Gravity Tire Challenge

[hmp10]

Wanting one of our Gravities to have the large 22/23" wheels in order to run the amazing new Pirelli PZ5's, I was nevertheless worried about what would happen in the event of a flat.

Well, it happened today with 901 miles on the car. I had topped off the pressure in all our cars 4 days ago, but we got into our black Gravity to go to dinner tonight and got a tire pressure warning for the right rear wheel upon powering up. At first I assumed it was just another software hiccough, because our Air won't give a tire pressure reading until the car has been driven a short distance. But I thought I'd better check. The tire was down to 15.5 pounds.

I went back into the house to check on having the tire replaced since you can't safely repair this type of tire. I called three local tire shops, none of whom could get the tire from their distributors. One said the only tire available in that size was a Pirelli PZ4 Sport. I asked about getting the tire from Tire Rack. One shop would mount it but at double their usual price because I wasn't buying the tire from them (even though they couldn't get it, anyway). Another shop said they didn't have the equipment to mount a 23" low-profile tire. The third shop said they had tried to mount tires on other Lucids but that there is a clip on the backside that is easily damaged, and they didn't want to try. (This was the first I'd ever heard of this.)

So I called Lucid Customer Care. They said what I was told about a clip was nonsense. I asked about the contract I had read they had in some regions with mobile tire installers, but they said there was no such arrangement. They said they could change the tire at a Service Center, but I was beyond the radius in which they would send a tow truck, so I'd have to get the car to them on my own dime.

With no idea how I would get the tire mounted, I checked the Tire Rack website which showed no tires available for the Gravity Aether wheels. I called anyway and found that they do, in fact, have the PZ5 LM1 in stock ($984.28 with tax) and can get it to me day after tomorrow. However, they don't have a mobile mounting service available in our area.

Finally, I remembered that back when I was researching tire options for the Gravity I had read that Tire Discount had a nationwide mobile mounting service. So I called the nearest Tire Discount store (three towns up from us), and they said they could have a mobile van come within a day of my receiving the tire even though I wasn't buying it from them. They assured me the mobile van can handle that size tire and also that the mobile van has the equipment to do a roll force balance on it. We'll see, but fingers crossed.

However, this is one more reason we won't be taking this Gravity on any road trips and will instead use the Gravity with the mid-size wheels and easier-to-find tires.

 

[EVCar]

Wanting one of our Gravities to have the large 22/23" wheels in order to run the amazing new Pirelli PZ5's, I was nevertheless worried about what would happen in the event of a flat.

Well, it happened today with 901 miles on the car.

Sorry to hear about yet another mishap to your Gravity.
Any interest in using this opportunity to test out a tire repair kit? Maybe a cheap one from AutoZone or something?

 

[Smorgasbord]

Nealy repair kits are the best. I’ve driven tens of thousands of miles on repairs with no issues. Just not for sidewalls.
Certainly good enough to stop you from being stranded if you have a pump as well

 

[hmp10]

Sorry to hear about yet another mishap to your Gravity.
Any interest in using this opportunity to test out a tire repair kit? Maybe a cheap one from AutoZone or something?

I'm leery about trying to repair ultra-high-performance tires, especially when they carry this much weight. Most tire shops have quit doing it, and the manufacturers of such tires usually warn against it.

I'm just glad this happened early enough in the tire's service life that I don't have to replace both rear tires due to differences in tread wear.

I also wish all the damn construction out our way would wrap up. This is the fourth tire we've lost this way in the past couple of years, and it's happening to our neighbors, too.

 

[Omegadog12]

Wanting one of our Gravities to have the large 22/23" wheels in order to run the amazing new Pirelli PZ5's, I was nevertheless worried about what would happen in the event of a flat.

Well, it happened today with 901 miles on the car. I had topped off the pressure in all our cars 4 days ago, but we got into our black Gravity to go to dinner tonight and got a tire pressure warning for the right rear wheel upon powering up. At first I assumed it was just another software hiccough, because our Air won't give a tire pressure reading until the car has been driven a short distance. But I thought I'd better check. The tire was down to 15.5 pounds.

