Tire help

[BossChief]

I have a 2011 Nissan Frontier and I need to replace 2 of the tires on it and a friend of mine sold me 2 barely used ones for dirt cheap (100 for the pair) and let me know they aren't exactly the same size.

The stock tires are 265-70-r16

The ones he sold me are 265-75-r16

I brought them to Farm n fleet to have them put on and they called me back saying I really shouldn't put them on my truck because it can screw up my drivetrain being they aren't the same size as the other 2.

I had them hold off on putting them on and figured I'd ask you guys if that's a legit concern (the truck is 4wd).

I guess I've always had matching tires, but the deal was too good to pass on and if I need to, I can resell them.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

Yah, that might be a problem. That being said, I see 4WD trucks driving around with different size tires on. For example, they will have one tire with absolutely no tread on it (causing it it to spin faster) and on the other side they will have a brand new tire with tread on it, so in theory, even if they are the same size tires, one is spinning faster (or slower) than the other because of tread wear. Now, long term, this will affect the differential and turning and all that and also, the people who are doing this basically look like they don't give a crap because it's an old jeep or whatever. But yah, when the truck is in 4WD there might be issues.

That's why I talked about sophistication. A lot of the 4WDs you see with janky tires are big beefy Detroit steel that can take all kinds of abuse. As you get into computer control and integrated systems, this kind of stress, particularly the more chronic it is [highway driving, with the prolonged high traction rotational differential] burns little expensive things out.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by kepp

I think the gist of it is that you'd be better off finding another two cheapo tires of the same size.

Why can't he just find one to match one of the two ?

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Why can't he just find one to match one of the two ?

perhaps Used tires?

[Buehler445]

Don't. You'll shred your transfer case. Unless you never use 4wd.

[BossChief]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

[SAUTO]

Page 8-41 of your owner's manual tellsyou everything you need to know. Basically don't do it

[Saccopoo]

Total no-no on an AWD/4WD vehicle.

As previously mentioned, will squirrel up the transfer case, especially in highway driving with AWD/4WD engaged.

Can also lead to a ****ed up ABS braking system at it will see differing wheel speed rotations and the speed sensors will send varying information to the system and your breaking will be under uneven pressure.

No bueno amigo.

[pr_capone]

Originally Posted by BossChief

I have a 2011 Nissan Frontier and I need to replace 2 of the tires on it and a friend of mine sold me 2 barely used ones for dirt cheap (100 for the pair) and let me know they aren't exactly the same size.

The stock tires are 265-70-r16

The ones he sold me are 265-75-r16

I brought them to Farm n fleet to have them put on and they called me back saying I really shouldn't put them on my truck because it can screw up my drivetrain being they aren't the same size as the other 2.

I had them hold off on putting them on and figured I'd ask you guys if that's a legit concern (the truck is 4wd).

I guess I've always had matching tires, but the deal was too good to pass on and if I need to, I can resell them.

Per my little brother...

You do not want to put those tires on your vehicle. The wrong size will cause excessive wear in the transfer case. Going to the wrong size is bad enough but most shops wont recommend putting on the same size tire that has a greater difference than 4/32 in tread on a vehicle with an AWD/4WD system.

[19now11]

that would be the case if the bigger number (tire hight) was different. the 75 is the width and id assume it wouldnt hurt your tcase so long as u kept em on the same axle...

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by 19now11

that would be the case if the bigger number (tire hight) was different. the 75 is the width and id assume it wouldnt hurt your tcase so long as u kept em on the same axle...

no it's the height - not the width.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

no it's the height - not the width.

Depends on which number changes. The 265 is the millimeter width, and the 70/75 is the percent of the width the height of the sidewall is. So in this case where only the the percentage changes, the height indeed changes. But it's conceivable that say a 245-75 is shorter than a 265-70, or a 255-75 is taller than a 265-65

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Depends on which number changes. The 265 is the millimeter width, and the 70/75 is the percent of the width the height of the sidewall is. So in this case where only the the percentage changes, the height indeed changes. But it's conceivable that say a 245-75 is shorter than a 265-70, or a 255-75 is taller than a 265-65

yes - that's exactly what i'm saying.

[Simply Red]

bout to go to work - any football related questions?

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

bout to go to work - any football related questions?

**** the Donks?

[duncan_idaho]

Side note/question:

Anyone else tried to buy just two tires for a FWD vehicle recently?

I had a car I was driving into the ground recently, that had a flat on one of the rear tires. I tried to purchase just a new front set of tires, as I rarely take this thing on the highway, and almost never drive more than 10 miles at a time (I work from home). I had two tire shops refuse to sell me just a pair of tires and put them on the front axle, because of new recommendations from tire manufacturers to always put the best tread on the rear axle, even in FWD vehicles, to prevent hydro planing.

Anyone else run into this (I had it happen at NTB and a local shop)? Internet research backs up their story, but the whole things seems pretty ludicrous to me, for a few reasons:

1) having the best tread on the front axle of a FWD car is going to help you in many more situations than just worrying about hydro planing.

2) even if you're buying a set of tires, in a FWD vehicle, the front tires are always going to wear faster, right? So how do you ever rotate a set and get the most life out of it?