Differnt sized wheels.

[Cody D]

Yesterday I had the Rubber come off of my rim on my 93 Eagle Talon TSI AWD, it's been around -40* to -50* Celcius here. Well thankfully I didn't destroy my rim, but the tire was wrecked. I was going to buy a replacement and the tire guy said that having a new tire on my car with the three older used tires will wreck my drivetrain. He put on a used tire and told me that I should replace all 4 tires.

Is this just a ploy to get me to buy tires, or am I risking hurting my drivetrain?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[totalburnout]

Yesterday I had the Rubber come off of my rim on my 93 Eagle Talon TSI AWD, it's been around -40* to -50* Celcius here. Well thankfully I didn't destroy my rim, but the tire was wrecked. I was going to buy a replacement and the tire guy said that having a new tire on my car with the three older used tires will wreck my drivetrain. He put on a used tire and told me that I should replace all 4 tires.

Is this just a ploy to get me to buy tires, or am I risking hurting my drivetrain?

Any help would be much appreciated.

If the tires are different sizes, since you're AWD you can burn up your differential. With that said if its the same tire and same wheel its really not that big of deal unless one has 100% tread and the other has 5%. It is best to buy your tires in a set, or atleast a pair...but if your other 3 tires are new and you just gashed your brand spanking new tires, you obviously don't need to get 3 more tires.

 

[Tevenor]

The difference in tread depth won't kill anything unless you have 3 bald tires and 1 mudding tire. Make sure the outter diameter is the same.

With that being said, it is usually better to replace all 4 if they need it at once to promote consistant handling on all 4 corners.

 

[RamenPride]

Shouldn't you always replace tires in pairs on the same axle also?

 

[totalburnout]

Shouldn't you always replace tires in pairs on the same axle also?

Depends on tread wear. Like both myself and the other poster said, if you have near 100% tread and so mething shitty happened like you bent your rim and hammered your tire or picked up a nail, theres no reason to get two new tires if the other tire is near new and has little to no tread wear.

 

[Tevenor]

Shouldn't you always replace tires in pairs on the same axle also?

"Should" and "have to" are usually not the same.