Welcome back to Dielectric Videos! Today’s episode is going to be an exciting one as I tackle the task of performing a tire rotation on my Tesla Model 3 Long Range. In the eight months that I’ve owned this car, I’ve already put over 8,000 miles on it, making me overdue for a tire rotation.
One of the great things about the Tesla Model 3 is that it uses the same size and type of tires on both the front and rear, unlike the Plaid version of the Model S which has slightly larger tires in the rear. This makes it easier to perform a direct rear to front tire rotation.
Now, I must admit that I am not an expert on Tesla tire rotations, but I have done plenty of tire rotations on other cars. This will be a learning experience for me and hopefully for all of you as well. In addition to rotating the tires, I will also be repairing a puncture in the rear passenger tire. I had previously used a repair patch on this tire, but it has been gradually leaking air, so I’m going to attempt to fix it while the tire is off the car.
To perform this job, I’ll be using a floor jack, a jack stand, a torque wrench, an impact driver, and a set of lifting pucks specifically designed for Tesla Model 3s. These lifting pucks are essential to ensure that the jack is placed in the correct location under the chassis to avoid damaging critical parts of the car.
For the tire puncture repair, I’ll be using temporary tire patch plugs along with an awl and insertion tool. I’ll also be adding some self-vulcanizing rubber tire cement to reinforce the patch and reduce the likelihood of future leaks. While these tire patch kits are not intended for long-term use, I’ve had success with them in the past and feel confident using them for now.
I start by removing the aero wheel covers and then proceed to lift the car using the jack and jack stand. I carefully remove the lug nuts using an impact wrench and then take off the wheels to access the punctured tire. After removing the old tire patch, I insert a new patch with rubber cement to seal the puncture.
After completing the tire repair, I reinstall the wheels, tighten the lug nuts to the correct torque specification, and lower the car back to the ground. I double-check the lug nuts for tightness, reinstall the aero wheel covers, and take the car for a test drive to ensure everything is working properly.
Overall, this tire rotation and repair project was a success, and I’m pleased with the outcome. Stay tuned for a more in-depth review of the Tesla Model 3 in an upcoming video. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time on Dielectric Videos!
