honestly, how big of a deal is it to run 4 non-identical tires?

[compleckz]

i never want to spend a ton of money on my subaru, and i often find good deals on 195/65's that i could throw on the stock steelies.. but usually its just a pair of tires..

like right now i found a pair of brand new snowtrakkers for $45..

how awful for the car would it be to two different pairs of tires front/rear, as long as they had similar tread depth, and had similar grip characteristics (i'd be looking for another pair of snows to go on if i got those $45 snowtrakkers)..

and what is it bad for? the trans/center diff/rear diff/all of the above?


car is a 5spd 98 impreza, awd of course.. this is just my dd beater with 190k, but i dont exactly want to kill it anytime soon.

[Bu11dogg2]

If you're AT, you will burn up your clutch packs $$$$$

If you're MT you will burn up your viscous coupler $$$

Both jobs are in the $1,000.00 + range.

[compleckz]

If you're AT, you will burn up your clutch packs $$$$$

If you're MT you will burn up your viscous coupler $$$

Both jobs are in the $1,000.00 + range.

or i can put another $50 transmission in.. (like i did last year when i lost 3rd and 4th) :rofl:

anyways, the VC will really burn up driving with two different branded snow tires?

i punctured a sidewall on one of my tires 4 months ago.. i swapped that tire with a used tire i got at tire warehouse, also a snow tire, similar tread depth/pattern.

so yea i've been driving for 4 months with one mismatched tire.. the rear tires are at the wear bars, while the front tires are at 50%.

i took a weekend trip to the cape in october (3hrs non-stop each way), also i drove squeethebee's sister to the airport in syracuse at the end of august (4hrs non-stop each way).. i've put over 20k miles on the car this year, with tires i got off a FWD car, i put the rears on the front and the fronts on the rear... so when i put them on my car, the fronts were like 75% and the rears were maybe 40%..

so i have a hard time believing its so bad for the car, maybe i'm just lucky?

[Robk0000]

Well if both tires are exact size same width and rim size i dont think it would be a problem if its for a short time. I mean, subarus do come with donuts? If you drive on different diameter tires then your bound to break somehting. its just a matter of when.

[Bu11dogg2]

or i can put another $50 transmission in.. (like i did last year when i lost 3rd and 4th) :rofl:

anyways, the VC will really burn up driving with two different branded snow tires?

i punctured a sidewall on one of my tires 4 months ago.. i swapped that tire with a used tire i got at tire warehouse, also a snow tire, similar tread depth/pattern.

so yea i've been driving for 4 months with one mismatched tire.. the rear tires are at the wear bars, while the front tires are at 50%.

i took a weekend trip to the cape in october (3hrs non-stop each way), also i drove squeethebee's sister to the airport in syracuse at the end of august (4hrs non-stop each way).. i've put over 20k miles on the car this year, with tires i got off a FWD car, i put the rears on the front and the fronts on the rear... so when i put them on my car, the fronts were like 75% and the rears were maybe 40%..

so i have a hard time believing its so bad for the car, maybe i'm just lucky?


it's a matter of tread depth

All 4 need to be within 3-5 32nds of each other

[compleckz]

Well if both tires are exact size same width and rim size i dont think it would be a problem if its for a short time. I mean, subarus do come with donuts? If you drive on different diameter tires then your bound to break somehting. its just a matter of when.

oh yea, i would definitely be running the same size, and i always have. i didn't mean to imply otherwise.

it's a matter of tread depth

All 4 need to be within 3-5 32nds of each other

wow, 5/32nds is a crap-load on car tires huh, thats like half the tread depth of a 195/65-r15..

so i'd have to run 2 brand new tires along with 2 tires that have half tread or less, to make it an issue.

my swampers have 21/32", lololol


the issue i was asking about, is running different brands/tread patterns.. i was under the impression all 4 tires had to be near identical.

[-=The Boss=-]

You can get tires shaved down to be within spec.

[compleckz]

You can get tires shaved down to be within spec.

i know a few people with boosted fwd 5x100 cars, who would be more than willing to "take some tread off the tires" if i needed :rofl:


thanks for all the help guys!!

[Nate8409]

Yes run the 4 different tires. The main difference is the overall size. How many Subaru owners are clueless and drive the car and don't rotate the tires? About 80%. That being said Subaru has designed the components to not just explode when the difference in tires overall circumference grows as it will overtime anyway.

It will increase wear on the center differential be it an automatic or manual transmission. If I was going to do what you are talking about I would just have a special rotation pattern to keep the tires with the most tread on the front the longest and then when they get close to evening out start a normal rotation pattern.

Although I have never really studied the in and out torque patterns of the various center diffs on subys so I don't really know for sure. Do some research on what your car has for diffs and then decided for yourself. They are simple mechanical devices and there is a lot out there on how they work.

[Kevin]

I've been told by ted I think to put a tire of mine with a little bit lesser tread then the others on the back.

[kgj996]

I've been told by ted I think to put a tire of mine with a little bit lesser tread then the others on the back.

??? That sentence hurts my head. :lol:

[Bu11dogg2]

Yes run the 4 different tires. The main difference is the overall size. How many Subaru owners are clueless and drive the car and don't rotate the tires? About 80%. That being said Subaru has designed the components to not just explode when the difference in tires overall circumference grows as it will overtime anyway.

It will increase wear on the center differential be it an automatic or manual transmission. If I was going to do what you are talking about I would just have a special rotation pattern to keep the tires with the most tread on the front the longest and then when they get close to evening out start a normal rotation pattern.

Although I have never really studied the in and out torque patterns of the various center diffs on subys so I don't really know for sure. Do some research on what your car has for diffs and then decided for yourself. They are simple mechanical devices and there is a lot out there on how they work.


well.. considering I work for Subaru and have seen this happen I'm gonna say you're wrong :)

[Bu11dogg2]

??? That sentence hurts my head. :lol:
:lol:

[Kevin]

wow ya it does lol oh well

[Nate8409]

Well tell us how they work. I am not really sure so that would be some better insight then saying I have seen it happen end of sentence because the circumstances were more than likely very different.

well.. considering I work for Subaru and have seen this happen I'm gonna say you're wrong :)

[Bu11dogg2]

If you put a different tire, or tires, on a suby that is Automatic it will burn up the clutch packs because the power is not evenly distributed.

On a standard it puts strain on the viscous coupler as it tries to compensate for the better or lack of traction.

[compleckz]

If you put a different tire, or tires, on a suby that is Automatic it will burn up the clutch packs because the power is not evenly distributed.

On a standard it puts strain on the viscous coupler as it tries to compensate for the better or lack of traction.

so in addition to tread depth aka overall tire outer diameter---tread compound (hard/soft (sticky/crappy :lol:) and tread pattern (more/less contact patch), also can screw up the VC or clutch packs if they are different at any given corner?

[Bu11dogg2]

yes, all 4 tires need to be within 2-3 32nds of each other, same size and even inflation

In addition, Subaru recommends a highspeed rotate and balance every 7500k and an alignment every 15k or when needed.


AWD cars love to eat tires!

[banned4life]

how much does exeter charge for putting 4 tires on the wheel, new stems, balance, mount onto the car and tie disposal?

[Bu11dogg2]

how much does exeter charge for putting 4 tires on the wheel, new stems, balance, mount onto the car and tie disposal?


shoot service@exetersubaru.com a PM :D