Do Tires Need to Be Replaced in Pairs?
2 Answers
Tires must be replaced in pairs. Steps for replacing tires: Remove the wheel: First, use a wrench to loosen the wheel's fixing screws. There are usually five or six fixing screws. After loosening them, do not remove them immediately. Lift the vehicle to an appropriate height, then remove the screws and take the wheel off the hub. Deflate the removed wheel and remove the balancing weights from the rim. Then, use a tire changer to separate the tire from the rim. Install the wheel with the new tire onto the hub, tighten the screws, adjust the tire pressure for each tire, reset the tire pressure, and finally conduct a test drive. Precautions for replacing tires: Avoid mixing tires of different structures and sizes: Do not mix radial tires, bias-belted tires, or cross-ply tires on the same vehicle. These tires have different structures, and their grip and service life vary. Mixing them can cause unstable driving. Additionally, avoid mixing tires of different sizes, as this can lead to issues such as vehicle pulling to one side or abnormal steering.
I've got experience with tire replacement - it's not always necessary to change them in pairs, the key is checking the wear condition. Last time my car's front right tire got a nail puncture and couldn't be repaired, but the left front tire had only been used for six months with deep treads remaining. The mechanic measured with calipers and found less than 1.5mm difference between new and old tires, confirming single replacement was fine. However, if there's over 3 years' age difference between tires or tread depth difference exceeds 3mm, uneven grip becomes dangerous. Especially when cornering at high speed in rain, different drainage performance between new and old tires may cause skidding. Rear-wheel-drive vehicles need extra attention, as significant wear difference on drive wheels accelerates differential wear. I suggest having mechanics measure all four tires' data with tread depth gauge during each maintenance, so you'll have clear reference when replacing tires.
