can I run two different tire sizes?

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schmooot

New member
Just wondering...two 215/65's and two 215/60's

Will it damage the awd system?

I pretty much just need to put something on the car to make it mobile until I can find/afford some mags for it, I'll be parking the car for the winter but I do need to put a few miles on it running between garages and such I just don't want to do any damage by putting smaller tires on the front
 
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bloodMoney

Active member
IIRC, different size tires front and back will burn up the center diff if used for too long. You may be able to get away with using them for a few miles, but I wouldn't push my luck.

~bloodMoney
 
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schmooot

New member
I realize these are monster tires and I'm trying to figure if they will fir before I get them mounted so I did a little math, The tires on right now are 205/55-16, I have 1.25" of clearance between the top of the wheels on there now and the bottom of the strut mount, the radius of the wheels on right now is 12.435", adding the clearance would give me an absolute max radius of 13.685" in order to clear the strut mount right (distance between center of wheel and bottom of strut mount)?

The tires I want to fit have a radius of 13.5", theoretically that should give me a clearance of 0.185" between the top of the tire and the bottom of the strut mount. Did I do the math right?
 
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bloodMoney

Active member
Yes your math is right. Keep in mind that this only gives you a clearance of 3/16 of an inch...

Pull out a ruler and look at how tight that is. You need to remember that tires do undergo dynamic forces that cause them to change their shape, even under 'nice' driving. I don't know that I personally would make my clearances that tight purely because I don't want to risk scraping and a blowout.

~bloodMoney
 
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schmooot

New member
this is true, but they were free tires and I really couldn't care less about them...mount and balance is only $40 so the most I will be out if they rub and blow will be that...I'm not too concerned
 
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gt4tified

New member
I would also not try to do too much hard cornering on tires with such a large (read: high) profile...our cars are heavy, our cg's low and as such, the sidewall will be doing a great deal more flexing under cornering than a tire of lower profile. 8)
 
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schmooot

New member
good point. I just measured the back and the clearance is much less than the front so methinks these are going to be a definite no-go
 
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schmooot

New member
meh it was a lost cause, I put them up for sale already...maybe I can make a few bucks off freebie tires
 
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