Running tires w different tread wear % (1 Viewer)

[Get outside]

Edited measurement!

Basic question that I can't answer for our awd trucks: will I mess up the ride by putting 2 brand new tires and 2 @ 60% to 70% tread left?

06 truck w A-track

Thing is I have a 100% spare and want to buy just 1 new then mount them on together leaving the other with 60% as the spare!

What I have on are the Nitto Terra Grapplers 285-65-18 and apparently they're gone from the market, so my next option is same size of course but with their newly released Terra Grappler G2.

Any input? Thanks

 

[dubitup]

Great question. On my Audi's I was told that rolling diameter had to be within 5%.

I'm in a similar situation concerning my spare. I need to find a new spare but concerned that full depth might be an issue as the tires I have now are probably 15K miles into wear, i need to mic them and find out what depth they are at

 

[Get outside]

Well, that sucks ass! I don't want to buy 4 tires now!
More input please!

 

[dubitup]

Might be ok, read this

Matching Tires on Four-Wheel Drive & All-Wheel Drive Vehicles

 

[Get outside]

Ok, numbers:
FL, RL and RR all @ 3/8 tread left
FR a hair less @ 11/32 and becomes new spare
My current spare is 100% at 35/64 (which is 1/32 less than 9/16)
The difference between them is 11/64.
I would think it's a marginal difference that would be lost between front and rear! But want to hear from the more experienced ones out there!
Thanks

 

[Julian Stead]

You should be ok, you need to be careful with AWD vehicles fitted with a viscous coupler but the 100 has a open center diff. Read the owners manual to see if there is any special precautions related to this. I thought that new tires are better fitted to the rear to reduce oversteer introduced by putting new tires on the front.

 

[Sandroad]

You've got 3 things to think about. One is how much difference in tire circumference will it take to cause ATRAC issues due to different wheel speeds. I don't know for the 100s, but I know that Subaru has very tight tolerances for the Gen4 Outbacks that lead to requirements of less than 2/64's inch in tread depth among the tires. Different systems, but one example of how a small difference in tread affects some vehicles. The second issue is the difference in traction between new and half worn tires. The Tire Rack recommends putting the newer tires on the rear axle. The third issue is the fact that you'll end up with one different model tire. Depending on how different that one is, you may find vehicle dynamics negatively affected.

 

[benc]

toyota told me 2/32 max, I had a tire out of round and all tires were wore at 3/32 I told the tire shop I was concerned with putting one new tire, they assured me it was fine but I called Toyota and they said 2/32 max so the tire shop ended up giving me 4 new.

 

[benc]

I just went through a similar problem with the bfg ko,
I had gotten a blow out with one and since they no longer offer the ko they gave 3 new ko2s and I only had to pay for one tire.
Maybe wort a try if you were the original purchaser.

 

[Julian Stead]

Dont believe everything that a toyota dealership tells you as a lot of delearships havent seen many land cruiser 100's, you only speak to a service receptionist most of the time. This is a quote mentioned in the handbook. They mention not to mix tread patterns and use the same brand tire on a different page, and only use recommended tire sizes.

 

[Julian Stead]

Audi and subaru, even land cruiser 80's use viscous couplers. This is what is very sensitive to different tire wear depths.

 

[Get outside]

I'm editing the first post with double checked measurements! The wear is between 60 to 70%, NOT 50 like I said before.

You should be ok, you need to be careful with AWD vehicles fitted with a viscous coupler but the 100 has a open center diff. Read the owners manual to see if there is any special precautions related to this. I thought that new tires are better fitted to the rear to reduce oversteer introduced by putting new tires on the front.

I read my manual on every part that mentioned tires and the only thing I saw was replace all 4 or sets of 2s!

You've got 3 things to think about. One is how much difference in tire circumference will it take to cause ATRAC issues due to different wheel speeds. I don't know for the 100s, but I know that Subaru has very tight tolerances for the Gen4 Outbacks that lead to requirements of less than 2/64's inch in tread depth among the tires. Different systems, but one example of how a small difference in tread affects some vehicles. The second issue is the difference in traction between new and half worn tires. The Tire Rack recommends putting the newer tires on the rear axle. The third issue is the fact that you'll end up with one different model tire. Depending on how different that one is, you may find vehicle dynamics negatively affected.

Still hard to grasp how such small difference can mess it up! I did read about getting the new ones on the back and it's probably what I'm doing! Also, I'm getting the same brand, size and model so it should match the other one I already have!

toyota told me 2/32 max, I had a tire out of round and all tires were wore at 3/32 I told the tire shop I was concerned with putting one new tire, they assured me it was fine but I called Toyota and they said 2/32 max so the tire shop ended up giving me 4 new.

2/32??? Really? That's closer to zero than anything else! I don't have a problem with my tires, just thought I should finally throw the spare on the road but can't do it by itself, hence why I'm talking about buying one more and running the 2 new ones on back and 2 used on front.

I just went through a similar problem with the bfg ko,
I had gotten a blow out with one and since they no longer offer the ko they gave 3 new ko2s and I only had to pay for one tire.
Maybe wort a try if you were the original purchaser.

I bought them myself. Again, just wondering about the ability to run slight different tread wear between front and rear!

 

[2001LC]

I asked a similar question Best Tire Tread on front/rear, or damage TCase? in this tech forum. It was moved to Tire and Wheel Tech. The general consensus was; NO it will not hurt the trucks mechanicals.

That said, it will change handling and reduce the rigs abilities to compensate for road conditions. We've different opinions on which points (front or rear) to place the better tread on for handling. So Mr. T as all manufactures recommend "all four".

The top layer on of new tread is very soft and will wear off quickly. By placing the newest tread on front they'll wear the fastest, so one can wear down to match least tread. Make sure to balance new after 2K, then every 3k to 5k miles and rotor side to side until desired tread depth achieved. I've done this and seen it done on the 100's. Then driven 80K miles, never having any issues with mechanicals of drive train.

 

[costalcat]

While I have not done this in my 100 yet, my other AWD and 4 x 4 I have had no problems switching out in pairs. That is how my 35d X5 x drive rolls. The backs are always more tread than the front . About an 8,000 mile difference when I swap them. I rotate the rear to the front and new go on the back. 95,000 on it with no issues and bought it with 30,000 on it. On my Syncro I have done the same thing with no issues as well. Backs to the front new on the back...

 

[Get outside]

I asked a similar question Best Tire Tread on front/rear, or damage TCase? in this tech forum. It was moved to Tire and Wheel Tech. The general consensus was; NO it will not hurt the trucks mechanicals.

That said, it will change handling and reduce the rigs abilities to compensate for road conditions. We've different opinions on which points (front or rear) to place the better tread on for handling. So Mr. T as all manufactures recommend "all four".

The top layer on of new tread is very soft and will wear off quickly. By placing the newest tread on front they'll wear the fastest, so one can wear down to match least tread. Make sure to balance new after 2K, then every 3k to 5k miles and rotor side to side until desired tread depth achieved. I've done this and seen it done on the 100's. Then driven 80K miles, never having any issues with mechanicals of drive train.

Looks like the opinions in that tread are all over the place! Like we don't know if the trucks are awd, full or part time, open or not center bla bla bla! Kind of funny really!
From all I'm reading it seems that it will be fine as long the numbers are not crazy off and I keep sets of 2!

 

[REZARF]

This is a first world problem, run 'em!

 

[2001LC]

Looks like the opinions in that tread are all over the place! Like we don't know if the trucks are awd, full or part time, open or not center bla bla bla! Kind of funny really!
From all I'm reading it seems that it will be fine as long the numbers are not crazy off and I keep sets of 2!

I agree.