In any vehicle, it is bad practice to mix and match tyre treads. This article will go in-depth on your car’s Tyres Alton, including when to change them and what happens if they are actually mismatched.
Should the Tread Pattern on All Tyres Be the Same?
To ensure a steady grip and aid in distributing the vehicle’s weight equally across the road, the treads of your tyres must match. Different tread patterns on the four tyres of the same vehicle may cause vibrations and reduced torque.
Mismatched Tyres Can Wear Unevenly
Four tyres with different tread patterns might wear out at various rates. You’ll have to change them more frequently as a result of your decision to conserve money, which could be expensive.
The best course of action is to change all four tyres at the same time to ensure even wear. The second-best choice, if you can’t replace them all, is to keep the same two front tyres or the same two back tyres. As a result, they will match and age similarly.
Mismatched tyres may impact traction
Traction is a different issue you can run with. The handling of your car may get impacted by how well the varied treads cling to the pavement. In slippery circumstances like rain or snow, this is very risky. Your car can also feel shaky as a result.
This issue is not only expensive but also dangerous. Accidents could occur due to instability.
Is It OK to Have Various different Tread Depth Tyres?
Your vehicle won’t get damaged by varying tread depths. Yet, it might not be the best choice in terms of safety.
One tyre won’t be able to grip the road as well if it has much less tread than the others. This can lead to skidding and slipping, which is dangerous.
It’s conceivable to have slightly different tread depths simply by mistake. For instance, most consumers are unaware that tread depth might differ across brands.
Even when they are the same size, one brand may have deeper treads than another. So, it’s wise to constantly check the tread depth of your tyres before purchasing them.
Even while it’s possible that utilizing tyres from various manufacturers won’t harm your car, the variable tread depths are still a concern.
Should the front or rear tyres have more tread?
You should swap out all four tyres at once or in pairs, as we’ve already taught. This circumstance indicates that two of your four wheels will have different treads.
The majority of the job gets performed by your car’s front set. They must have a firm hold on the road since they steer and brake.
The front tyres should typically have greater tread than the back ones for this reason.
These can then offer you the traction you require when braking or turning. The back tyres don’t need as much tread because they don’t have to work as hard.
You might want to think about having additional tread on all four tyres if you reside in a region with a lot of rain or snow. You’ll have more traction if you do it regardless of which way you turn.
Tyre rotation is the best solution for this.
If you often haul or carry big loads while driving, you might rotate your tyres every 5,000 miles or even more frequently. The weight results in more damage and wear.
Your tyres will wear more uniformly if you rotate them frequently.
The best way to extend the life of your tyres is through maintenance. You also get to save money.
Regular tyre rotation also offers the following advantages:
- Less chance of hydroplaning
- Easier ride
- Enhanced driving performance
- Reduced noise
When you bring your car in for tyre rotation, the mechanic will also check the air pressure and search for any damage.
What About All-Wheel Drive Vehicles?
The treads on all-wheel drive vehicles ought to be the same size. The recommendations for two- or four-wheel replacements are the same for AWD and FWD, though.
Still, performing all four at once is optimal.
Put the replacements on the front or back if you need to replace two. They’ll match the other two and wear equally if you do it that way.
Also, you should ensure that the discrepancy is not too large. The majority of professionals advise staying below 3/32nds of an inch. Tyre circumference variations may result, which is a different issue.
An AWD vehicle’s front and rear tyres are the same size. However, wear may cause the circumference to vary somewhat. One that is too small may interfere with your odometer or speedometer. It doesn’t take much to skew your readings because the variation in circumference is typically only a few inches.
Another issue is that it could make your car lose gear.
You can also feel vibrations in your car if the difference is too big. The wheels’ altered rate of rotation is the cause of this issue. By having your tyres professionally sized, you can solve this issue with Mobile Tyre Fitting Alresford. If the discrepancy is too great and needs handling, they can let you know.