Different tires??? what?

[FlagstaffSVX]

Let me tell you a short story...

When I bought my SVX it was a very happy day indeed. I asked the seller, a marketing prof at NAU why one tire had different tread than the other ones. He said that they were actually the same tire but he didn't know why they looked different. The difference was one tire didn't have a V4 at the end of Michelin Pilot. 5000 miles later I now have threads on the outside edge of the 'one' tire because it is smaller than the others. And I wondered why my tranny went out 3 months after I bought the car...

Yokohama AVS dB's? And how bad would it be to ride on two tires that were different, i.e. replacing the bad back two tires with the Yoko's. Probably be a better temp fix than having my tire blow out and coast on my rims. Or just stop driving.

Oh yes... one more thing, my father is recommending that I buy 4 tires from Pep Boys. He says they are Coopers with the Pep Boys name on them and they are ten dollars less per tire, not including the $38 shipping on the Yoko's from Victoriatire.com.
I'll take anyone's $0.02, maybe I can get enough $0.02's to make up the difference.
Happy Holidays,

[Beav]

Hmmm...so what you're saying is that you believe the tire difference is the cause of the wear pattern and the tranny failure? Then why would you want to only replace two tires?

O.K. here's my nickel's worth...either the tire installer slipped a ringer past the professor, or maybe the prof knew that the tire was different. Maybe it's the same size and brand, but slightly different. Probably he hit a road hazard, ruined the tire and that was the closest replacement he could find. When he hit the road hazard he also knocked the wheel out of alignment which is causing the strange wear (highly doubtful that the tire diameter is different enough to cause a wear pattern.) The tranny problem is either coincidental or maybe a reason for him to sell it...

Anyway, awd cars need to have all tires replaced in sets of four only. Excerpt from Subaru TSB #16-58-94: "All tires must be of the same size and brand name. Also, major differences in the tire wear patterns between front and rear, can cause binding in tight turns." I realize that kinda sucks in a one-tire road hazard situation, but if ya wanna play, ya gotta pay.

My advice? Well, since you're asking.... Get the alignment checked first, in order to see if any parts or additional labor are required to correct. Once that's done replace four tires.

Beav

[FlagstaffSVX]

Thanks Beav, I appreciate the advice. The other three tires are about half worn I'd say whereas the fourth tire is completley bald. (well, even worse than bald) Oh yeah, and the only reason I'd replace two now is because I'm a starving college student and couldn't get 4 Yoko's right now. Could I do that, get two and then get two more in a month or so? (like, next two paychecks from now) Or would it be better to get the Pep Boys tires that for some reason I don't completely trust. (maybe it's the car and the fact that AVS dB's are heralded at this forum)

[Beav]

I can't comment on the AVS db tires from personal experience but I'm sure they're a fine tire. What I've read is that while they're touted as a 'quiet' tire, there are others that are a bit more quiet. You might check with Discount Tire, Big O, etc. and see what they have, Pep Boys isn't the only game in town.

If you really need to do two at a time the best thing to do probably would be to put a fuse in the FWD socket and drive in two wheel drive until all four are replaced. The abs may not like it but at least you won't be jeopardizing the tanny.

Beav

[Beav]

I should have known better... my advice to drive around with the FWD fuse in place isn't the right thing to do. After a little research I found that the fluid path would be altered and definitely not good for the tranny. Best bet is replace four tires.

Beav