Are Mismatched Tires Fine to Drive On? Before buying a used car,it's important
to check the tires to see if they're excessively worn,improperly mounted,or have
any other major issues. But what about mismatched tires? Is that a problem?
Ideally,you want all four tires to match in both type and wear,but a set of
mismatched tires isn't a deal breaker,so as long as they meet the following
criteria: Having four different types of tires on a car is probably not
advisable,while matching pairs on the front and back isn't necessarily a
significant problem. To a certain extent Car Tools store,the decision may come
down to how much you trust the seller. If purchasing a car from your uncle,and
you remember when he bought a new tire to replace one that blew out a few months
previously,then you should be safe driving in that car with one mismatched tire.
A car with mismatched front and back tires should still be usable,especially if
it is a two wheel drive vehicle. Tires wear out at different rates,and if one is
more worn than the other,simply rotating the tires may be a possibility to
prevent further wear. A car with three or four mismatched tires might be more of
an issue,as the tires cannot be rotated with the same effect. Issues with
inflation,alignment or your vehicle's suspension can also compound the issues,as
illustrated in this image. The big problem with mismatched tires is that they
are often a sign of a seller who takes poor care of his car OBD Tool. If the tires are the cheapest
brands from the cheapest manufacturers,then the rest of the car is likely not in
much better condition. If the tires are different sizes then they may also wear
at different rates,and you'll be shopping for new tires sooner than you think.
Functionally,mismatched tires will wear out at different rates. If all four
tires are the same size and model,and the owner has been rotating the tires
appropriately,there should never be a reason for mismatched tires. All four
tires will wear out at roughly the same time,and you can purchase 4 new
tires,avoiding mismatches and potential damage. Another problem with mismatched
tires is that you don't know how old they are or when they should be
replaced,except by examining the wear. And,as mentioned above,some tires will
last longer than others. In order to be sure of the tires you have,it might be
best to replace all of them on a newly purchased used car.
Related
Links