I went back into the house to check on having the tire replaced since you can't safely repair this type of tire. I called three local tire shops, none of whom could get the tire from their distributors. One said the only tire available in that size was a Pirelli PZ4 Sport. I asked about getting the tire from Tire Rack. One shop would mount it but at double their usual price because I wasn't buying the tire from them (even though they couldn't get it, anyway). Another shop said they didn't have the equipment to mount a 23" low-profile tire. The third shop said they had tried to mount tires on other Lucids but that there is a clip on the backside that is easily damaged, and they didn't want to try. (This was the first I'd ever heard of this.)

So I called Lucid Customer Care. They said what I was told about a clip was nonsense. I asked about the contract I had read they had in some regions with mobile tire installers, but they said there was no such arrangement. They said they could change the tire at a Service Center, but I was beyond the radius in which they would send a tow truck, so I'd have to get the car to them on my own dime.

With no idea how I would get the tire mounted, I checked the Tire Rack website which showed no tires available for the Gravity Aether wheels. I called anyway and found that they do, in fact, have the PZ5 LM1 in stock ($984.28 with tax) and can get it to me day after tomorrow. However, they don't have a mobile mounting service available in our area.

Finally, I remembered that back when I was researching tire options for the Gravity I had read that Tire Discount had a nationwide mobile mounting service. So I called the nearest Tire Discount store (three towns up from us), and they said they could have a mobile van come within a day of my receiving the tire even though I wasn't buying it from them. They assured me the mobile van can handle that size tire and also that the mobile van has the equipment to do a roll force balance on it. We'll see, but fingers crossed.

However, this is one more reason we won't be taking this Gravity on any road trips and will instead use the Gravity with the mid-size wheels and easier-to-find tires.

@hmp10 ...I am waiting on production to begin on my GGT with the 22/23 tires. Your post has me re-thinking this as this will be my daily driver. With the the experience that you've had thus far, would still get the 22/23's or have both your Gravitys as 21/22 tires? Thanks for the insight as I've not considered what happens with flat tires.

 

[hmp10]

@hmp10 ...I am waiting on production to begin on my GGT with the 22/23 tires. Your post has me re-thinking this as this will be my daily driver. With the the experience that you've had thus far, would still get the 22/23's or have both your Gravitys as 21/22 tires? Thanks for the insight as I've not considered what happens with flat tires.

I would not have gotten the 22/23" wheels if it were our only Gravity. I had done a lot of research about tire availability before ordering, and I knew that the combination of both staggered diameters and staggered widths on all the wheel choices would somewhat limit tire choices. And I knew that the 22/23" wheel combo in particular would mean both few tires selections and difficulty finding those tires in stock at almost any tire shop in a pinch. Add in the fact that the Gravities also have customized tire characteristics, it would be very difficult to match the other tires on the vehicle if replacing just one tire.

Also, even though we live in south Florida where cold weather is not an issue, I wanted a car we'd be able to take into colder climes on occasion without having to store and swap extra wheels for those road trips.

So, as obsessed as I am about the right tire for the kind of driving I'm doing and how much I wanted the new, top-rated Pirelli PZ5, I would have forgone the larger wheels if we didn't have a second Gravity with a more forgiving tire setup. But with the second Gravity, I'm still comfortable with the largest setup on the other despite today's annoyance with getting a flat addressed.

Although I do notice slightly more precision in the handling of the Gravity on the Aether wheels -- and at very little ride penalty -- I have to say the Gravity on the 21/22" wheels with the Michelin all-seasons is not the least bit disappointing in the driving dynamics department. And some days I even like the look of them a bit better.

