Mismatched tire brands

Hi there, I've got a Jeep Wrangler 2001, and I have 3 Firestone brand
tires, and one original brand, came with the vehicle. They are the
same diameter, just different brands. One has gone flat, and the tire
dealer refuses to sell me a new one -- he says I risk serious damage to
the differential, and he wants no part of an installation on my
vehicle, presumably, for liability purposes. So I just went and got
the tire patched, the local filling station must be a little less
afraid of liability.

So, what does this state of affairs mean for my vehicle. Should I
never use the 4 wheel drive, use only at the slowest speeds, or what?
Am I at some small, moderate or serious risk when I drive 2-wheel drive
on an ordinary day, on rainy days, or at highway speeds? Would this
adversely affect the ABS in any way?

There was one similar thread on this subject before.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...b3108 a50b2bc
Involving using the mini-spare, and its affect on the 4-wheel drive,
and thats not really the case for my vehicle, I assume, or I could be
all wrong.

The tire dealer has many newspaper clippings up regarding accidents
caused by mismatched tires, even involving police cars involved in
accidents, presumably the point is that they should know better. So
this could be a serious problem that no one acknowledged for a long
time. Or they could be over-cautios for liability purposes. Or they
just want people to buy more tires. At any rate, I'd like to know:
What should I do. Hopefully, the answer isn't: Immediately buy two
new tires, and juck those serviceable mismatched ones.

It is a serious problem and up here in Canada anyway, the police will
bust you for driving an unsafe vehicle if they spot the mismatched
brands of tire.

I was in a bad fender bender where the other party might have died and
my vehicle was inspected by the police and insurance company. Both told
me I would automatically be found the 'at fault' driver if my tires
didn't match. This could turn an accident into vehicular homicide! My
Cherokee passed and the other person was found 'at fault'.

The different brands of tires flex and compress differently. This can
cause the vehicle to dive or slide into corners or if the rear end
corner dives, to do 360's way too easy.

How much wear is on the 3 firestones? I have heard of truck tire places
that can shave the new tire down a little so it matches the wear of the
other tires. Or just put it on the right rear and do a few smoke outs
to wear it down fast. ;-) (the right rear is the primary drive tire
and it will break free and spin first if you pop the clutch)

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Aug./05 http://www.imagestation.com/album/in...?id=2120343242
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

wrote:
>
> Hi there, I've got a Jeep Wrangler 2001, and I have 3 Firestone brand
> tires, and one original brand, came with the vehicle. They are the
> same diameter, just different brands. One has gone flat, and the tire
> dealer refuses to sell me a new one -- he says I risk serious damage to
> the differential, and he wants no part of an installation on my
> vehicle, presumably, for liability purposes. So I just went and got
> the tire patched, the local filling station must be a little less
> afraid of liability.
>
> So, what does this state of affairs mean for my vehicle. Should I
> never use the 4 wheel drive, use only at the slowest speeds, or what?
> Am I at some small, moderate or serious risk when I drive 2-wheel drive
> on an ordinary day, on rainy days, or at highway speeds? Would this
> adversely affect the ABS in any way?
>
> There was one similar thread on this subject before.
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...b3108 a50b2bc
> Involving using the mini-spare, and its affect on the 4-wheel drive,
> and thats not really the case for my vehicle, I assume, or I could be
> all wrong.
>
> The tire dealer has many newspaper clippings up regarding accidents
> caused by mismatched tires, even involving police cars involved in
> accidents, presumably the point is that they should know better. So
> this could be a serious problem that no one acknowledged for a long
> time. Or they could be over-cautios for liability purposes. Or they
> just want people to buy more tires. At any rate, I'd like to know:
> What should I do. Hopefully, the answer isn't: Immediately buy two
> new tires, and juck those serviceable mismatched ones.

Mismatched tires are a danger to you and the rest of the prople on the road
just as bad as a drunk driver.

--
Coasty
Remove The SPOOGE To Reply
> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi there, I've got a Jeep Wrangler 2001, and I have 3 Firestone brand
> tires, and one original brand, came with the vehicle. They are the
> same diameter, just different brands. One has gone flat, and the tire
> dealer refuses to sell me a new one -- he says I risk serious damage to
> the differential, and he wants no part of an installation on my
> vehicle, presumably, for liability purposes. So I just went and got
> the tire patched, the local filling station must be a little less
> afraid of liability.
>
> So, what does this state of affairs mean for my vehicle. Should I
> never use the 4 wheel drive, use only at the slowest speeds, or what?
> Am I at some small, moderate or serious risk when I drive 2-wheel drive
> on an ordinary day, on rainy days, or at highway speeds? Would this
> adversely affect the ABS in any way?
>
> There was one similar thread on this subject before.
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...b3108 a50b2bc
> Involving using the mini-spare, and its affect on the 4-wheel drive,
> and thats not really the case for my vehicle, I assume, or I could be
> all wrong.
>
> The tire dealer has many newspaper clippings up regarding accidents
> caused by mismatched tires, even involving police cars involved in
> accidents, presumably the point is that they should know better. So
> this could be a serious problem that no one acknowledged for a long
> time. Or they could be over-cautios for liability purposes. Or they
> just want people to buy more tires. At any rate, I'd like to know:
> What should I do. Hopefully, the answer isn't: Immediately buy two
> new tires, and juck those serviceable mismatched ones.
>

proclaimed:

> Hi there, I've got a Jeep Wrangler 2001, and I have 3 Firestone brand
> tires, and one original brand, came with the vehicle. They are the
> same diameter, just different brands. One has gone flat, and the tire
> dealer refuses to sell me a new one -- he says I risk serious damage to
> the differential, and he wants no part of an installation on my
> vehicle, presumably, for liability purposes. So I just went and got
> the tire patched, the local filling station must be a little less
> afraid of liability.

