Can Two Tires Be Replaced Instead of Four?

A vehicle’s tires wear in a different manner because it all depends on what, how, and where you drive. If you see two of your tires wear out faster, then you must be wondering can you replace just two tires on a car?

It may not be such a bad idea to replace two instead of all four tires. Even though this can be good for certain circumstances, however, it is advisable to equip the vehicle with four tires that are of an identical model, size, and structure.

A mismatched tire can be quite damaging

The primary cause of damage in all-wheel-drive vehicles is mismatched tires. The main reason is that the new tire doesn't have any wear to the tread and has a greater circumference than the older one that has its tread worn down.

As a result, replacing new tires on the rear axle will undoubtedly cause discrepancies regarding how the axle spins.

In order to keep up with the other tire, the axle has to spin faster, so this builds stress in the drivetrain, and this may lead to some very high repair costs exceeding what has been saved on the tires.

It is essential to make sure that you never go for a mismatched tire for your vehicle.

How many tires should be replaced?

If you have a new set of existing tires, then you can replace just two tires. You should always consult the owner's manual and read the recommendation of the manufacturer on tire replacement if you are thinking, 'Can you replace just 2 tires on a car.'

If there are no recommendations, then you should check the tread depth between the new and the old tires. It will be ideal for you to buy tires that are identical to the ones you have replaced.

It is worth noting that your new tires should be on the vehicle's rear axle, and those on the rear axle should be moved to the front axle. If you happen to put the tires with greater tread on the front axle, this can cause oversteering and may result in skidding of the rear wheels and may put you into a spin.

When you put the tires with less stress on the front axle, this may cause a loss of traction, like hydroplaning on the wet road. You can counteract by decelerating and not braking, and this will correct any drift when your wheels are regaining traction.

Conclusion

You have the option of replacing two tires instead of all four in case of confusion regarding 'can you replace just 2 tires on a car.' Before replacing any two of your tires, it is always advisable to consult a tire expert to measure the wheels' tread.

If you find the discrepancy in the tread depth between the new and the old tires to be greater, then you should replace all four tires. You should never take any risk, and try not to buy heavily used tires in order to match the old ones.