 

[Omegadog12]

I would not have gotten the 22/23" wheels if it were our only Gravity. I had done a lot of research about tire availability before ordering, and I knew that the combination of both staggered diameters and staggered widths on all the wheel choices would somewhat limit tire choices. And I knew that the 22/23" wheel combo in particular would mean both few tires selections and difficulty finding those tires in stock at almost any tire shop in a pinch. Add in the fact that the Gravities also have customized tire characteristics, it would be very difficult to match the other tires on the vehicle if replacing just one tire.

Also, even though we live in south Florida where cold weather is not an issue, I wanted a car we'd be able to take into colder climes on occasion without having to store and swap extra wheels for those road trips.

So, as obsessed as I am about the right tire for the kind of driving I'm doing and how much I wanted the new, top-rated Pirelli PZ5, I would have forgone the larger wheels if we didn't have a second Gravity with a more forgiving tire setup. But with the second Gravity, I'm still comfortable with the largest setup on the other despite today's annoyance with getting a flat addressed.

Although I do notice slightly more precision in the handling of the Gravity on the Aether wheels -- and at very little ride penalty -- I have to say the Gravity on the 21/22" wheels with the Michelin all-seasons is not the least bit disappointing in the driving dynamics department. And some days I even like the look of them a bit better.

Thanks much! After reading this, I plan to text my SA and change to the 21/22's. I'm not really a fan of those wheels, but I'm planning on aftermarket wheels anyway. Again, thanks for the insight

 

[Bdr100]

This story totally reinforces my choice of the 21/22 option. I agree that the 22/23 tire and wheel combo is the most attractive of the wheel choices and are great if you plan on pushing your Gravity around backroads. But if you plan on road tripping regularly and are more concerned with day to day drivability (driving in colder weather) and reliability, I would stick with one of the other choices.

This tire is much more suited for a Ferrari or Porsche 911 as opposed to a family hauler, but to each their own. I noticed that all of the higher spec Gravity on the inventory list come with this tire. Just hope that buyers who grab one of these vehicles in order to get a higher spec car know what they are getting in to.

 

[hmp10]

This tire is much more suited for a Ferrari or Porsche 911 as opposed to a family hauler, but to each their own.

That's part of the Gravity conundrum. Jason Cammisa of Hagerty commented that the Gravity's driving dynamics actually raise the question of whether sports cars are becoming obsolete. It's the first people hauler I've ever owned that might finally convince me I can live without a sports car or at least a sports sedan in the garage. This is one of the reasons I wanted at least one of our Gravities to have the Pirelli tires on it -- to see if this could finally be the "all things" vehicle I've been waiting years for.

My experience of the car so far tells me it could be . . . but for the hot, steaming mess that is its UI software at the moment.

 

[Neurio]

Thanks much! After reading this, I plan to text my SA and change to the 21/22's. I'm not really a fan of those wheels, but I'm planning on aftermarket wheels anyway. Again, thanks for the insight

If you're planning to switch to aftermarket wheels anyway, why not just get the base 20/21s? You'd save yourself some money by not optioning up in size.

 

[Leftlane]

$1000 for one tire? That is insanity

 

[hmp10]

$1000 for one tire? That is insanity

It's a very low-volume tire. Not only is it one of six Gravity tires (on what is probably the least-chosen wheel set), it's in a very uncommon diameter. On top of that, it is specifically engineered for the Gravity, carrying the LM1 stamp. While I'm not happy about the price, I am not particularly surprised by it. And I knew it when I ordered this option.

 

[Leftlane]

It's a very low-volume tire. Not only is it one of six Gravity tires (on what is probably the least-chosen wheel set), it's in a very uncommon diameter. On top of that, it is specifically engineered for the Gravity, carrying the LM1 stamp. While I'm not happy about the price, I am not particularly surprised by it. And I knew it when I ordered this option.

That would be a hard no and an immediate switch of wheels, or at the very least of tire brands. The LM1 is marketing so they can charge extra, just like Porsche and others. As long as a tire has the correct metrics then it doesn’t need the LM1 stamp on it.

