Hi guys,
My fiancee recently had her Fiesta serviced and the only "red" advisory was the outside of the passenger side tyre was at 1.6mm tread so obviously needs replacing.
Now the outside of the drivers side tyre was an "amber" advisory (forget the depth) so will also need replacing eventually...
So my query is, is it ok to just replace the one tyre now and do the other later when it really needs doing? Or should we just get both done together?
It seems a waste to replace a tyre that still has life left in it but I wasn't sure if tyres should be replaced in pairs or not.
Thanks for your help.
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What kind of spare wheel does the car have?
If it's the same as the others and is unused I would swap it with the "amber" tyre and just replace the red.
Would not want to just replace one tyre, once needed two tyre's, both on the passenger side and the car was awful to drive until I swapped them round so both new tyres were on the back.
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Would not want to just replace one tyre
Me neither, and I don't like spending money. Have you looked into how much 2 tyres would cost? Might be less than double the cost of one, and fiesta tyres shouldn't be that expensive. Perhaps an extra £30 for peace of mind?
EDIT: unless you just want to swap the spare of course
Edited by Focus {P} on 20/08/2009 at 10:50
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Thanks guys....
The fiancée got Sports and Technology pack on the car which meant bigger wheels (and of course tyres) so the spare is a space saver...
Will look into the costs of two new ones then... thanks for the advice.
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If both tyres were on one axle (the front I'm guessing) then you'd probably save even more money by getting the tracking done. It sounds like it needs adjusting and will only wear out any new tyres the same way the existing ones have worn.
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I would always err on the side of caution. If the other tyre is "amber" then it can't be that far off 1.6mm can it?
Best get them both changed otherwise you'll forever have a slight handling and braking difference with different tread depths on each side.
Some people will say it's OK, but if it's going to need doing soon anyway...
Remember, below 3mm braking distances increase substantially, so if the other tyre is below that then it makes good sense to replace it now.
www.companycardriver.co.uk/news/article/?art_ID=36...0
Mira say that at 3mm their test car took 31.7m to stop from 50mph. At 1.6mm it took 39.5m to stop. Quite a big loss in braking function I reckon.
Autoexpress found the same results in their tyre testing too.
Between 8mm (new) and 3mm the difference isn't so great, so 3mm seems a good point to swap IMO.
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If it's the outside of both tyres it suggests that the tracking is out. I would be looking at the tread depth in the middle and inner edge. Sometimes the "corners" of the tyres get worn quite rapidly, especially with wider tyres and power steering. If one tyre is shot but the other tyre seems to have "plenty" of tread, then I would replace just the one*.
*I know others disagree. I have never worried too much about must have new tyres in pairs, fitted to the back etc. (For how long is a tyre "new"?)
I had an unrepairable puncture in the front offside of the Xantia, tyre only half worn, and just replaced that tyre with a new one.
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I was putting the tyre wear on the outside of the tyre to "enthusiastic cornering"...... is this possible or is it definitely going to be the tracking?
(Should just add - please don't assume from the above that my fiancée or I drive too fast or dangerously...)
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Maybe lots of roundabouts where you live?
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Maybe lots of roundabouts where you live?
Hell yes, three just between my house and the main road... (500m).
Cheers for the great advice guys. Will get the back tyres swapped to the front, replace the "red" and the "amber" tyre and new ones on the back.
Get tracking checked and corrected as necessary.
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I was putting the tyre wear on the outside of the tyre to "enthusiastic cornering"......
>>
If she does drive enthusiastically then change both. Also (cue a huge argument) the new pair of tyres should go on the back and the current back tyres should go on the front. This is again especially important for enthusiastic drivers.
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I would have the tracking checked anyway. enthusiastic cornering if the suspension is half decent should wear the tyres across the whole width not just the outside edges.
It's a no lose situation, really. If it's checked and found to be out then it needs correcting. If you need new tyres then it's good practice to start with the tracking correct. If it's found to be right then you now know that it's right. (A tracking check is usually free, it's only if it needs adjusting that you have to pay.)
Having read the responses under this, wait for the "replace them all when there is only 6mm of tread left or rain is forcast" advice
:)
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Yes it is. However, if the spare's any good, put it on the "amber" side, put a new tyre on the "red" side, and keep the "amber" tyre as a spare. Note rear depth as stated elsewhere in the thread.
Edited by FotheringtonThomas on 20/08/2009 at 12:55
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