Car Care Tips: Should I Replace More Than One Tire At A Time?

Should I replace more than one tire at a time? The answer is you can safely replace only one tire at a time, if the others still have most of their tread. But this statement is not applicable to all makes of cars. If you own an all-wheel-drive vehicle, you may be suggested to change all the four wheels at a time. We agree with the fact that a car looks good if it has four matching tires whether they are front tires or rear tires: same type, same model and, of course, same level of wear. Also, there is another reason behind it other than the looks. A car with four tires is meant to perform the same — whether braking, accelerating, or cornering — is balanced and liable. If any of these elements are different at one or more wheels, traction characteristics may differ and performance will be unstable. So it is important to maintain an appropriate traction among all tires to enjoy smooth rides.

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Well, coming back to the topic, if you want to know how long tires last, just read on. You are sure to learn a few more interesting facts. Tread depth is calculated in 32nds of an inch, and most new tires usually have 10/32 to 12/32 (5/16 to 3/8) of an inch of tread. If a car’s other tires have lost only 2/32 or up to maybe 4/32 of their original tread depth, it’s perhaps alright to change just the worn out tire.

As said earlier, there can be exemptions, though. Some vehicle manufacturers of all-wheel-drive vehicles recommend that all four tires be replaced at a time, not just one or two, because a new tire comes with a greater overall diameter than the other tires. The ones that have lost just a few 32nds of tread depth will rotate quicker than the new one, and the variance could cause an AWD system to involve on dry pavement and probably spoil the system.

On an AWD car or one with a conventional four-wheel-drive system, all four tires would perfectly be changed all at once so they all have the equal amount of traction as well as the same diameter.

On a front- or rear-wheel-drive car, same guidelines are applicable. If half or more of the tread on all four tires is gone, changing just one tire will result in one wheel rotating at a slower level than the others, likely sending incorrect indications to the traction control and antilock braking systems. It also will affect one tire having more or less traction for acceleration, braking and cornering grip than the others, which can disturb a vehicle’s performance. On a two-wheel-drive vehicle, irrespective of being FWD or RWD, a good approach would be to change the pair on the same axle. The best approach, though, is to replace all four if the tread on the old tires is specifically worn.

If you want to avoid buying more than one tire, then here is the way. You can have the tread on the new one “shaved” so it matches with the depth of the other tires’ tread. Some tire dealers do this job by shaving off some amount of tread on a special machine for a fee.

As you know, if you choose to change only one tire, the replacement should be the same size, model, and tread pattern as the others. Another brand or model tire will have even bigger differences in traction and number of revolutions per mile, and it’s possibly wear out at a different degree. That means it could possibly get damaged faster than the others, even if it had extra tread depth.

Now the choice is yours, whether you plan to replace just one tire or more. However our expert mechanics at our contemporary Volkswagen service center in Jeedimetla advise you with the solution. They not only replace the worn out tires for your Volkswagen but also meet every service and repair requirements. So, secure your trips right away with the right service and repair jobs and book an appointment today only at PPS Motors.