Driving 1 Tire Slightly Bigger Than Other 3 (1 Viewer)

[MidMan]

My truck originally came with wheel size as 265/70/R16
My spare wheel size is 275/70/R16

Last week I got flat tire and the damage was serious and in its shoulder. Repair guy has to vulcanize the tire but advised to keep it as spare wheel and I can use it in emergency situations. And he fixed the spare wheel with truck which was 275/70/R16

This tire is fixed on passenger rear side.
I am driving it since last couple of days and absolutely no sign of disturbance, or noise from differential, or any slip or any stress, no nothing.

So my question is, should I keep going with this combination of 3 regular size tires and 1 with slightly oversize ?
Will it bring any harm for differential if I keep it driving like this?

Or better should go to replace all 4 with new wheels of same size?

 

[juanchogaviria]

@MidMan , i would make all tires the same. Cheaper to buy one tire than a damaged diff.

 

[rockstate45]

I'd run the same size tires as well. The diff can account for some difference but you're putting unnecessary stress on it which will lead to premature failure.

What brand of tires are they? They may be fairly close in their "measured" size (i.e. BFGs tend to run smaller).

Additionally tread depth could be a factor here. How many 32nds of tread are left?

 

[Heckraiser]

The one dumb thing about these cruisers is that they really are made to run the same size all around.

FYI, the 275 (like your spare) are the stock size, 265/70/16 is undersized (although a lot of people run 265/75/16 which is actually a larger diameter than stock due to slightly taller sidewalls)

:edit: Didn't see you're in Pakistan. Is your truck full-time 4wd or part time 2wd/4wd? If you can unlock the front hubs, you should be able to put the larger tire on the front and run it without any extra wear.

 

[maxamillion2345]

If I understood correctly you’re running mismatched sizes? I would not. Mismatched tires within the same size — sure, different sizes — no.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Tires are one of the most important items to keep maintained and in working order for saftey reasons. Either buy a new tire to match the other 3 or just get 4 new if the others are more than 4 years old. Why risk a rollover, other serious accident, or drivetrain damage?

 

[lumbee1]

Keep your tires rotated and perform a chalk test to confirm proper pressures. I learned an expensive lesson by not doing both. My tires are cupped so badly that driving is like having my own massage parlor in the Cruiser. It's so bad that I don't enjoy driving because of the noise and vibration. Once the new tires come in, chalk test will be done and rotations will happen with each and every oil change at 5K miles.

 

[MidMan]

@MidMan , i would make all tires the same. Cheaper to buy one tire than a damaged diff.

I was just wondering they make this beautiful truck, designed to run for off roaring (to run on un-balance surfaces)...... and yet if one tire is just a slightly (less then an inch) is bigger or taller then others three tires then it would be a direct threat for differential.
sorry but it sounds disappointing for me.

 

[MidMan]

I'd run the same size tires as well. The diff can account for some difference but you're putting unnecessary stress on it which will lead to premature failure.

What brand of tires are they? They may be fairly close in their "measured" size (i.e. BFGs tend to run smaller).

Additionally tread depth could be a factor here. How many 32nds of tread are left?

This tire is fixed on passenger rear side.
I am driving it since last couple of days and absolutely no sign of disturbance, or noise from differential, or any slip or any stress, no nothing.

I am owning this truck since 10 months and it’s tires are zeta Toledo 265/70/16
The condition of tires were fairly good. But now only one tire went in problem and It seems I have to purchase all 4 new tires now.

 

[bhsdriller]

How much bigger is a 265 vs a 275 though?....I could see if it was a major difference
Edit: ~7mm bigger

I know wear and tread depth will factor too

 

[MidMan]

The one dumb thing about these cruisers is that they really are made to run the same size all around.

