1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

need advice on single tire replacement

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by fortheanimals, Apr 23, 2010.

  1. fortheanimals

    fortheanimals Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2005
    87
    0
    0
    Location:
    portland, or
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    hello,

    i've found a bulge on my front driver's side tire on the sidewall.

    it looks a lot like this: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...508-help-sidewall-bulge-in-itegrity-tire.html

    from previous posts on the subject, i gather that i will definitely have to replace it. i am running nokian wr g2 tires with about 20,000 miles. i (probably) will replace by the pair and move the new tires to rear. then i will drive decently for the rest of the old tires' lives w/o further rotation until i eventually replace all four at same time. i have read that rear tires will wear out faster on a FWD.

    is this my best option?

    cheers.
     
  2. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Buy an even number of tires, new tires to rear, is correct, then continue the 5000 mile rotations.
     
  3. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
  4. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Front tires on a FWD vehicle will wear faster, because they bear the majority of the braking load as vehicle weight shifts to the front when braking; and they have the job of propelling the car when accelerating. The rear tires are just along for the ride and will usually last much longer than the front tires if not rotated.

    The usual practice is to install two new tires on the rear axle to promote understeer, considered safer than oversteer.

    However, if you plan to rotate tires after you buy the two new tires, then it would make more sense to install the two new tires on the front axle. Then they will wear faster than the old tires mounted on the rear. Once the new tires have the same tread depth as the old then you can resume rotation.
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    7,663
    1,037
    0
    Location:
    United States
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    As Patrick observes, the front pair wear faster, so indeed it is safer to not rotate. Always put a new pair on the rear; then the better pair will always be where they should be.
     
  6. fortheanimals

    fortheanimals Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2005
    87
    0
    0
    Location:
    portland, or
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    N/A

    always put new pair on rear? even if i want the new pair to wear faster so i can try to even it out with old pair?
     
  7. randyb359

    randyb359 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2008
    430
    38
    0
    Location:
    Pittsburgh
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    yes. your best tires should always be in the back.
     
  8. snead_c

    snead_c Jam Ma's Car

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2008
    667
    58
    0
    Location:
    Hendersonville
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Four
  9. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,198
    6,461
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Here's the relevant excerpt from the Tire Rack webpage cited by snead_c:

    "While insufficient tire rotation intervals and/or out-of-adjustment wheel alignment angles often caused the differences in front-to-rear and side-to-side tire wear rates in the first place, the need to keep deeper treaded tires on the rear axle to resist oversteer conditions caused by wet road hydroplaning is important. Unfortunately this precludes the future possibility of ever rotating tires.

    Once a pair of tires has been installed, the only way to escape being forced to drive on mismatched tires continually is to install a complete set of new tires (especially on front-wheel drive vehicles)."

    Since we are approaching summer (which typically is a dry season in many locales), you'll have to decide whether the benefit of being able to rotate tires outweighs the risk of wet road hydroplaning in your area over the next few months while you are logging miles on the odometer and wearing down the new tires installed on the front axle.
     
    1 person likes this.