Is it OK to have different tires in rear & front?

idyll · 08-01-2008, 02:12 PM

I have a nail in my rear passenger tire and every shop I have been to (including BMW dealer) says its way too close to the sidewall to be patched. Midas said I can plug it (they would not do it), but they think the plug will be just temporary. Should I risk it by plugging it and driving with them like that? I've got a 1k road trip coming up soon...

I have been looking at tires to replace the rear ones altogether as they have about ~4k miles left to go on them and was wondering if it would be OK to have different brand tires in the front and rear? The front tires are holding up great and I'd prefer not to replace those as well. All 4 are summer tires, and that's what I'm going to stick to since I live in FL.

Currently I have BFGoodrich g-Force Sport tires, but I was thinking about getting General Exclaim UHP for the rear based on the reviews I have read.

What do you say?

DimSum · 08-01-2008, 02:20 PM

should be fine, as long as you follow what is required for the setup your running.

sambonator · 08-01-2008, 03:50 PM

Its perfectly fine. I run staggered AND different brands all the time

.

idyll · 08-01-2008, 04:15 PM

Thanks, good to know. I guess I'll go ahead and get the General Exclaims...

I suppose you guys would not recommend plugging it then?

rdsport323 · 08-01-2008, 04:26 PM

its better to keep the fronts the same and the rear the same.. i can imagine how bad the drive would be with two different front tires with different tread patterns.

idyll · 08-01-2008, 08:39 PM

Hmmmmm... Well, tirerack does seem to have a deal right now where if you buy 4 General Exclaim tires you get a $50 Visa giftcard...

roy@gambitmotorsport · 08-02-2008, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idyll

Thanks, good to know. I guess I'll go ahead and get the General Exclaims...

I suppose you guys would not recommend plugging it then?

If you push them at all at track or in canyons, you may prefer knowing the fronts/rears are the exact same compound and heat/expand the same. It's probably not a big deal, though.

I wouldn't "plug" any tire I pushed in any capacity. And I've probably plugged over 100 tires, working may way through college at a gas station.

Roy

BzsBimmer · 08-02-2008, 12:48 PM

I tried running different front and rears and had problems.
See
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137028

bmwmike · 08-02-2008, 01:33 PM

There was a guy with an M5 at a track day in Portland at PIR with different tires on the front vs. the back over a year ago. His car was swaying back and forth as he turned or accelerated and everyone thought he was a bad driver and felt he was a danger to everyone. One of the instructors drove his car thinking he needed more coaching and realized afterwards that it was the mixing of his tires. His car was pulled off the track afterwards.

I'd say that it may be a small chance you will find two different brand of tires that have the same response characteristics.

nicknaz · 08-02-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idyll

I have a nail in my rear passenger tire and every shop I have been to (including BMW dealer) says its way too close to the sidewall to be patched. Midas said I can plug it (they would not do it), but they think the plug will be just temporary. Should I risk it by plugging it and driving with them like that? I've got a 1k road trip coming up soon...

I have been looking at tires to replace the rear ones altogether as they have about ~4k miles left to go on them and was wondering if it would be OK to have different brand tires in the front and rear? The front tires are holding up great and I'd prefer not to replace those as well. All 4 are summer tires, and that's what I'm going to stick to since I live in FL.

Currently I have BFGoodrich g-Force Sport tires, but I was thinking about getting General Exclaim UHP for the rear based on the reviews I have read.

What do you say?

Personally, I would not mix tire models and I would not run with widely different overall diameter tires (ie some worn, some new)

Tires are a key safety component, just like brakes, and in my opinion skimping on tires is a classic example of 'penny wise, pound foolish'.

If cost is an issue, replace all 4 tires with a matching set of all season, long life commuter tires, instead of high performance summer only tires

iatacs19 · 08-02-2008, 03:36 PM

For daily driving it's ok, but if you do anything more intense, it is always recommended you have matching tread patterns on all 4 tyres.

08-01-2008, 02:12 PM	#1
idyll Private First Class 2 Rep 140 Posts Drives: BMW 328i Join Date: May 2008 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	Is it OK to have different tires in rear & front? I have a nail in my rear passenger tire and every shop I have been to (including BMW dealer) says its way too close to the sidewall to be patched. Midas said I can plug it (they would not do it), but they think the plug will be just temporary. Should I risk it by plugging it and driving with them like that? I've got a 1k road trip coming up soon... I have been looking at tires to replace the rear ones altogether as they have about ~4k miles left to go on them and was wondering if it would be OK to have different brand tires in the front and rear? The front tires are holding up great and I'd prefer not to replace those as well. All 4 are summer tires, and that's what I'm going to stick to since I live in FL. Currently I have BFGoodrich g-Force Sport tires, but I was thinking about getting General Exclaim UHP for the rear based on the reviews I have read. What do you say?
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

08-01-2008, 02:20 PM	#2
DimSum Banned 202 Rep 2,740 Posts Drives: SLOW Join Date: May 2008 Location: LITTLEBIMMER.COM iTrader: (10)	should be fine, as long as you follow what is required for the setup your running.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-01-2008, 03:50 PM	#3
sambonator Samtaro! 124 Rep 2,601 Posts Drives: 2014 F32 N55 Alpinweiß Join Date: May 2007 Location: Newport Beach, CA, USA iTrader: (7)	Its perfectly fine. I run staggered AND different brands all the time . __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-01-2008, 04:15 PM	#4
idyll Private First Class 2 Rep 140 Posts Drives: BMW 328i Join Date: May 2008 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	Thanks, good to know. I guess I'll go ahead and get the General Exclaims... I suppose you guys would not recommend plugging it then?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-01-2008, 04:26 PM	#5
rdsport323 Captain 50 Rep 879 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: OC, CA iTrader: (0)	its better to keep the fronts the same and the rear the same.. i can imagine how bad the drive would be with two different front tires with different tread patterns.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-01-2008, 08:39 PM	#6
idyll Private First Class 2 Rep 140 Posts Drives: BMW 328i Join Date: May 2008 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	Hmmmmm... Well, tirerack does seem to have a deal right now where if you buy 4 General Exclaim tires you get a $50 Visa giftcard...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-02-2008, 12:48 PM	#8
BzsBimmer Major General 3274 Rep 6,723 Posts Drives: '23 G80 FO M3, M3 & MY Tezzy's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Nor. Cal iTrader: (32)	I tried running different front and rears and had problems. See http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137028
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-02-2008, 01:33 PM	#9
bmwmike Lieutenant 28 Rep 542 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Coupe - SOLD Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada iTrader: (1)	There was a guy with an M5 at a track day in Portland at PIR with different tires on the front vs. the back over a year ago. His car was swaying back and forth as he turned or accelerated and everyone thought he was a bad driver and felt he was a danger to everyone. One of the instructors drove his car thinking he needed more coaching and realized afterwards that it was the mixing of his tires. His car was pulled off the track afterwards. I'd say that it may be a small chance you will find two different brand of tires that have the same response characteristics.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-02-2008, 03:36 PM	#11
iatacs19 Major General 459 Rep 5,319 Posts Drives: 2016 SO M4 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Washington, DC iTrader: (8)	For daily driving it's ok, but if you do anything more intense, it is always recommended you have matching tread patterns on all 4 tyres. __________________ If only BMWCCA Referral: 385628
	Appreciate 0 Quote