Miss-matched tires safe?

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: benjamming
I see the real problem not as much as one of two different brand tires but more as would I ever run a tire (or complete set) "branded" with SAVERO? The answer is no, not even on a wheelbarrow.


Savero is the name of the tire, not the brand.
The brand is GT Radial (GITI Tire).

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
I assume that the Savero tire has less grip than the Michelins so I'd put it on the front left. Also I'm guessing the Explorer has stability control and ABS so I don't think it would matter too much how much difference in grip the tire has.
I find with cheap tires the lack of grip in the rain is the only big difference. If you did a few practice panic stops you'll find out quickly if this is the case.


Not all Michelin tires are top notch. Most Michelin or Bridgestone tires that come with new vehicles are typically junk. The Bridgestone Insignia SE200's that came on my wife's Maxx were horrible in the rain/snow. Ironic that a cheaper/discount tire from Multi-Mile handles better.

Sometimes you don't get what you pay for. Sometimes you pay for the name.

 

[berniedd]

If your spare is a full sized tire, why not use that and put the Savero in the spare tire compartment?

 

[benjamming]

Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: benjamming
I see the real problem not as much as one of two different brand tires but more as would I ever run a tire (or complete set) "branded" with SAVERO? The answer is no, not even on a wheelbarrow.


Savero is the name of the tire, not the brand.
The brand is GT Radial (GITI Tire).


That's why I said "branded", as in branding a calf just on the sidewalls. Hey, I get the same visual.

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Also I'm guessing the Explorer has stability control and ABS so I don't think it would matter too much how much difference in grip the tire has.


Huh? So a bald tire in the wet is fine as long as you have stability control & ABS? I'm confused. Are you saying that ABS actually does the stopping? If so, it doesn't do any stopping - only helps the car to not lockup & engage sliding friction.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: benjamming
I see the real problem not as much as one of two different brand tires but more as would I ever run a tire (or complete set) "branded" with SAVERO? The answer is no, not even on a wheelbarrow.


Savero is the name of the tire, not the brand.
The brand is GT Radial (GITI Tire).

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
I assume that the Savero tire has less grip than the Michelins so I'd put it on the front left. Also I'm guessing the Explorer has stability control and ABS so I don't think it would matter too much how much difference in grip the tire has.
I find with cheap tires the lack of grip in the rain is the only big difference. If you did a few practice panic stops you'll find out quickly if this is the case.


Not all Michelin tires are top notch. Most Michelin or Bridgestone tires that come with new vehicles are typically junk. The Bridgestone Insignia SE200's that came on my wife's Maxx were horrible in the rain/snow. Ironic that a cheaper/discount tire from Multi-Mile handles better.

Sometimes you don't get what you pay for. Sometimes you pay for the name.



True...

 

[Gradient]

Thanks for all the replies. They ranged from "I would not worry about a different brand tire.", to "I think I'd be replacing all four tires, with a top of the line matched set."
The day after I posted I stopped by the shop and questioned the safety of the one Savero. They went ahead and put a Michelin on it that matches the other three.

 

[Gary Allan]

But this doesn't solve the dilemma. Now you have ONE new and 3 worn

Well, I'm late, but I'll split the middle of the "You'll shoot your eye out kid" and the "need more bb's?" types.

The shoot your eye out types are probably enthusiasts that really appreciate a balanced car. They probably don't drive something as numb as an Explorer. They also assume that your niece has no driving ability and is numb about driving as Paris Hilton is about global affairs (of the political type, not interpersonal). Either that or they're older and have had enough stuff happen to them that they will go to great lengths to eliminate not only probable risk ..but any potential risk. You can tell by the "well, if she reaches for the back scratcher while turning at exactly 3° off camber, she might end up in a ditch with barbed wire or concrete abutments. While with matched tires, she'll probably just hit the non-freezing liquid filled barriers that are popular now".

Kinda reminds me of the classic "did you put on clean underwear? If you have an accident you might go to the ER" (or however it goes).

The "forgedaboudit's" don't challenge their autos often. They don't see the issue. Drive sensible ..and nothing will go wrong.

Where do you place your niece in awareness of driving?

 

[disturban]

Different tire brands have different sidewall thickness and rubber compounds that will effect handling characteristics regardless if they are the same size and load range! Always replace with the same size and manufacture. Even if you buy two new tires if they are mismatched from the other two they could have and probably will have an effect on how your vehicle handles and traction will also vary front to rear because of different tread pattern and rubber compound. BUY 4 NEW TIRES!!!

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
But this doesn't solve the dilemma. Now you have ONE new and 3 worn

Do you really think all 4 corner of your tires wear evenly and people rotate their tires religiously?

Vehicle weight transfer makes the front/rear mismatch a moot point. Road hazard warranty only replace 1 tire also, so you will be left with a mismatch new/old as well, since they do not have any insurance problem with this practice and so far no class action lawsuit, they are probably ok.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: benjamming
Originally Posted By: Zaedock
Originally Posted By: benjamming
I see the real problem not as much as one of two different brand tires but more as would I ever run a tire (or complete set) "branded" with SAVERO? The answer is no, not even on a wheelbarrow.


Savero is the name of the tire, not the brand.
The brand is GT Radial (GITI Tire).


That's why I said "branded", as in branding a calf just on the sidewalls. Hey, I get the same visual.

