I cant seem to find any definitive, authoritative statements re replacing tires on my AWD Previa (95). Is it OK to replace one axle's tires at a time, or must I do all 4? I've got a good spare, and 2 tires with plenty of life left but nowhere near the tread of the new tires I'm contemplating. I would prefer to buy one 2 tires now and the other 2 later in the summer....but I dont want to be buying any differentials either...
maybe tirerack has an answer, Joe. I've always replaced all 4 on mine but I rotate so tire wear is the same - I replace cause I am in snow area at 3/32" just before winter.
Ron in Idaho
It has most to do with traction and saftey. I put on new fronts , rears were 4 yrs old maybe 30,000 miles, first snow I went around a corner and fishtailed since I was already used to the fronts better grip, next day I got rears and the same corner was fine. I had Michelin and put on Michelin , same model. As tires age rubber Oxidises and gets harder and you get less traction. Miles and age determine a tires worth or saftey. For me 4-5 years even with little miles means replacement. I had a 91 camry with original Dunlops, at 4 years and 35000 they were so slippery I would spin out starting from a stop in rain. If you ever drive in a bad snowstorm and see cars in the ditch you will notice they are usualy old cars, with most likely old hard tires. If you want it the safest do all 4.
the potential issue is possible destruction of parts of the drive train by unequal rotation of slightly different sized tires. I guess to "be safe" I buy all 4. I am not filled with joy at this prospect to since 2 are still quite usable. Having replaced diffs on previous Previas I've owned I'm even less anxious to do that.
It is best to replace all 4 tires at the same time on a vehicle with 4WD or AWD because differences in tire circumference can make a transfer case bind or a center differential wear more rapidly. The All-Trac Previa's center differential with viscous coupling is pretty pricey to replace. In the future, rotate your tires to even out wear.
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