One tire or three?

[Doomdriver]

Hi there:

I need some help. I blew out the sidewall (actually the top side of the tread) with a broken beer bottle. When I went to the repair shop I was told that the tire was not fixable AND that I had to buy three new tires (three because the spare was brand new and full size). I have checked at all second hand/salvage place and no one has a Goodyear Wrangler RTS P235/75/15.

My three remaining tires are 5/32 worn out from new tread. My dealer and the tire guy say I have to change all three otherwise risk burning out the transfer case. Note: I only use the 4 wheel drive for winter deep snow or shear ice - like 5 times a year for short spurts.

My question is would I run this risk if I only replaced the blown tire with a new tire which I put on the front and then matched it with the existing spare so I had two new tires on front and two 50% worn tires on the back.

Advice would be appreciated

 

[mynameisaric]

what they say about your transfer case is semi-true. you most likely have control-trac. its an automatic 4x4. if the rear starts to slip, it engages the front. you will know if you have control trac by looking at your 4x4 switch, if you have it, the switch will say auto, 4-hi, 4-lo. anyway.. they are thinking that with a tire that is larger in diameter, it will make the axle spin slightly less revolutions, making the computer think the other axle is sliipping since it is spinning slightly faster, and thus the t-case will give it more power, and doing this constantly will burn it out <-- thats their thinking. i know i pushed the hell out of my t-case when it was stock so i made that thing work all the time and it worked just fine(try breaking loose in the rain, it isnt easy. i never was able to.. even donuts in the snow are funny sometimes). i only replaced it because i got a front locker, and auto 4x4 and front lockers don't mix well. but with the average sized tire on one side of the axle and the brand new one on the otherside, the spider gears should equalize it out. if you have a limited slip, then it might wear on that a little, but the new tire should equalize itself with the other tires.... should. i think. i'm not ASE certified or anything though.

IMHO you should be fine with a brand new 4th tire if your other tires are as new as you say they are. but i wont take liability if something happens, but nothing should happen. if all else fails, take them the rim and have them replace the tire, and put the wheel on yourself. thats what i have to do since no tire company will mount 33's on an explorer.

 

[hiridin]

u could very well be fine... but its an expensive lesson learned if your wrong. cheaper to replace tires than the transfer case. u could always do the brown wire mod. get rid of the auto 4x4. that would be the cheapest thing to do.

 

[mynameisaric]

t-case from a junkyard run a little over 150. thats a little bit more than one tire.

 

[hiridin]

t-case from a junkyard run a little over 150. thats a little bit more than one tire.

but if it does mess up the transfer case then he has to buy new tires anyways AND the transfer case... and ofcourse labor to install unless u do it yourself. i would honestly do the brown wire mod keep your same tires and not risk it all together. its so simple and cheap. just get a switch and splice.

 

[Doomdriver]

Ttt