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Also I'm guessing the Explorer has stability control and ABS so I don't think it would matter too much how much difference in grip the tire has.


Huh? So a bald tire in the wet is fine as long as you have stability control & ABS? I'm confused. Are you saying that ABS actually does the stopping? If so, it doesn't do any stopping - only helps the car to not lockup & engage sliding friction.

I'm well aware all the electronic mumbojumbo only can work with the traction the tires have. But it should compensate for different levels of traction at each wheel to a great extent. Panic stops with one side of the car on pavement and the other on the gravel shoulder must be a situation that is handled well by these systems... So the 0 to 20% difference in grip of a different tire shouldn't send the car into a uncontrolled spin if you invoke ABS. These systems react to what grip the tires are giving them and respond so the car stays "in control".
For my cars with no electronic aids running a tire with much different grip than the rest is a much bigger risk and so I replace by the axle atleast.

 

[benjamming]

Ok. I believe that I was reading too much into your quoted post.

 

[Carzzz]

I would more worry about trend depth than mismatch!
IMO winter tire is okay to mismatch with other winter... no season is okay to mismatch with other no season...

 

[fdcg27]

I have no idea how big the rock was, how hard she hit it, or what the damage to the tire was. If the rock had a sharp point, it may have penetrated the tire, leaving an enormous hole and belt damage as well.
Now, my younger son tested the nearly new (mounted in July) Michelin Harmony tires on our Aerostar by losing it in a deep pudle while turning left into a strip mall, and running up over an eight inch curb.
The steel wheel was utterly destroyed. The OEM plastic wheel cover ejected itself and was undamaged.
The surprise is that the tire looked good inside and out, despite having been compressed enough to put a deep dent in the wheel, which instantly deflated the tire.
I have always had good experience with Michelins in resisting impact damage.
With some other brands, not so much.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear

But this doesn't solve the dilemma. Now you have ONE new and 3 worn

Originally Posted By: PandaBear

Do you really think all 4 corner of your tires wear evenly and people rotate their tires religiously?


No, they usually go by axle. You may have one wear funky due to various reasons ..but mostly even by axle. Rotating will somewhat neutralize it ..but

Originally Posted By: PandaBear

Vehicle weight transfer makes the front/rear mismatch a moot point. Road hazard warranty only replace 1 tire also, so you will be left with a mismatch new/old as well, since they do not have any insurance problem with this practice and so far no class action lawsuit, they are probably ok.


Oh, I dunno about that. I'd say that weight transfer will have variable impact upon variable age tires. Whether it amounts to anything is another story. You'll have a smaller envelope with a worn tire ..bigger one with a new tire.

The consensus appears to be that there is great fear of exceeding the envelope ..without a clue as to the size of it (them).

If someone told me that my jeep may experience handling issues in this same event, I'd respond with "what handling?" It has virtually none and is driven with that in mind.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
. . .
I'm well aware all the electronic mumbojumbo only can work with the traction the tires have. But it should compensate for different levels of traction at each wheel to a great extent. Panic stops with one side of the car on pavement and the other on the gravel shoulder must be a situation that is handled well by these systems... So the 0 to 20% difference in grip of a different tire shouldn't send the car into a uncontrolled spin if you invoke ABS. These systems react to what grip the tires are giving them and respond so the car stays "in control".
For my cars with no electronic aids running a tire with much different grip than the rest is a much bigger risk and so I replace by the axle atleast.



I would agree that the electronic wizardry probably will, to a great extent, compensate for differences in mis-matched tires, but only to the point where you reach the limits on the most limited tire. Such "compensation" may also dangerously camoflage the differences in tire behavior as you approach the limits. If the tires had similar performance capability (how could you know in the OP's case?), maybe no problem. OTOH, if the mismatched tire's grip is substantially different from the others, one might be in for a nasty surprise as the vehicle reaches the weakest tire's limits. This scenario could unfold a number of different ways, depending upon such things as driver skill, the mounted position of the weak tire, and the dynamics of the emergency.

In my book, surprises are nice at Christmas or on a Birthday. But I'll pass on surprises when I've got a car opposite direction traffic flowing on one side, and a tree line on the other.

 

[onion]

I wouldn't worry about it.

Then again, I have four different tire brands on my car... in three different sizes. According to DOT number dating, I've got a 9 year old Michelin and a 7 year old Goodyear up front- a 12 year old Bridgestone Potenza (my favorite tire of the bunch) and a 17-year-old snow tire with no discernible brand name in the rear.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: onion
I wouldn't worry about it.

Then again, I have four different tire brands on my car... in three different sizes. According to DOT number dating, I've got a 9 year old Michelin and a 7 year old Goodyear up front- a 12 year old Bridgestone Potenza (my favorite tire of the bunch) and a 17-year-old snow tire with no discernible brand name in the rear.



I guess it depens where you live too. Those tires like that here, and I'd be sailing away...

 

[onion]

Nah... that's what the snow tire is for.

I got one snow tire, one 'performance' tire, and two 'touring' tires. Best of three worlds, with a total of about $35 invested in the whole set.

 

[lewdwig]

My mismatched tires on the 96 Saturn didn't interface well with the first snow of the season, so I've got Goodyear Weatherhandlers on it now.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: onion
Nah... that's what the snow tire is for.

I got one snow tire, one 'performance' tire, and two 'touring' tires. Best of three worlds, with a total of about $35 invested in the whole set.