# Problems with running different front/rear tires?



## Artslinger (Sep 2, 2002)

JetBlack330i said:


> That has nothing to do with what car I drive.
> According to your logic, I could be driving a Hyundai... If one tire gets destroyed, I better change all 4 tires, for safety, no? :dunno:


It is usally the a good idea to replace both left and right (2) tires of the same tire if you have a bad tire. If the tire is fairly new and wear is really low you can just replace one.


----------



## BahnBaum (Feb 25, 2004)

JetBlack330i said:


> That has nothing to do with what car I drive.
> According to your logic, I could be driving a Hyundai... If one tire gets destroyed, I better change all 4 tires, for safety, no? :dunno:


I'm not talking matched wear wise (although depending upon the extent of the wear that becomes a consideration) but keeping matched tread design front and rear.

Alex


----------



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

JetBlack330i said:


> My kids ride in my SUV most of the time. If Terry wants to pull the "safety for your family" card I'll argue that they are safer there than in my 3-er with *any* tire, mismatched or not.


ABSOLUTELY WRONG.

SUVs are built to truck safety standards, that are MUCH lower than car safety standards. They have weaker roof structures, weaker door strutures, weaker door latching. SUV DO roll, and when they do, the roof curshes, the doors pop open, and people die. I have pcitures of many rolled SUVs with massive damage, mostly rolled on level ground 1 - 2 times. I have a set of pics of a compact car that rolled down a 200 meter mountain side in Bolivia (think VERY steep and rocks). Driver climbed out, climbed up the slope and flagged down a passing car. Passenger compartment was fully intact. Doesn't happen with SUVs.

Check the stats, US traffic deaths have gone up some 4- 5,000 per year, exactly tracking the inrease in SUV rollers and deaths associated with those roll overs.

SUV deaths are a disproportionate amount of over traffic deaths, with a much higher death rate per accident and per 100K miles.

You want to play with mismatched tires, go ahead. But in an emergency situation with ANY traction reduction due to road surface conditions, you will be looking at massive understeer. If you have no problem with that, go for it, but you are taking a chance in doing so.


----------



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Artslinger said:


> It is usally the a good idea to replace both left and right (2) tires of the same tire if you have a bad tire. If the tire is fairly new and wear is really low you can just replace one.


Do you mean left and right tires of one AXLE (ie front or rear in sets)? If so, exactly right, as long as you are using the same tires you have on the other end.

On the front of a RWD car, mismatched wear on the two tires gives you a pull. On the rear, with LD, you can burn up the diff. With LSD you can get some fun vibrations.


----------



## JetBlack330i (Feb 8, 2002)

Pinecone said:


> Do you mean left and right tires of one AXLE (ie front or rear in sets)? If so, exactly right, as long as you are using the same tires you have on the other end.
> 
> On the front of a RWD car, mismatched wear on the two tires gives you a pull. On the rear, with LD, you can burn up the diff. With LSD you can get some fun vibrations.


Now I see that you misunderstood what the original poster asked.
He's asking exactly what Artslinger said (and you agreed it was "exactly right"). And what I did to my car is no different (replaced both rears with wider tires).
Nobody here is advocating changing only one tire, especially with different thread designs.

Original poster's question was if he needs to change all 4 tires. I stand by my answer.
Again, I'm not saying that changing only 2 tires is superior to changing all 4. I'm saying that for city driving, it's a waste, especially if you observe posted speed limits.


----------



## Artslinger (Sep 2, 2002)

Pinecone said:


> Do you mean left and right tires of one AXLE (ie front or rear in sets)? If so, exactly right, as long as you are using the same tires you have on the other end.
> 
> On the front of a RWD car, mismatched wear on the two tires gives you a pull. On the rear, with LD, you can burn up the diff. With LSD you can get some fun vibrations.


Yes one axle, and match the front to the rear.


----------



## BahnBaum (Feb 25, 2004)

JetBlack330i said:


> And what I did to my car is no different (replaced both rears with wider tires). Nobody here is advocating changing only one tire, especially with different thread designs.


I must have misread your post. I thought you said you had Contis up front and Bridgestones on the back.

Alex


----------



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

JetBlack330i said:


> Now I see that you misunderstood what the original poster asked.
> He's asking exactly what Artslinger said (and you agreed it was "exactly right"). And what I did to my car is no different (replaced both rears with wider tires).
> Nobody here is advocating changing only one tire, especially with different thread designs.
> 
> ...


I didn't understand the original poster, I was clariflying a potential typo in the post I quoted. THAT poster said


> is usally the a good idea to replace both left and right (2) tires of the same TIRE if you have a bad tire.


 Emphasis mine. I was clarifyong that this poster meant left and right tire on teh same AXLE. Which he has since indicated was what he menat.

Your choice. But for the others who read this thread need to understand the major compromise that you are getting yourself into. I hope you never have to find out if it is a serious problem with that setup or not, because you don't know for sure, you are making a big assumption.


----------



## JetBlack330i (Feb 8, 2002)

Pinecone said:


> I hope you never have to find out if it is a serious problem with that setup or not, because you don't know for sure, you are making a big assumption.


I ran that setup for over 2 years without a hitch. Traction in the back improved tremendously. I had a lot of fun.
Since then, I've been running Michelin Pilot Sport on all 4 wheels. However, I kept the 225/255 size (it looks so much better) rather than the OEM 225/245.
I've had 2 track events with that setup and no understeering issues that I can tell (meaning, the tires limit is above my own).

Edit: fixed a mistyping.


----------



## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

JetBlack330i said:


> (meaning, the tires limit is below my own).


Does tht mean you ran out of grip and left the tracK?


----------



## chris37VHR (Nov 16, 2020)

BahnBaum said:


> Bottom line: keeping matched tires front and rear on a car is not wasting money. It's part of the cost of doing business when you drive a car with a staggered setup. IMO, if I can't afford to do that, I'm driving a car I can't afford to drive.
> 
> Alex


End of discussion.


----------



## billyjoe (Dec 13, 2020)

chris37VHR said:


> End of discussion.


The original post was looking for any problems between front and back tires being different brands. The answer is there wouldn't be any problems if the tires selected were basically the same type.


----------

