Tire depth question

Discussion in 'Modifications And Maintenance' started by Bryan621, Jun 3, 2012.

  1. Bryan621
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    Bryan621 Well-Known Member

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    What's the difference in tire depth you can run without having troubles? I have an old set of wheels with good tires on them buy they were off my old car that was fwd and the tread is worn a little more in the front.
     
  2. 05CGFozzie
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    05CGFozzie Member

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    I've seen people run 8/32 difference on Subies, whether or not that caused issues over time I do not know. I wouldn't recommend more than 2-3/32 front and rear, that's the plan for my car.
     
  3. Noone
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    Noone Well-Known Member

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    As far as tread depth in the old days they used to say 2mm I think but the new standard is 4 for people like me. I have a brother that likes 2 and one that goes till he sees wires hanging out. lol
    Try something like this. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/WE...Y4&srccode=cii_13736960&cpncode=33-50381908-2

    Someone told me why and I said well I have only owned one depth gauge but have had 15 cars.
    Its good that you ask most try to go fast but the most important things on a car are the brakes and the tires for me.
     
  4. 05CGFozzie
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    05CGFozzie Member

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    woah hold up, and I seeing that right? 25 bucks for a tread depth gauge????!?!?!?!

    I buy them for about 4-5 bucks a piece, if any of you guys wants one, I can go buy a bunch and you guys can have them for cost.
     
  5. austinpike
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    austinpike Well-Known Member

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    I've always heard Subaru recommends no more than 1/4" difference in circumference. That translates to a bit over 1/16" in diameter, or 1/32" tread depth difference. So not much. I'm sure they err on the conservative side, but I wouldn't do more than 2/32" difference.
     
  6. Glock_Turbo
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    Glock_Turbo Well-Known Member

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    like i always stress, is that tires are like your shoes, wanna run fast? don't wear boots. don't wanna slip and hurt yourself? wear shoes with good traction. with AWD, I wouldn't put them on, for performance and fuel wise. if it was like my AWD SUV which run 60frnt40back, I would throw the more tread tires in the frnt.
     
  7. Bryan621
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    Bryan621 Well-Known Member

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    I'll have to get a gauge to check the tread depth but I can see that two have less tread than the other two... I'd like to keep them if I could but if the tread doesn't match close enough I'm not going to.
     
  8. SkeetsWisconny
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    SkeetsWisconny Well-Known Member

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    I read somewhere that 3/16' is the max difference for AWD vehicles but again that depends soley on your measurement. I personally wouldn't go much more than that but if Subaru, like all carcompanies, gives the ok to throw on a tiny spare which is waaaay different in size than the others of course (even for our small sedans compared to large suv's whose spares are even smaller comparitively) even for a short distance - I think having a tire(s) slightly different is going to be fine for the long haul. But because I'm anal if it were closer to like half the treadwear I'd buck up the cash for all new or even better, find someone to shave a new tire.
     
  9. Musashi
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    Musashi Well-Known Member

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