It *could* be that the tire dealer was trying to sell you unneeded
tires. Or perhaps, unlike you, he is aware that it is not at all a good
idea to have different tires anywhere on the vehicle.

You really wouldn't even want to have the same brand and model if one is
quite new and the others are worn.

>
> So, what does this state of affairs mean for my vehicle. Should I
> never use the 4 wheel drive, use only at the slowest speeds, or what?
> Am I at some small, moderate or serious risk when I drive 2-wheel drive
> on an ordinary day, on rainy days, or at highway speeds? Would this
> adversely affect the ABS in any way?


The ABS might actually help the first time you have to try a panic stop
on greasy pavement and your vehicle attempts to swap ends due to the
mismatched tires.


> The tire dealer has many newspaper clippings up regarding accidents
> caused by mismatched tires, even involving police cars involved in
> accidents, presumably the point is that they should know better. So
> this could be a serious problem that no one acknowledged for a long
> time. Or they could be over-cautios for liability purposes. Or they
> just want people to buy more tires. At any rate, I'd like to know:
> What should I do. Hopefully, the answer isn't: Immediately buy two
> new tires, and juck those serviceable mismatched ones.

Got an owners manual?

Just in case you decide that the opinions you have solicited may not be
accurate (how many of us are REAL mechanics?), try reading the owner's
manual.

--
Stupendous Man,
Defender of Freedom, Advocate of Liberty

Good lord if I believed everything I read, I'd be scared to death to drive
after reading some of these replies.

It's important to have a matched set of tires on your vehicle, but if you
can't, match them per axle.

NOTHING catastrophic is going to happen to you running a slightly different
tire, (notice I said slightly) it CAN cause odd handling characteristics,
and it CAN cause slightly odd braking if it's on the front, but unless its
wildly different from the other tires, it's not that big a deal.

I sold tires for and was a front end mechanic for 11 years. I'm not just
making this up.

Most new tire dealers ARE afraid to sell you unmatched sets, because of the
potential for liability, because everyone DOES sue now, for everything. It
doesn't mean something terrible is going to happen to you.

Millions of vehicles run mismatched tires, re-treads, etc with no ill
effect. Trans-Ams a few years ago came from the factory with different size
tires from front to rear.

I don't condone running different tires on your vehicle, I don't run
oddballs on my passenger vehicles either, but just wanted you to hear
something other than "doomsday" advice.

Spdloader



> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi there, I've got a Jeep Wrangler 2001, and I have 3 Firestone brand
> tires, and one original brand, came with the vehicle. They are the
> same diameter, just different brands. One has gone flat, and the tire
> dealer refuses to sell me a new one -- he says I risk serious damage to
> the differential, and he wants no part of an installation on my
> vehicle, presumably, for liability purposes. So I just went and got
> the tire patched, the local filling station must be a little less
> afraid of liability.
>
> So, what does this state of affairs mean for my vehicle. Should I
> never use the 4 wheel drive, use only at the slowest speeds, or what?
> Am I at some small, moderate or serious risk when I drive 2-wheel drive
> on an ordinary day, on rainy days, or at highway speeds? Would this
> adversely affect the ABS in any way?
>
> There was one similar thread on this subject before.
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...b3108 a50b2bc
> Involving using the mini-spare, and its affect on the 4-wheel drive,
> and thats not really the case for my vehicle, I assume, or I could be
> all wrong.
>
> The tire dealer has many newspaper clippings up regarding accidents
> caused by mismatched tires, even involving police cars involved in
> accidents, presumably the point is that they should know better. So
> this could be a serious problem that no one acknowledged for a long
> time. Or they could be over-cautios for liability purposes. Or they
> just want people to buy more tires. At any rate, I'd like to know:
> What should I do. Hopefully, the answer isn't: Immediately buy two
> new tires, and juck those serviceable mismatched ones.
>

I would like to chip in here, that four wheel drive is not a consideration
in this case, because the vehicle is a Wrangler with part time four wheel
drive, which is never meant to be used on paved surfaces.

