Tires play an important role in fuel efficiency and the car\’s optimal performance. Speaking of optimal performance and efficiency of a car, it is essential to fit tires of the same size and tread pattern. However, certain cases allow car owners to mix tires in a vehicle. That said, it is recommended to not mix tires as it may affect speed and handling as well.
This guide will help you whether to mix tires in a car or not. Let\’s go through it.
How Mixing Tires Of Different Sizes Affect Car\’s Performance?
For efficient performance and safety, mixing tires isn\’t recommended at all. However, automobile manufacturers approve mixed tires under rare circumstances.
The following are the recommendations from the automobile manufacturers when selecting tires for your SUV, sedan, or any other car body type:
- Identical size
- Same tread pattern
- Same load index
- Identical speed ratings for tires on the same axles
Besides, the same tire brand is also important. But, it isn\’t as necessary because car owners may be constrained due to a lack of availability or their budget. Here are a few problems that one can face when they mix tires of different sizes, tread patterns, load index, or speed ratings.
Uneven Tread Wear:
Car tires may be subjected to different types of tread wear. This may occur due to different tire sizes. Moreover, different tires have their specific load indexes that may cause a tire to wear unevenly.
Besides, varying tread depth can also cause tires to wear more quickly. Speaking of tire wear, it may cause safety concerns for drivers, passengers, and other cars on the road.
Improper Handling:
Car handling becomes difficult when you have a different set of tires mixed. For instance, an all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive car requires the same tire. Otherwise, it can cause handling issues that will compromise a car\’s performance.
Traction And Gripping Problems
There are different types of tires depending on the performance and seasons. If you mix the tires in such a way that one is a mud tire and the other is a highway tire, there will be a problem in gripping on different surfaces. Moreover, this may be dangerous as mud or off-roading tires offer more traction on rough terrains.
Tires May Blow Out Or Require Changing More Often
Load index and speed ratings play an important role in a car\’s performance. For instance, if your vehicle is equipped with tires that can bear more load and you replace one tire with a lower load index, the tires may damage quickly under a certain load.
This concludes our guide to mixing car tires which are not recommended at all. However, you can mix tires in a car for a short while due to non-availability or budget constraints. Therefore, you should replace and make all tires the same to ensure optimum performance and safety. That said, always ensure that your TPMS sensor is working when you replace tires.
If your TPMS sensor isn\’t working properly, buy a TPMS sensor from Porcsi that meets your needs.