Mixing tires.

[Aren Jay]

My Stock rears have been used up. I am looking at Goodyear F1 G3 D3 but my stock fronts are still good. 9/16th left.

Can I mix these tires?

[Thunderace]

I would recomend stayin with the same brand/model F/R

[Hotrauder]

It seems that a lot of guys have mixed tires although every tire mfg. cautions against it. I suspect that our differing sizes front and back and odd size anyway contributes to the mixing. Also that the OEM are not always available coupled with the fact that the OEMs are crap tires from a performance and wear standpoint on our cars. Dennis

[RoyLPita]

As long as the pair of tires are per axle, not per side.

[sd8683]

I have the oem tires in the front 235/50, and yesterday I put the dunlop sport symmetrical 5,000's 255/55's in the rear and I think it rides awesome

[Breadfan]

It can change the handling characteristics of the car, which is why most manufacturers will not recommend it. It can change the characterstics by having tires that react different on each end of the car including how they handle weight, their traction level, wet driving ability, etc.

How big a deal it is probably depends on the combo of tires, but with so many out there (and the fact most tire companies would rather sell 4 tires instead of 2) most manufacturers will not recommend it.

I personally like the same tire on each corner but understand in Marauder land many have run combos. I have not so cannot comment on how the Marauder responds to that.

[juno]

Stock the car comes with different tires front and rear, so in no way are the handling characteristics uniform as they would be with the exact same tire on all four corners. It really doesn't matter if you are different front to back. Yes it will be different, but it would be different if you put four of the same size/brand tires all the way around. Some folks run DR's most of the time, and that is a significant difference. Don't sweat it, especially since almost anything out there will be an improvement in handling/ride over the BFG's, especially the ones you are looking at.

[xopher]

As long as the pair of tires are per axle, not per side.
:rofl: Very true!

[gilby04]

Stock the car comes with different tires front and rear, so in no way are the handling characteristics uniform as they would be with the exact same tire on all four corners. It really doesn't matter if you are different front to back. Yes it will be different, but it would be different if you put four of the same size/brand tires all the way around. Some folks run DR's most of the time, and that is a significant difference. Don't sweat it, especially since almost anything out there will be an improvement in handling/ride over the BFG's, especially the ones you are looking at.

Very well stated, sir.
Sometimes the obvious is hiding in plain sight.

[burt ragio]

This is my oppion.The answer to you question is a maybe/no. Our cars handleing characteristis were set up with two different size tires of equal compound & same stiffness of side wall portion. The rears have more side wall roll than the fronts due to profile. This is the factory setup. You can install the same size tires on the car by another mfg and it will handle and ride different. You can mix tires in pairs front and back and again the handleing will most likely again be different, In most cases not favorable.We have all done it at one time or another. Again each tire mfg useing steel nylon different rubber conpounds and side wall stiffness give each tire and size it's own characteristics. If you have the coin get four tires of choice.

[burt ragio]

This is my oppion.The answer to you question is a maybe/no. Our cars handleing characteristis were set up with two different size tires of equal compound & same stiffness of side wall portion. The rears have more side wall roll than the fronts due to profile. This is the factory setup. You can install the same size tires on the car by another mfg and it will handle and ride different. You can mix tires in pairs front and back and again the handleing will most likely again be different, In most cases not favorable.We have all done it at one time or another. Again each tire mfg useing steel nylon different rubber conpounds and side wall stiffness give each tire and size it's own characteristics. If you have the coin get four tires of choice.

[sd8683]

Its so nice he had to say it twice! LOL

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

This is my oppion.The answer to you question is a maybe/no. Our cars handleing characteristis were set up with two different size tires of equal compound & same stiffness of side wall portion. The rears have more side wall roll than the fronts due to profile. This is the factory setup. You can install the same size tires on the car by another mfg and it will handle and ride different. You can mix tires in pairs front and back and again the handleing will most likely again be different, In most cases not favorable.We have all done it at one time or another. Again each tire mfg useing steel nylon different rubber conpounds and side wall stiffness give each tire and size it's own characteristics. If you have the coin get four tires of choice.

This is the correct, complete answer.

[magindat]

I heartily disagree.

By mixing tires carefully front/rear, one can IMPROVE handling characteristics just as well as degrade them.

I have discovered that a strong SUV tire with strong/stiff sidewall is the answer to keep the rear planted. While a softer compound tire up front helps prevent under-steer. These comments are based largely on street driving, but also from some closed auto-x type experience.

The BFG tires are woefully inadequate for our weight when throwing the car around. This inadequacy is multiplied in the wet.

Many have had success with an SUV rated tire out back. They are made to perform with heavy and high-centered weight above. Given that notion, they are appropriate for our weight and we trade the high-center characteristic for lateral handling.

I BELIEVE in the proper mix front/rear. Key word being proper. The car WILL become more predictable at it's limits and those limits will be extended.

[Marauderjack]

I heartily disagree.

By mixing tires carefully front/rear, one can IMPROVE handling characteristics just as well as degrade them.

I have discovered that a strong SUV tire with strong/stiff sidewall is the answer to keep the rear planted. While a softer compound tire up front helps prevent under-steer. These comments are based largely on street driving, but also from some closed auto-x type experience.

The BFG tires are woefully inadequate for our weight when throwing the car around. This inadequacy is multiplied in the wet.

Many have had success with an SUV rated tire out back. They are made to perform with heavy and high-centered weight above. Given that notion, they are appropriate for our weight and we trade the high-center characteristic for lateral handling.

I BELIEVE in the proper mix front/rear. Key word being proper. The car WILL become more predictable at it's limits and those limits will be extended.

Condensed version...........BFG's SUCK!!!!!:mad2::argue:

ANY TIRES are better than BFG's (IMHO) no matter how you mix them!!!:rolleyes:

[fastblackmerc]

I'm running different mfg. tires on frt & rear for the past 10K miles. No problems.

[Icarus]

I don't know how the BFG's are, but the D3's are exceptional tires in the rain/wet. If your front's aren't close in performance as the others mentioned, then you could be into a mismatched performance and bad handling situation. Going to a similar tire, even if by a different manufacturer should be fine, but to have two totally different handling/acting compounds on the car, even if axle paired isn't always good...

[red]

I don't know how the BFG's are, but the D3's are exceptional tires in the rain/wet. If your front's aren't close in performance as the others mentioned, then you could be into a mismatched performance and bad handling situation. Going to a similar tire, even if by a different manufacturer should be fine, but to have two totally different handling/acting compounds on the car, even if axle paired isn't always good...
Agreed. See this Tire Rack article (http://www.tirerack.com/tires-techpage-1/136.shtml). Any vehicle manufacturer, tire manufacturer, or respectable tire reseller will tell you that mixing tires of different speed ratings and other performance characteristics is a bad idea.

[gmtech]

Condensed version...........BFG's SUCK!!!!!:mad2::argue:

ANY TIRES are better than BFG's (IMHO) no matter how you mix them!!!:rolleyes:

my thoughts exactly:beatnik:

[Local Boy]

Hey sd8683...

Aren't those Dunlops shorter than OEM?

Thanks...

ALOHA

[red]

Aren't those Dunlops shorter than OEM?

255/55R18s will be taller than stock. Unloaded, the stock diameter is ~28.6" and these are ~29.0", so you're looking at tire that's ~.4" taller.