Tires are an item that should always be bought in groups of four, or at least in pairs. Every tire on your vehicle needs to match the others, or you could deal with some severe consequences. Know how to make sure all your tires match, and how to follow best practices when replacing yours at the auto repair shop.

Auto Repair Guide to Replacing Tires

Why You Should Never Mix Them

There are a few common ways that drivers mistakenly mix their tires. This includes buying products from different manufacturers, with differing tread patterns, and of varying sizes. Each manufacturer makes their tires differently; they won’t handle the same or be the same size.

This could be dangerous since one side of your vehicle won’t drive the same as the other. Each manufacturer uses its own tread as well, and you want it to match. If one tire has deeper treads or better traction than the other, you may lose your stability as one side of your car catches the pavement more than the other.

Tires that aren’t the same size are especially dangerous. Your wheels are placed on the front and rear axles. If they aren’t the same size, one will need to spin faster than the other to keep up. This is called the rolling radius, and when the pair of tires don’t have the same, it puts a lot of stress on the differentials.

How to Replace Tires Properly

The best way to handle a tire replacement is by purchasing the same tires provided by your OEM. You can check your vehicle driver’s manual for the details, or your auto repair expert can look up the tires you currently have.

Replacing all four at once is ideal; however, tires don’t always wear at the same rate. If you have two tires that are still in good condition, you can replace a pair at a time. Place the new tires on the back and the worn tires on the front. This gives you the grip you need on the rear axle to prevent fishtailing.

The ASE-certified technicians at Kalispell Alignment & Auto Repair will handle your tire replacement properly in Kalispell, MT. This auto repair shop backs all of their services with NAPA’s 24-month, 24,000-mile warranty. They can also keep your tires in good condition with maintenance services, such as wheel alignments and tire rotations. See their full list of services online and call (406) 755-0234 to schedule an appointment.