Have to replace all 4 tires at once?

[SnBGC]

A new tire typically has 11/32 correct me if I’m wrong

Not sure.
I think EV tires start at 9/32" (thought I read that somewhere....???) I didn't measure them when new.

At 10k miles, my tread depth was 9/32" I skipped my rotation because I was busy.
At 19k miles, my tread depth was 8/32". I rotated them a couple thousand miles later.
I am at 36,500 miles right now. Tread depth is 6/32" all the way around.

Rotating the tires doesn't seem to matter but it's good practice anyway. It gives you a chance to look around and see if anything else is leaking or looks suspicious.

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[Matt Bagne]

NEVER go to that Les Schwab again...it's a "stealership". Go to a reputable outfit (I like Big O Tires) and get the single tire replaced. They are committing fraud when they B.S. you like that.

They probably also recommended an oil change for the MME . . .

 

[Mach1E]

So…….. don’t the front and rear motors have different gear ratios?

I’m assuming that means the front and rear motors spin at different Rpm’s anyways.

If that’s the case, couldn’t you put significantly different diameter tires on the front and rear and it still cause no dmg? (Other than looking silly and your Speedo being off).

Might confuse the traction control, but no mechanical dmg or risk.

 

[Green Machine]

I have the AWD GT and recently had a sidewall issue with my right rear tire. I went to les schwaab and they strongly recommended that I replace all four tires and not just the bad tire, because it’s AWD. The cost price was.. a lot. Is it necessary to change all the tires? I’ve only driven 8000 miles and got the car in October?

My Mach E with about 5000 miles on it and it had a damaged tire. The Ford dealer just replaced the one tire. However when you go to Les Schwab, I don’t care what you’re driving if it’s all wheel drive, they seem to want to throw away all the tires and replace them. It’s their way of making money since they’ve been sold to a venture capital group. They probably over paid, now they screw their workers and they obviously screw customers with all wheel drive cars. I own a bunch of Subarus at work and they always want to replace all four tires. It’s their MO. best way to save money on tires is to stay away from Les Schwab. In my opinion . They have not improved since that great man passed away. Now it’s owned by Wall Street jackasses.

 

[ChuckA]

So…….. don’t the front and rear motors have different gear ratios?

I’m assuming that means the front and rear motors spin at different Rpm’s anyways.

If that’s the case, couldn’t you put significantly different diameter tires on the front and rear and it still cause no dmg? (Other than looking silly and your Speedo being off).

Might confuse the traction control, but no mechanical dmg or risk.

Front and rear motors must have the same gear ratios or the car would not roll safely. Tires should have the same height/diameter also. What they do have is different power.

 

[Mach1E]

Front and rear motors must have the same gear ratios or the car would not roll safely. Tires should have the same height/diameter also. What they do have is different power.

According to the order guide, on the AWD, the front ratio is 10 and rear ratio is 9.05.

Electric motors don’t work the same as gas vehicles.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/attachments/04-26-21-mach-e-order-guide-pdf.25543/

 

[mjs020294]

If the tire on the same axle has significant wear it always better to replace both tires on teh axle. If you are replacing tires on one axle the new tires need to be on the rear axle for safety reasons. Therefore if a front tire needs replacing and the front and rear axles have different sized tires you would need to get four new tires.

 

[ChasingCoral]

As others have said, 8,000 miles could be significant wear depending on the vehicle, the tires and usage. For most folks, replacing all four is overkill. For others ...

 

[Mach1E]

If the tire on the same axle has significant wear it always better to replace both tires on teh axle. If you are replacing tires on one axle the new tires need to be on the rear axle for safety reasons. Therefore if a front tire needs replacing and the front and rear axles have different sized tires you would need to get four new tires.

I don’t think there is a scenario where all 4 need replaced if 1 tire is bad. 2? Maybe, but not all 4.

I think people are using ICE “rules” and trying to apply them to a BEV. Unlike an ICE AWD, in our cars nothing connects the front and rear axles. And as mentioned above, they aren’t even the same gear ratios to begin with.

Next we are going to suggest an oil change every 3,000 miles!

 

[KennyPratt42]

If you go the route of replacing two and have a garage/basement with some room, I would keep the ‘good’ tire that they replace. At some point in the next few years it might be worth having to replace a single damaged tire for awhile until you want to replace all four. Or you could buy an inexpensive steel wheel to mount it on and have a full size space for road trips.

 

[dtbaker61]

If it were me, I'd change only one. This assumes you can get the exact tire. If not, replace two on the same axle. Tire opinions are like belly buttons and rear ends... everybody has one.

....and half of them stink

 

[ChuckA]

According to the order guide, on the AWD, the front ratio is 10 and rear ratio is 9.05.

Electric motors don’t work the same as gas vehicles.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/attachments/04-26-21-mach-e-order-guide-pdf.25543/

I stand corrected. I’m new to EV (most are) and haven’t yet thrown out the ICE rule book. My Kia Sorento and Honda CRV are AWD but I never checked the gear ratio spec. Tires wear evenly.

I personally replace my tires based on age, 5 years, since I keep low mileage.

 

[1969Camaro]

....and half of them stink

Correct!

 

[RickMachE]

A couple of things.

If the tires are 9/32 new, and now 7/32, that's not enough wear to matter for any tire made in normal non-racing driving. You can find that answer across multiple manufacturers of AWD vehicles. I found a source that said that Subaru says 2/32 is the limit, Porsche said within 30% of the other tires, and Audi said within 4/32.

As to how many years you can drive a tire that hasn't worn out, there are guidelines on that also. In short, once you reach 6 years, you should plan on doing an annual exam for dry rot. At 10 years of age, many companies won't service your tires regardless of condition. I just replaced my 8 year old F-150 tires, with adequate tread left, no visible cracks, but not enough tread for a good snowstorm, and time to bite the bullet.

 

[mjs020294]

I don’t think there is a scenario where all 4 need replaced if 1 tire is bad. 2? Maybe, but not all 4.

I think people are using ICE “rules” and trying to apply them to a BEV. Unlike an ICE AWD, in our cars nothing connects the front and rear axles. And as mentioned above, they aren’t even the same gear ratios to begin with.

Next we are going to suggest an oil change every 3,000 miles!

Its always recommend to have tires with similar wear on an axle; a mismatch can cause issues under heavy breaking. If you replace one axle the newer tires should be on the rear because having more grip on the front under braking is potentially dangerous.

Therefore if you drive a car with larger rear tires and one front tire gets damaged it would be advisable to replace all four if there is significant wear. Responsible garages/installers enforce these rules because they open themselves up to litigation in the event of an accident.

This has nothing to do with EV/ICE or AWD/One axle drive; its basic physics that impact safety.

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