Mixing tires sizes, and handling issues

[TominMO]

Anyone with experience in this issue can freely chime in, but I was specifically thinking of Advancedynamix' input.

I was wondering what the effect would be on handling if you had (for example) 155/80x13 tires on front, and something about the same diameter, like 185/60x14 on the rear; i.e., the effect of a much stiffer sidewall on the rear tires. This is assuming the same tire pressure, say 40 psi.

Also the opposite--tall skinnies on the rear and shorter stiffer on the front. Anyone ever experimented with combos like these to see what would happen? I might try this myself if no one else knows. Or is this just stupid, and I am a Darwin Award just waiting to happen?

[Bert]

I did rudely discover 40 years ago not to mix bias-ply and then new-fangled radials! But I can't envision rash things happening if you pair up different tires from front to back. True that 15's would be a lot stiffer handling than 12s if circumference was similar but I'm guessing the difference between 13s and 14s wouldn't be radically different.
No Darwin Award for you yet!

[drddan]

With FWD or RWD, it should make no difference. A 4x4 yes, as when in 4x mode the differentials need same size tires. Muscle cars have smaller tires in front and taller in rear. No ill effects.


Taller tires have more sidewall flex, shorter tires have less sidewall flex .... something to keep in mind

IMO, a good rubber on the road is important, and why I don't use cheap Chinese, or other cheap import tires.

Here is a link to American made tires (I like to encourage "Made in America"!)

http://www.ehow.com/about_5632049_ti...-america_.html

[TominMO]

Thanx 4 da input guys. I'm gonna play around with this a little.

[bhazard]

Back when mine was bone stock I had junkyard tires in two sizes. It was a choice based on being poor. If I could have I would not have. Whats the reasoning?

[Safety Guy]

I once mixed my 175/60-13 Falkens in the front with my old 165/70-13s (can't recall the brand name--American name but made overseas) on the rear. My back end went out on my on a wet ramp which made for some excitement that night! I would be very careful especially in the wet.

Karl

[Pu241]

I once mixed my 175/60-13 Falkens in the front with my old 165/70-13s (can't recall the brand name--American name but made overseas) on the rear. My back end went out on my on a wet ramp which made for some excitement that night! I would be very careful especially in the wet.

Can you be certain that the miss matched tires cause the rear end to slid out, and not the weather/road conditions themselves?
I mean the differential tire contact patch and/or side wall roll between those two types of tires is likely very small.
I venture to say that tire pressure differential could also cause as much difference.

[drddan]

^ Yeah, what he said. Also the key word I picked up was , "old" tires in back. Old tires get hard and loose some traction, and could be a contributing factor

[Safety Guy]

Yep, they were the tires I got for Luxstiva after her suspension swap, back around 2005 or so. Compared with the then new Falkens, it was probably as much due to old worn (though with legal tread depth), and hardened tires in the back. It wasn't raining hard, just wet roads, so no hydroplaning was involved. It did surprise me because I wasn't going all that fast.

Karl

[Spike]

I had 205/60-13s in front and 155R12s in rear on the Sprint for months. Normal driving was fine, but you'd really hear some squeal/feel the rear slide taking an onramp too fast.

[88festivasam]

I did the Rio front swap and put some 205/60-16's on the front And kept stock wheels in the rear. In panic stop situations mine wants to slide around FAST. Which when you aren't prepared is terrifying.lol so I'm putting my aspire rear in so matching tires all around