21" tread replacement

[jemkewl]

Currently at 7/32 and 8/32 on front and rear tires respectively.
At what tread depth have most of you needed to replace the tires on your 21s?

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[W1SE]

Honestly I just look at the tire wear indicators that are manufactured into the tread. Is that wrong?

 

[jemkewl]

Honestly I just look at the tire wear indicators that are manufactured into the tread. Is that wrong?

I thought I read of loud road noise and poor handling before getting to the tread wear bars. Maybe people are just waiting until then...

 

[MAR1T]

I’m at 5/32 remaining and haven’t noticed a difference in noise and handling yet.
2/32 (at the wear bars) is the legal limit in most states, but you’ll likely have worse traction in rain and snow at that point.
Tirerack recommends replacing at 4/32 for better safety in the rain and 5/32 if you drive in snow. (Perhaps they’re biased given they sell tires, but that’s the general guidance I’ve heard before as well)

I’ll go another month or so and replace mine as the snow starts flying.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I went to 3\32 personally before replacing the tires and rims to not have to deal with a tire that wears out at 16k miles

 

[jemkewl]

I went to 3\32 personally before replacing the tires and rims to not have to deal with a tire that wears out at 16k miles

Go 20s with the /2 Michelins?

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Go 20s with the /2 Michelins?

22's with Michelin defenders

 

[Rickmc]

I went to 3\32 personally before replacing the tires and rims to not have to deal with a tire that wears out at 16k miles

I have the 21's and considered swapping to 20's for more tire options and then I started to do the math and I don't see how others have justified it.

$2k for rims and $1750 for 5 20" tires. How many sets of 4 21" tires do you have to go through before you would break even on the initial expense of $3,750 to swap to 20's?

I guess you could count on some money coming back from selling the 21" wheel/tire combo for spares but that could take a while and some hassle for sure.

Not knocking anyone who has, as I too want more options for tires than the 21" can give, just wondering how others have justified it.

It's like going solar, the ROI takes way too long

 

[jemkewl]

I have the 21's and considered swapping to 20's for more tire options and then I started to do the math and I don't see how others have justified it.

$2k for rims and $1750 for 5 20" tires. How many sets of 4 21" tires do you have to go through before you would break even on the initial expense of $3,750 to swap to 20's?

I guess you could count on some money coming back from selling the 21" wheel/tire combo for spares but that could take a while and some hassle for sure.

Not knocking anyone who has, as I too want more options for tires than the 21" can give, just wondering how others have justified it.

It's like going solar, the ROI takes way too long

Can you share your math and what your view on too long is?

Curious if you used the pirellis lasting about 15k miles and the Michelin Defender 2s lasting about 50k miles?

 

[Marchin_MTB]

My 21’s are trending to last at least 20k miles which should happen about the two-year mark for us. Fingers crossed. I’ve considered switching to 20’s but the 21’s have been really great for us in terms of efficiency and traction so far. Looking at $1600 for replacing these tires vs $4300 for 20” wheel and tire set plus $1235 for the 20” spare. In other words, if I keep getting two years of life out of these 21s, the cost of switching to 20” (without 20” tire replacements) is 6-7 years of 21 ownership.

 

[Rickmc]

Can you share your math and what your view on too long is?

Curious if you used the pirellis lasting about 15k miles and the Michelin Defender 2s lasting about 50k miles?

Well 15k is pessimistic as others have gotten 30k or more on their 21's. I think initially many used conserve mode which prematurely wore the fronts down as well as allowing "auto" ride height which lowered the height and changed the camber/alignment on the tires which also prematurely wore them down. Let's say 20k as a compromise. Let's also not say 50k for a tire that no one has proven to go 50k on these Rivians. Warranty means nothing other than you will get the next set with a little discount which is an unknown variable. Let's assume 30k for the Michelin's.

$2500 - 5 20" replacement forged rims
$1750 - 5 20" tires at $350
$ 100 - mount and balance 5 tires @ $20/per
-----
$4350 (assuming the tps sensors from the 21's can be swapped in)
$ ?? TPS sensors x 5 if you want to leave the others in place on the 21's

You can probably sell each of the 21" tire/wheel combo for $500 (-$2500) as a spare but that's going to be pennies from heaven as who knows how long that will take given shipping costs and demand if buyers are not local to you.

I don't rotate the spare in so replacement of tires is x 4

$1800 - 4 21" OEM tires
$ 80 - mount and balance 4 tires
-----
$1880 to replace 4 OEM tires every 20k miles (2 years?)

