Do You Need to Replace Two Tires at the Same Time?
2 Answers
When replacing tires, it is not always necessary to replace two tires at the same time. It depends on the specific situation. The details are as follows: Replacing one tire: If one of the four tires on the car is accidentally damaged and must be replaced, only that one tire needs to be changed. The other usable tires can continue to be used. Replacing a pair of tires: When the car tires are worn to the specified position and need to be replaced, 99% of car owners will replace two tires, one on the left and one on the right, because the wear on the left and right tires is generally the same. If all four tires are severely worn, all four should be replaced at once. The front tires should ideally maintain consistent tread and wear.
When changing tires, I always think it's best to replace both tires on the same axle together because inconsistent tire wear can affect handling safety. For example, if the front tires are heavily worn while the rear tires are new, the vehicle is prone to pulling to one side during braking, especially in rainy conditions where it may skid, increasing the risk of accidents. Additionally, modern car suspension systems are sensitive to tire pressure and tread pattern matching. Mixing old and new tires can accelerate component wear, leading to more frequent repair costs. Of course, if the old tire has minimal wear and the new tire is of the same model and batch, I sometimes replace just one, but I must first measure the tread depth difference to ensure it doesn’t exceed 4 millimeters. Remember to perform a wheel alignment after every tire change to ensure stable and worry-free driving. In short, for the safety of yourself and others, prioritizing replacing both tires is a smart choice—avoiding small issues turning into big troubles. Spending money for peace of mind is well worth it.