 

[illopp00]

I'm leery about trying to repair ultra-high-performance tires, especially when they carry this much weight. Most tire shops have quit doing it, and the manufacturers of such tires usually warn against it.

I'm just glad this happened early enough in the tire's service life that I don't have to replace both rear tires due to differences in tread wear.

I also wish all the damn construction out our way would wrap up. This is the fourth tire we've lost this way in the past couple of years, and it's happening to our neighbors, too.

Yeah those kits are really for temporary purposes to prevent you stranded, or expensive tow. In other words, for a couple hundred miles to drive until a replacement is available. The only time I used it I had to junk the tire anyways since the goo caused the tire to be out of balance.

 

[hmp10]

Yeah those kits are really for temporary purposes to prevent you stranded, or expensive tow. In other words, for a couple hundred miles to drive until a replacement is available. The only time I used it I had to junk the tire anyways since the goo caused the tire to be out of balance.

This tire went flat while the car was sitting in the garage. I actually have the goo injection kits for roadside emergencies. But it also coats everything else inside the air cavity, including the wheel and the TPM sensor.

I thought the suggestion was to try a permanent repair, such as an internal patch or a tire plug.

 

[RandomDesign]

The goo kits will also ruin any EV tires with the foam inserts for sound dampening (which I believe all of the Gravity tires do), the foam just sucks it up like a sponge.

 

[hmp10]

That would be a hard no and an immediate switch of wheels, or at the very least of tire brands. The LM1 is marketing so they can charge extra, just like Porsche and others. As long as a tire has the correct metrics then it doesn’t need the LM1 stamp on it.

We had quite a lengthy discussion about this months ago on a dedicated thread here.

Manufacturer-spec tires can actually differ from their standard tire cousins in compound formulation, tread width, tread depth, sidewall stiffness, etc. For instance, the Pirelli PZ5 in the 285/40/R22 size shows different tread widths and tread depths depending on whether the tire has the MO Mercedes designation of the MO-Sport Mercedes designation. (There are plenty of other examples on such differences on the TireRack data sheets.)

 

[borski]

This story totally reinforces my choice of the 21/22 option. I agree that the 22/23 tire and wheel combo is the most attractive of the wheel choices and are great if you plan on pushing your Gravity around backroads. But if you plan on road tripping regularly and are more concerned with day to day drivability (driving in colder weather) and reliability, I would stick with one of the other choices.

This tire is much more suited for a Ferrari or Porsche 911 as opposed to a family hauler, but to each their own. I noticed that all of the higher spec Gravity on the inventory list come with this tire. Just hope that buyers who grab one of these vehicles in order to get a higher spec car know what they are getting in to.

This was our estimation too. We have my Air DE for fun, fast driving. Our Gravity is there for road trips, and so we went 21/22.

 

[TahoeMichael]

That would be a hard no and an immediate switch of wheels, or at the very least of tire brands. The LM1 is marketing so they can charge extra, just like Porsche and others. As long as a tire has the correct metrics then it doesn’t need the LM1 stamp on it.

I'm skeptical that the LM1 stamp is purely marketing. When the engineers at Lucid say that they've spent a lot of time tuning the tires in collaboration with the tire companies, I believe them. There are a few videos one can find where people talk about all the factors that can be tweaked in a tire design, and almost none of them are captured by the sort of metrics one finds on a Tire Rack page. That said, clearly off-the-shelf tires will work, and I imagine a lot of people would be happy driving without the Gravity specific tuning.

 

[EVCar]

I'm leery about trying to repair ultra-high-performance tires, especially when they carry this much weight. Most tire shops have quit doing it, and the manufacturers of such tires usually warn against it.

I'm just glad this happened early enough in the tire's service life that I don't have to replace both rear tires due to differences in tread wear.

I also wish all the damn construction out our way would wrap up. This is the fourth tire we've lost this way in the past couple of years, and it's happening to our neighbors, too.

What I meant was to experiment with the tire repair kit and see if the leak is sealed, while waiting for the mounting tire service.