$1400 - 4 20" Michelin tires
$ 80 - mount and balance 4 tires every 30k miles ( 3 years?)
-----
$1480

After 6 years (60k miles)
$5640 - 1880 x 3 changes of 21" OEM
$2960 - 1480 x 2 changes of 20" tires
------
-$2680 savings in 6 years using the 20" tires

$4350 initial outlay for 20" tires/wheels
-2680 savings having the 20" tires/wheels
-----
$1670 still in the hole from initial costs to swap.

So, it's going to take atleast 8-9 years to recoup the initial investment to switch to 20's.
Assuming you do sell the 5 21" OEM tires/wheels over the first couple years, you could break even sooner but it'll still be years.

Again, not downing anyone who does this, I would like to as well but I've been holding out based on this math that maybe we get a better 21" option from Michelin or someone else that gives us better wear at a better price similar to the 20".

 

[jemkewl]

Appreciate the math. Helps a lot.

Total cost for new TPMS, new forged 20" rims, and new defender 2s mounted and shipped is closer to 3500 for me right now VS the 4500 shared.

Math changes slightly in that scenario.

I'm at 8500 miles with no conserve right now. I am planning to rotate soon, so perhaps I will get 18 to 20k miles.

Again, appreciate sharing of the math. I too am trying to figure out the ROI.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I have the 21's and considered swapping to 20's for more tire options and then I started to do the math and I don't see how others have justified it.

$2k for rims and $1750 for 5 20" tires. How many sets of 4 21" tires do you have to go through before you would break even on the initial expense of $3,750 to swap to 20's?

I guess you could count on some money coming back from selling the 21" wheel/tire combo for spares but that could take a while and some hassle for sure.

Not knocking anyone who has, as I too want more options for tires than the 21" can give, just wondering how others have justified it.

It's like going solar, the ROI takes way too long

I bought my 22's used, and my 21's lasted 16k miles until they were at 3/32nds aka toast. It doesn't take long at that low of miles for a 500 dollar each tire replacement to make up the difference.

 

[KingTodd]

Well 15k is pessimistic as others have gotten 30k or more on their 21's. I think initially many used conserve mode which prematurely wore the fronts down as well as allowing "auto" ride height which lowered the height and changed the camber/alignment on the tires which also prematurely wore them down. Let's say 20k as a compromise. Let's also not say 50k for a tire that no one has proven to go 50k on these Rivians. Warranty means nothing other than you will get the next set with a little discount which is an unknown variable. Let's assume 30k for the Michelin's.

$2500 - 5 20" replacement forged rims
$1750 - 5 20" tires at $350
$ 100 - mount and balance 5 tires @ $20/per
-----
$4350 (assuming the tps sensors from the 21's can be swapped in)
$ ?? TPS sensors x 5 if you want to leave the others in place on the 21's

You can probably sell each of the 21" tire/wheel combo for $500 (-$2500) as a spare but that's going to be pennies from heaven as who knows how long that will take given shipping costs and demand if buyers are not local to you.

I don't rotate the spare in so replacement of tires is x 4

$1800 - 4 21" OEM tires
$ 80 - mount and balance 4 tires
-----
$1880 to replace 4 OEM tires every 20k miles (2 years?)

$1400 - 4 20" Michelin tires
$ 80 - mount and balance 4 tires every 30k miles ( 3 years?)
-----
$1480

After 6 years (60k miles)
$5640 - 1880 x 3 changes of 21" OEM
$2960 - 1480 x 2 changes of 20" tires
------
-$2680 savings in 6 years using the 20" tires

$4350 initial outlay for 20" tires/wheels
-2680 savings having the 20" tires/wheels
-----
$1670 still in the hole from initial costs to swap.

So, it's going to take atleast 8-9 years to recoup the initial investment to switch to 20's.
Assuming you do sell the 5 21" OEM tires/wheels over the first couple years, you could break even sooner but it'll still be years.

Again, not downing anyone who does this, I would like to as well but I've been holding out based on this math that maybe we get a better 21" option from Michelin or someone else that gives us better wear at a better price similar to the 20".

Dumb question or just a dumb person asking a question:
$1800 for OEM tires….where did this come
From? Will Rivian just sell you the tires? I only see the wheel -tire combo in threir online shop for about $3800.

 

[ksujeff99]

I’m at 24k on my 21s using a 5 tire rotation. I’m around 5-6/32nds remaining.

I ordered the Black Rhino Votaic 20” rims for about $2,800. I will hopefully get them in December. I haven’t decided on tires yet - maybe the Michelin Defender Platinums or maybe a true A/T tire.

Cost is a factor, but for me I’m switching to the Black Rhino wheels because I like the way they look. I don’t expect to break even v. staying with the stock 21s.

I’m sure more 21” tire options will be coming out. Supposedly Michelin is coming out with a Defender A/S next summer. That said, I haven’t been unhappy with the stock Pirelli 21“ tires. They’ve performed well both summer and winter.

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