

My recommendation, do not use conserve mode unless if you have to. In our situation, conserve mode was the difference between stoping at a 50kw charger vs +100kw or having to add another stop, especially driving through Vermont or upstate NY.

I don’t think I would use it going forward, unless I absolutely have to. I would confess that I often forgot to turn it back to « All purpose » when exiting the highway. My recommendation for Rivian is to create a « Smart Conserve Mode » that only turns off the rear motors if over (maybe) 50mph.

Anyway, hoping my experience will help others.

We love our truck!

hi,
i dont think it has anything to do with the conserve mode.
i drive mostly on sport, 18K, front tires were slick..., totally gone.

Well ... you may not think so, but Rivian does. At purchase, my guide explicitly warned me about wear damage to the front tires using Conserve Mode WHEN not driving on highways.

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[Zoidz]

Yeah - I'm thinking with a motor controlling each wheel, couldn't they effectively modulate power to the front and rear axles making the vehicle effectively front or rear wheel drive?

Seems like that could be worked out in software.

They already do this. It’s an absolute necessity to dynamically vary the power to all four motors with independent motors which simulates a differential. If the exact same power was sent to all four motors in a tight turn, you would experience scrubbing (which those of use with 4WD trucks experience if you are on blacktop in 4WD, a no-no).

But if you power down or significantly reduce power to the rear and not the front (or vice versa) the motors create drag resistance because they want to turn slower. That’s the nature of a permanent magnet motor. This is why Rivian disconnected the rears in conserve mode.

 

[Birdowin]

So after only 1 year and 18k miles, I already need new front tires. Maybe 50% of that driving was done using conserve mode.

My recommendation, do not use conserve mode unless if you have to. In our situation, conserve mode was the difference between stoping at a 50kw charger vs +100kw or having to add another stop, especially driving through Vermont or upstate NY.

I don’t think I would use it going forward, unless I absolutely have to. I would confess that I often forgot to turn it back to « All purpose » when exiting the highway. My recommendation for Rivian is to create a « Smart Conserve Mode » that only turns off the rear motors if over (maybe) 50mph.

Anyway, hoping my experience will help others.

We love our truck!

Have you ever considered rotating your tires?

 

[Mathme]

My understanding is Conserve is best engaged and disengaged while traveling at highway speeds.

I'll be curious once a few of the dual motor variants are out in the wild to see how that "auto-conserve" feature works vs tire wear.

I think best-practice is to only use conserve when at high way speeds, and turn it off before exiting. While you're at it, rotate those tires every 5-6k. I have the 20 ATs with a full-size spare and my plan is to do 5-wheel rotation. Hopefully this will get me a few more miles out of the stock tires. When it comes time to buy new tires, the decision will then come down to 5 tires or 4 and go LT range for more durability.

 

[Whataboykie!]

None of you guys said what tires you were talking about? I just rotated my 21" Pirelli road tires at 15,000 miles and they still had plenty of tread left. I only drive in sport mode and I do frequent fast acceleration runs.
So far so good. Love my yellow truck!

 

[madgrey]

Conserve mode is for steady-state driving when braking, steering and acceleration forces aren't significantly higher on the front tires compared to the rears. Regardless of mode, stopping and steering a 7000lb vehicle is going to wear the front tires more. I think people that have exessive front tire wear are probably using conserve in situations better suited for all purpose and/or driving hard and/or not rotating the tires often enough.

 

[corndog]

I run in conserve mode only on long trips, but raise the R1T to standard height. This is where the alignment is set correctly. Conserve mode, besides disconnecting the rear motors, lowers the ride height, causing excess camber, (wheels tilted inward at the top), affecting the wear pattern. You can see the ride height on your driver display. Set it to the lowest once, get out and look at the front tires from a distance. On the road this alignment is not good, except for hard cornering. Kneel is the lowest, but the car is not moving. I feel all purpose at standard ride height is best for all around on the pavement.
Until you need to get Sporty.
Then you gotta do what you gotta do.

I also rotate every 5k, incorporating the spare, regardless of how they look. I now have 11k miles and they're not even close to being worn out.

 

[junkanoo]

... Regardless of mode, stopping and steering a 7000lb vehicle is going to wear the front tires more. ... snip

I get your point about steering. But, why do you think stopping wears the front tires more in All Purpose Mode?

 

[madgrey]

Why do you think tire wear to the front tires is more in All Purpose Mode?

I don't think tire wear is more in All Purpose, but breaking and steering forces are independent of mode.

 

[NY_Rob]

Is there an explanation of why conserve mode is so bad on tires?

Most likely just due to the shear mass of the vehicle. You are accelerating a 7K lb mass from 0mph to XX mph in a very short span of time off just two tires in conserve mode. The vehicle interface between itself and the roadway is the tire surface and it struggles to maintain traction (which results in tire wear) with just two tires doing all the work while accelerating. If you drive with the windows open and no radio or fans on.. you can literally hear the tires breaking traction on braking and acceleration even during normal stops and launches.
As others have noted, if you're driving in a pretty much steady state (maintaining speed, no stopping/starting) condition the tire wear in conserve should be considerably less. Also as well known, front tires wear more naturally due to steering and about 70-80% of the braking force being applied to the front tires.

One thing for certain, if you intend to use conserve mode frequently.. invest in a tread depth gauge, check tire wear often and be ready to rotate tires frequently.

 

[Ddowns2050]

I have the 21" tires. I stay in all purpose except for a couple of 400 mile trips where I used conserve on the highway. I have almost 27k miles and still have 6/32 left on the original tires.

 

[NY_Rob]

I have the 21" tires. I stay in all purpose except for a couple of 400 mile trips where I used conserve on the highway. I have almost 27k miles and still have 6/32 left on the original tires.

Sounds like you're using Conserve as intended!

 

[s4wrxttcs]

Conserve mode is for steady-state driving when braking, steering and acceleration forces aren't significantly higher on the front tires compared to the rears. Regardless of mode, stopping and steering a 7000lb vehicle is going to wear the front tires more. I think people that have exessive front tire wear are probably using conserve in situations better suited for all purpose and/or driving hard and/or not rotating the tires often enough.

This is why I was a little confused about this whole thing.

Sure I get how conserve mode would seriously impact front tire life when used on a daily basis, but engaging it only on the highway for long drives shouldn't have that significantly higher of an impact on tire wear.

My R1T with 12K miles with 21s have roughly the same tire wear front/back despite never being rotated. When I say roughly I mean when I checked it with a quarter there wasn't any difference that I could see.

I only use conserve mode on the highway when I want a bit more range, and sometimes I've used it on rural roads due to range concerns or where I just forgot to switch it over.

I'd say roughly 30-40% of my miles are in conserve mode.

Most of my daily driving is in Sport mode with quick, but not overly aggressive acceleration.

 

[NC-Rivian]

I have the 21" tires. I stay in all purpose except for a couple of 400 mile trips where I used conserve on the highway. I have almost 27k miles and still have 6/32 left on the original tires.

I want some of what you're drinking! I'm just over 17k, have the 21's, and I use AP except when on a trip. I'm not a speed demon and I make every attempt (hey! I'm only human and a person has to live every once in a while), I've rotated every 5000, and the wear bars are showing. Which brand of tire will I go with this time around?! I know! .... the Pirelli's.

 

[Meltdwn]

Not rotating?

back tires probably had like 30-40% life left.
i went with different size/brand, so changed all 4.
went with 295/40ZR21. so far so good.

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