Mismatching front and rear tire sizes with 4x4

[AuroraGirl]

Temperature is the big thing here. Tread gets stiff and doesn’t get traction. I have some of those Chinese tire on my f150 not too bad

 

[AuroraGirl]

My dad has some old bias ply 7.5 tires with aggressive tread, it’s the same height. Do you guys think having bias skinny fronts amd radial wide rear would be an issue

 

[bucket]

My dad has some old bias ply 7.5 tires with aggressive tread, it’s the same height. Do you guys think having bias skinny fronts amd radial wide rear would be an issue

For just driving around the property and clearing snow, you can basically run whatever you can get easily or cheap.

But even on the road, a bias/radial mix can be fine. A while back I had got some '86 vintage 12.00x16.5's on rims, they were bias ply. I put them on my truck because I thought it looked cool. The fronts were very out of round so I quickly put the 9.75x16.5 radials back up front. I drove it like that for a good while, even towed some good loads with it. It drove fine.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Do you think my axle shaft breaking two years ago was a result of having a very large tire OD on the front axle side to side? Very large tread difference too. Random thought but thought about it since I’ve been researching

 

[Rusty Nail]

Still no pix..

 

[AuroraGirl]

I’ve been using an iPad. Hard to show but that isn’t right. Dry rotted tire. And a bulge on sidewalk. Don’t wanna put a plow on that front LOL

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[AuroraGirl]

There is the shorter tire. Driver front. Old photo.

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Back when I had bias ply. Shorter tire and wider than 7.50 16
I still have it I can look at how different. the passenger shaft broke 2 years ago amd sheared the yokes when he u joint broke so I salvaged another shaft from a another differential

 

[Grit dog]

Too many variables that we couldn’t possibly know, to say what broke your axle shaft and/or old u joint.
Generally different diameter tires on an open diff will get along for a while and honestly shouldn’t matter on a yardbird plow truck. You could put 4 flintstone wheels on it and still move around in low traction conditions.
But you’re now mind farking this “conundrum”.
I just looked on CL within about a 100 mi radius of you and there are literally several 4 matching tire and wheel combos that would fit on your truck and do the job since it would be foolish to buy a full set of brand new tires for that truck. Bolt on no muss no fuss for cheap.
Remember most any 8x6.5 rim will work. Dodge GM , old fords.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Too many variables that we couldn’t possibly know, to say what broke your axle shaft and/or old u joint.
Generally different diameter tires on an open diff will get along for a while and honestly shouldn’t matter on a yardbird plow truck. You could put 4 flintstone wheels on it and still move around in low traction conditions.
But you’re now mind farking this “conundrum”.
I just looked on CL within about a 100 mi radius of you and there are literally several 4 matching tire and wheel combos that would fit on your truck and do the job since it would be foolish to buy a full set of brand new tires for that truck. Bolt on no muss no fuss for cheap.
Remember most any 8x6.5 rim will work. Dodge GM , old fords.

Yes I said I found free from my dad. Just need tubes. They are old but they match amd are aggressive. And 100 miles is quite the journey for tires. I don’t use cl anymore since it.. eh.. fell behind

 

[Ricko1966]

Do you think my axle shaft breaking two years ago was a result of having a very large tire OD on the front axle side to side? Very large tread difference too. Random thought but thought about it since I’ve been researching

It would toast the diff before it would break an axle.Mismatched tires on the same axle make the diff act as if it was in a turn that never ends.And just putting around the yard you'd never put enough time on it to hurt it.

 

[bucket]

Right, in ground conditions that need 4 wheel drive, the tire size difference won't hurt. The tires will slip before anything in the axle sees excessive stress.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I will just assume the clutch dumping on old u joints did it then

 

[peats]

you should be just as aware of tire age as tread. with age they will lose wet weather traction and flexibility as the temperature drops no matter how good the tread looks. in my mind a 5 year old tire is too old.

 

[DoubleDingo]

$345 for 2 new tires? Start shopping elsewhere.
$100-150/ea on Amazon, delivered to your door give you the choice of about 30 different brands and types.

That amazon pricing doesn't include mounting and balancing. You always have to factor that in to the out-the-door-price. If the $345 was the out-the-door-price, that's not too bad for new tires.

 

[Grit dog]

That amazon pricing doesn't include mounting and balancing. You always have to factor that in to the out-the-door-price. If the $345 was the out-the-door-price, that's not too bad for new tires.

I do. Just the sales tax here on retail purchase vs the right Amazon purchase covers the cost of mount and balance.