FYI, the 275 (like your spare) are the stock size, 265/70/16 is undersized (although a lot of people run 265/75/16 which is actually a larger diameter than stock due to slightly taller sidewalls)

:edit: Didn't see you're in Pakistan. Is your truck full-time 4wd or part time 2wd/4wd? If you can unlock the front hubs, you should be able to put the larger tire on the front and run it without any extra wear.

Yes sir. I am from PK. And here the availability of new tires with size 265/70/16 is very rare.
But new tires are available in 275/70/16 only. They said 265/70/16 is some sort of classic sizes but this is something my truck came with from company.

Will that be ok if I replace all 4 tires with 275/70/16 ??
I believe it should be ok.

 

[MidMan]

Tires are one of the most important items to keep maintained and in working order for saftey reasons. Either buy a new tire to match the other 3 or just get 4 new if the others are more than 4 years old. Why risk a rollover, other serious accident, or drivetrain damage?

Ok. It seems that going for all 4 new tires of equal size would be the good option.
Here the price of all 4 new tires is nearly USD 1K. Sweet Hell !!!

And in such pathetic road conditions you drive the new tires upto 25K Km and it will start looking old like 80 years old man.

 

[rockstate45]

I was just wondering they make this beautiful truck, designed to run for off roaring (to run on un-balance surfaces)...... and yet if one tire is just a slightly (less then an inch) is bigger or taller then others three tires then it would be a direct threat for differential.
sorry but it sounds disappointing for me.

Not to sound harsh, but is this your first vehicle? You’re not going to find a vehicle that likes mismatched tires on drive wheels. The Land Cruiser does it better than almost all others in terms of tolerances and being “robust” but it isn’t designed for that long term. Like someone else mentioned, it’s also a safety thing.

Think of a traffic cone. Cut the bottom off on it so it can roll. While a pretty extreme example, you’ve got the same things at play here, Just on a smaller scale.

 

[MidMan]

Keep your tires rotated and perform a chalk test to confirm proper pressures. I learned an expensive lesson by not doing both. My tires are cupped so badly that driving is like having my own massage parlor in the Cruiser. It's so bad that I don't enjoy driving because of the noise and vibration. Once the new tires come in, chalk test will be done and rotations will happen with each and every oil change at 5K miles.

My actual tires (265/70/16) are not coming out from the body. So will that still be necessary to go for the chalk test ?
Plz pardon my ignorance.

 

[MidMan]

How much bigger is a 265 vs a 275 though?....I could see if it was a major difference
Edit: ~7mm bigger

I know wear and tread depth will factor too

Well, sir it’s only 1 inch difference or maybe slightly less then an inch.
But the thing make me surprise that this off-roading machine’s differential will be destroyed with such small & insignificant difference ?

 

[Tools R Us]

Does it have a viscus coupler? If so and lots of highway speed travel, 7mm difference may cause a problem, maybe? I have run bigger difference without issue.

...
Will that be ok if I replace all 4 tires with 275/70/16 ??
I believe it should be ok.

Will be fine.

 

[Heckraiser]

Yes sir. I am from PK. And here the availability of new tires with size 265/70/16 is very rare.
But new tires are available in 275/70/16 only. They said 265/70/16 is some sort of classic sizes but this is something my truck came with from company.

Will that be ok if I replace all 4 tires with 275/70/16 ??
I believe it should be ok.

Yes, if you replace all 4 with 275/70/16 you'll be good to go!

 

[lumbee1]

My actual tires (265/70/16) are not coming out from the body. So will that still be necessary to go for the chalk test ?
Plz pardon my ignorance.

 

[maxamillion2345]

Well, sir it’s only 1 inch difference or maybe slightly less then an inch.
But the thing make me surprise that this off-roading machine’s differential will be destroyed with such small & insignificant difference ?

Differentials are made to corner not to compensate for mismatched tires. It will wear out prematurely, any differential in any vehicle would. Might take a long time but it will accelerate wear.

Find a used tire in the same size Or replace all 4

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Buy a tire with a tread warranty and if they die at 25k at least they will prorate the next set