- Thread starter
- #41
Your 80 came with 5 matching tires for a reason.
Well duh! Would you buy a $50K vehicle that didn't?


Besides, I don't think we've hashed this subject out enough quite yet.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Your 80 came with 5 matching tires for a reason.
I can't even begin to imagine why anyone would ever even think of altering anything on an 80 to be different from the way it was originally sold. Toyota did everything the way they did for a reason so why change any of it?Your 80 came with 5 matching tires for a reason.
I can't even begin to imagine why anyone would ever even think of altering anything on an 80 to be different from the way it was originally sold. Toyota did everything the way they did for a reason so why change any of it?
Why step out of the box when you can lay down and fall asleep in it?![]()
Yes, and by the same token a 33" tyre doesn't become a 31" tyre when you deflate it so your 'deflate 3 tyres' idea is flawed.
However, Grench's suggestion to deflate the 33" tyre to fit in a smaller area is a good idea and should work because the carrier should allow the tyre to be mounted in an oblong fashion. You can test it easily and it is probably your best option based on your weird criteria.
Another thing that you are forgetting: Plan for the worst and hope for the best.
You are planning for best case scenarios:
* No flats in years; therefore no problem.
* If a flat, then it will be a simple "patch" job....
* If a flat that can't be fixed, then just drive a few miles on a dirt road to a tyre shop.
..... and so on.
Those examples are not what is common when off-roading from my experience. The tyre usually gets a giant rip on a sidewall or staked by a large branch or sliced on a rock. The tyre and sometimes the rim is frequently ruined. This never happens a few miles down a dirt road to a tyre shop; it happens 50 to 100 miles or more from a replacement or repair. The function of a spare is not just something to get in the way of your rear hatch or take up space in your cargo area or on your rack or under your truck. The function of a spare is to get you, your vehicle, and your passengers safely to their destination.
Use a proper sized spare and mount it somewhere; underneath (deflated), in the cargo area (Slee carrier) or preferably, on a tyre carrier on your Kaymar.
-B-
Ah that's right I forgot about the whole wife situation.![]()
My recommendation to the issue at hand is that it would be acceptable but not idealy desirable. First issue is if the tire that needed to replace was a front tire. You would need to rotate a good rear tire to the front and put the spare then on the rear.
To avoid overheating and humping (yes it's technically called this) of the viscous coupler you would need to lock the CDL. Worst case for the viscous coupler would be that it no longer would act like a "limited slip" but a fully locked differential. Locking the CDL would of course fully advoid this.
Finally the side gears and spider gears in the rear carrier where never desinged to maintain a constant speed differential. Worst case here is carrier and side gear wear. Hard to say how it would manifest its self, but I would say excessive backlash on the spider gears could open the door to breakage. The lockers work ins such a way that stress is transfered through the side gears and spider gears when engaged. Excessive backlash on the side/spider gears may be fine when the diff is open but it could break under hard strain when locked.
So how far could you drive without putting wear on the side gears/carrier. Hard to say but I would avoid highway speeds for sure and the shorter the distance the better.
...on the risk of coming off as a toolbag ...
I had a flat recently while I was working Ike in Port Arthur. I was fortunate that it happened about a half mile away from the only open tire shop in the entire tri-city area (Thank you GPS). I drove there on the flat, but the tire was repaired with no problems.I just wanted to break it down for you. Honestly how many times have you used the spare and how far from a tire shop have you been in the past. I'd say the odds are that you're probably fine. If I'm not mistaken hasn't there been a few trips on a flat bed??
What I don't get is the 31" tire fitting better than a 33"?? Isn't the main issue under there the width of the tire?? I'm sure they make a skinny 33x9.50-16, which is then narrower than the stock 31" tire (I assume that is the 31" tire you're talking about).
And thank you. I take pride in my "weird criteria".![]()
My PO did this. I've still got the 275/70R16s on the front and 265/75R16s on the back. So that's a 0.492" diameter difference and a 1.54" circumference difference between front and back. Obviously a lesser extreme than the 31" vs 33" but how bad was/is it for the VC? Anyone know of people who've screwed up theirs with 1/2" diameter difference?No, the VC cannot cope with this for very long. It generates a lot of heat in a short time. It is a limited slip device and not designed to compensate for a 2" diameter variation (much more in circumference). It can cope with 1/2" maybe.... 1/4" probably. But not 2" based on the information we have from those that have POs that tried it and left them with a locked up VC.
My PO did this. I've still got the 275/70R16s on the front and 265/75R16s on the back. So that's a 0.492" diameter difference and a 1.54" circumference difference between front and back. Obviously a lesser extreme than the 31" vs 33" but how bad was/is it for the VC? Anyone know of people who've screwed up theirs with 1/2" diameter difference?
Enough to be embarrassed in the context of this thread (about 3000 miles). I suspect/hope the PO might've put the mismatched tires on to sell it.No way for us to know how many miles the PO drove with that set up, but out of curiosity how many miles have you put on your truck since you have owned it?
Not yet.If your VC was locked I would suspect that your truck would do some hopping around corners. Doing any hopping?
Hopefully this Xmas will allow that. It's not a daily driver so it can sit around most of the time while I save up for new shoes.I am sure it would be a good idea to get 4 tires that are equal in size asap.
I just wanted to break it down for you. Honestly how many times have you used the spare and how far from a tire shop have you been in the past. I'd say the odds are that you're probably fine. If I'm not mistaken hasn't there been a few trips on a flat bed??
What I don't get is the 31" tire fitting better than a 33"?? Isn't the main issue under there the width of the tire?? I'm sure they make a skinny 33x9.50-16, which is then narrower than the stock 31" tire (I assume that is the 31" tire you're talking about).
My recommendation? Call around to tire shops and find a used 33" tire that will fit on your rim. Set your budget at $80 (or $40) and just do it. I think the peace of mind here is worth it.