Can I Change One Tyre at a Time?
Tyres · Posted by: Mobile Tyres 2 U · 30th November 2022
If you’ve recently experienced a puncture in one of your tyres, you’re probably now thinking whether it’s safe to just change that one tyre rather than the entire set. The short answer is this: we would recommend you change your tyres in pairs, not individually. We’ll be covering exactly why this is the case in what follows!
Why you shouldn’t change one tyre at a time
If you’ve only got one tyre out of the entire set that’s showing signs of damage, we understand that changing more than one feels like a waste of money, but you can’t put a price on safety.
The problem with changing one tyre at a time is that different types of tyres are going to behave very differently, so if you have one type of tyre on one end of the axle and a different type of tyre on the other, this is going to seriously affect the way the car performs. The main problem is the newer tyre is likely to have much better grip than the older one, so the car could respond very unpredictably in adverse conditions, and it could lead to wheel misalignment and uneven tyre wear.
If you are absolutely set on only changing one tyre, make sure that it’s as close to the other tyre in construction and type as possible. For example, you would never want a summer tyre on one end and a winter tyre on the other, or two tyres of differing sizes on the same axle. Not only is this extremely dangerous, it’s also illegal. You could also consider buying a second-hand version of your current tyres, so the performance will feel as close as possible.
Why you should change your tyres in pairs
While spending money on changing two tyres at once might seem steep at first, you could actually end up saving money down the line. This is because you won’t run into the same wheel imbalance and uneven wear problems that you might when changing one tyre at a time, so you’ll avoid any unnecessary trips to the garage.
Of course, more important than the money saved are the dangerous performance issues that you will avoid by changing two tyres. Your car will perform exactly as it should and will respond quickly and accurately in emergencies.
Do I ever need to change all four tyres at once?
Some vehicle manufacturers will suggest that you change all four tyres at once on your vehicle, however, this only applies to vehicles with very sophisticated and sensitive systems that require complete balance to perform optimally. For the vast majority of vehicles, it’s perfectly safe to only change two tyres at a time, and changing the entire set just isn’t really justifiable financially.
Mobile Tyres 2 U is a leading tyre supplier and fitter operating throughout Watford, High Wycombe and the surrounding areas. We offer a completely mobile service, so no matter where you are in the region, we can come to you and get your tyres sorted!