What you have to know is the type of transfer case or all-wheel-drive system you have. "All-wheel-drive" is not the same as "four-wheel-drive". Manufacturers use the AWD terminology to avoid the appearance of this being an off-road vehicle. Some vehicles like Chevrolet Astro Vans and a few Jeeps use a transfer case that keeps the front and rear drive shafts locked together all the time. For those, the transfer case will be torn up when one tire is of a different circumference than the others. It is even not acceptable to buy two new tires this week, and two more of the same size and brand, from the same dealer next week, because production tolerances can be a contributing factor to drive line damage. Those vehicles require you buy four new tires at the same time.
When the vehicle has a viscous coupling in the rear drive shaft, tire size is not as critical. That unit lets the two drive shafts spin at different rates, but if excessive, it too can be overheated and damaged.
The other concern is if your car has anti-lock brakes. It is critical to proper operation that the tires all have the same circumference.
SPONSORED LINKS
Wednesday, September 27th, 2017 AT 4:23 PM