Earle

"Spdloader" > wrote in message
om...
> Good lord if I believed everything I read, I'd be scared to death to drive
> after reading some of these replies.
>
> It's important to have a matched set of tires on your vehicle, but if you
> can't, match them per axle.
>
> NOTHING catastrophic is going to happen to you running a slightly
different
> tire, (notice I said slightly) it CAN cause odd handling characteristics,
> and it CAN cause slightly odd braking if it's on the front, but unless its
> wildly different from the other tires, it's not that big a deal.
>
> I sold tires for and was a front end mechanic for 11 years. I'm not just
> making this up.
>
> Most new tire dealers ARE afraid to sell you unmatched sets, because of
the
> potential for liability, because everyone DOES sue now, for everything. It
> doesn't mean something terrible is going to happen to you.
>
> Millions of vehicles run mismatched tires, re-treads, etc with no ill
> effect. Trans-Ams a few years ago came from the factory with different
size
> tires from front to rear.
>
> I don't condone running different tires on your vehicle, I don't run
> oddballs on my passenger vehicles either, but just wanted you to hear
> something other than "doomsday" advice.
>
> Spdloader
>
>
>
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> > Hi there, I've got a Jeep Wrangler 2001, and I have 3 Firestone brand
> > tires, and one original brand, came with the vehicle. They are the
> > same diameter, just different brands. One has gone flat, and the tire
> > dealer refuses to sell me a new one -- he says I risk serious damage to
> > the differential, and he wants no part of an installation on my
> > vehicle, presumably, for liability purposes. So I just went and got
> > the tire patched, the local filling station must be a little less
> > afraid of liability.
> >
> > So, what does this state of affairs mean for my vehicle. Should I
> > never use the 4 wheel drive, use only at the slowest speeds, or what?
> > Am I at some small, moderate or serious risk when I drive 2-wheel drive
> > on an ordinary day, on rainy days, or at highway speeds? Would this
> > adversely affect the ABS in any way?
> >
> > There was one similar thread on this subject before.
> >
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...b3108 a50b2bc
> > Involving using the mini-spare, and its affect on the 4-wheel drive,
> > and thats not really the case for my vehicle, I assume, or I could be
> > all wrong.
> >
> > The tire dealer has many newspaper clippings up regarding accidents
> > caused by mismatched tires, even involving police cars involved in
> > accidents, presumably the point is that they should know better. So
> > this could be a serious problem that no one acknowledged for a long
> > time. Or they could be over-cautios for liability purposes. Or they
> > just want people to buy more tires. At any rate, I'd like to know:
> > What should I do. Hopefully, the answer isn't: Immediately buy two
> > new tires, and juck those serviceable mismatched ones.
> >
>
>

Spdloader wrote:
>
> Good lord if I believed everything I read, I'd be scared to death to drive
> after reading some of these replies.
>
> It's important to have a matched set of tires on your vehicle, but if you
> can't, match them per axle.
>
> NOTHING catastrophic is going to happen to you running a slightly > different tire,

They told me it made 'The' difference between me going to jail or
not.....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Aug./05 http://www.imagestation.com/album/in...?id=2120343242
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Toss away your single brand tire, use one of the three firestones as a spare
and buy two new tires and install them on the same axle.

Snow...


> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi there, I've got a Jeep Wrangler 2001, and I have 3 Firestone brand
> tires, and one original brand, came with the vehicle. They are the
> same diameter, just different brands. One has gone flat, and the tire
> dealer refuses to sell me a new one -- he says I risk serious damage to
> the differential, and he wants no part of an installation on my
> vehicle, presumably, for liability purposes. So I just went and got
> the tire patched, the local filling station must be a little less
> afraid of liability.
>
> So, what does this state of affairs mean for my vehicle. Should I
> never use the 4 wheel drive, use only at the slowest speeds, or what?
> Am I at some small, moderate or serious risk when I drive 2-wheel drive
> on an ordinary day, on rainy days, or at highway speeds? Would this
> adversely affect the ABS in any way?
>
> There was one similar thread on this subject before.
> http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...b3108 a50b2bc
> Involving using the mini-spare, and its affect on the 4-wheel drive,
> and thats not really the case for my vehicle, I assume, or I could be
> all wrong.
>
> The tire dealer has many newspaper clippings up regarding accidents
> caused by mismatched tires, even involving police cars involved in
> accidents, presumably the point is that they should know better. So
> this could be a serious problem that no one acknowledged for a long
> time. Or they could be over-cautios for liability purposes. Or they
> just want people to buy more tires. At any rate, I'd like to know:
> What should I do. Hopefully, the answer isn't: Immediately buy two
> new tires, and juck those serviceable mismatched ones.
>

"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
> Spdloader wrote:
> >
> > Good lord if I believed everything I read, I'd be scared to death
> > to drive after reading some of these replies.
> >
> > It's important to have a matched set of tires on your vehicle, but if
> > you
> > can't, match them per axle.
> >
> > NOTHING catastrophic is going to happen to you running a slightly
> > different tire,
>
> They told me it made 'The' difference between me going to jail or
> not.....
>
In the United States of America you would need a jury to put someone in jail
for something like this. An overly enthusiastic assistant district attorney
might threaten to prosecute, but it would be bluff, and he would be trying
for a plea bargain, not justified by the facts. How many jury members would
have mismatched tires, or have no idea what size tires were on their own
cars? I think that "they" were just trying to impress you with how much
power and authority they possessed. Even in a socialist state, this sounds
like bullcrap.

Earle