Both Driver Side Tires Need Replaced...

[Bangaroo]

but the passenger side tires are still good. 08 Focus General Altimax with 30000 on them. I have rotated every 10000 miles or less and now the driver side tires are worn on the insides both front and back. I know I need an alignment and am planning to do so...but I'm broke like a joke and I wanna know if I can get away with replacing the two worn tires and doing an alignment for now?

So what do the experts say about replacing both driver side tires and leaving the "good for now" passenger tires on? While doing an alignment. I could chance it and wait another two weeks when I will have the cash to replace all four or I could take money outta savings and do all for now with an alignment.

They are directional tires. Both on the passenger side still look good...I would hate to waste them but you know...it's the wife's car and I want her to be safe...

I have seen people drive on balder tires...and quite honestly if it weren't my wife's car I would wait to do all four. I don't drive outta town like she does...and well her safety is a big deal to me.

TYFYT

 

[gathermewool]

What's the tread depth?

 

[brentalan]

Here's what I would do, have the alignment shop mount the good right rear the other direction, then move it to the left front, so your 2 good tires are a good axle set.

Then you can replace the rear tires with new ones for that axle set.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: brentalan
Here's what I would do, have the alignment shop mount the good right rear the other direction, then move it to the left front, so your 2 good tires are a good axle set.

Then you can replace the rear tires with new ones for that axle set.


Agree.

But remember that it is a bad way of thinking to just patch it and not overcome the reason why youre having a problem. It leads you to having to make payments on this patch forever.

Was the car in an accident?

Or do you drive too hard?

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

But remember that it is a bad way of thinking to just patch it and not overcome the reason why youre having a problem. It leads you to having to make payments on this patch forever.

Was the car in an accident?

Or do you drive too hard?


Agree, my newest car is a 2000 with 185k miles on it, so your car would be a dream to me. Fix it right.

If money is that tight, get two used tires, and you still probably ought to flip one directional tire around so it's on an axle pair-- they can pull if not matched on the other side. I would look for high treadwear generic tires, something "not too sticky" b/c if you're dragging a tire sideways (which you are) you might as well not have it bind up and cause unexpected handling.

As for your alignment, see if you can eyeball it with a laser level. Put the "level" on the 4 and 8 oclock tire bulges front and rear, and shoot the laser forward/rearward at the other tire. Should just barely miss. Then put laser at 2 and 4 oclock and see if bubble level is level, or becomes level if top of level is pulled 1/8-1/4 inch away from tire for some slight negative camber.

 

[LeakySeals]

Know the problem well. Will never buy directional tires again after I'm done with this set. Probably front left out of whack, and because you can only do front to rear rotations one side of car wears out. If you get the same brand, replacing just one side is fine. I've done that too.

Never change a directional to go in reverse direction after thousands of miles. I bought the car with 2 reversed, wrong direction. Turned them around, they pulled, cupped, had slipped belts within a month.

 

[Bangaroo]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: brentalan
Here's what I would do, have the alignment shop mount the good right rear the other direction, then move it to the left front, so your 2 good tires are a good axle set.

Then you can replace the rear tires with new ones for that axle set.


Agree.

But remember that it is a bad way of thinking to just patch it and not overcome the reason why youre having a problem. It leads you to having to make payments on this patch forever.

Was the car in an accident?

Or do you drive too hard?


The car has never been wrecked. I bought it brand new in 2008 and the car has 65000 on it. I baby this car and I don't think it has anything to do with my driving or my wife's driving. I think these Ford Focii from this area are prone to alignment and suspension problems. Researching it on the web really worries me with the horror stories I have read. I'm gonna try an alignment and two new tires on payday. Then the payday after that I am gonna replace the two passenger side tires with brand new ones so they will only be two weeks and 600 miles apart.

Trust me this car gets treated well as far as tires go...with short trips at night and never sees over 70 miles an hour...mostly slow speed driving my wife does running errands...the engine prolly suffers more than the tires do from how she drives it.

I'll keep y'all posted...

 

[PandaBear]

I'd stick with non directional tire and rotate them frequently, and fix every alignment, bearing, suspension, or differential related issue.

 

[yonyon]

Originally Posted By: Bangaroo
I think these Ford Focii from this area are prone to alignment and suspension problems.


It's a Ford and it's over a year old. Any and all coil springs should be presumed faulty until proven otherwise.

 

[Bangaroo]

Originally Posted By: yonyon
Originally Posted By: Bangaroo
I think these Ford Focii from this area are prone to alignment and suspension problems.


It's a Ford and it's over a year old. Any and all coil springs should be presumed faulty until proven otherwise.


Are they expensive to replace?

 

[yonyon]

They can be expensive enough to be worth getting an alignment done first unless you can see a broken one. If they can actually get everything within spec., well, that's where the "until proven otherwise" part comes in.

 

[Bangaroo]

Originally Posted By: brentalan
Here's what I would do, have the alignment shop mount the good right rear the other direction, then move it to the left front, so your 2 good tires are a good axle set.

Then you can replace the rear tires with new ones for that axle set.


This is what I am doing...two new Hankook Optimos 727s and an alignment and then next paycheck I'll buy two more Optimos...

Should be good to go...if not I'll be back here begging for help again...TYFYT

 

[bepperb]

Your alignment shop will give you a before/after sheet with what the readings were. I'd post that here after you get the two new tires. I've seen some good advice here based on those some of which wouldn't be obvious.

 

[Bangaroo]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
Your alignment shop will give you a before/after sheet with what the readings were. I'd post that here after you get the two new tires. I've seen some good advice here based on those some of which wouldn't be obvious.


Ok...I will post...Alignment scheduled for 930 AM Mountain Monday...