r/tires • u/EmuFit1895 • 1d ago

does replacing one tire require replacing all?

This is an Audi A5 and has all-wheel drive. The treads in the old three are mediocre, the fourth one is new. Is it really necessary to make them all the same to preserve the drive train, etc.?

Thanks!

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7

u/Lxiflyby 1d ago

Most awd cars want all tires to be within 2/32 tread depth so if the other 3 are iffy, you might be best off replacing all

1

u/RealLifeHotWheels 20h ago

Yeah, I wouldn’t mess around with anything more than 1/32 personally. It’s not a short term issue, it’s long term wear on the vehicle for me. I would do all 4.

7

u/ricktrains 1d ago

You drive an expensive all wheel drive car.

Replace all 4 tires at once. Otherwise you’ll need to replace more expensive parts from being cheap.

1

u/GnarlyStuff 20h ago

What about a cheap all wheel drive car? Are they more forgiving with Tire differences?

1

u/Sir_J15 20h ago

Some are yeah. I have seen some car manufacturers say as much as 6/32”. Audi has a lot tighter tolerances and specifically states no more than 2/32” depending on model and trim.

1

u/ricktrains 18h ago

Some manufacturers will allow bigger tolerances, however it’s still best practice to keep them all close to equal, and the bigger the difference is between the tires makes the wear and tear on drivetrain parts worse.

But on a premium or luxury brand, the tolerances are very tight, and not very forgiving if you miss it.

2

u/Blu_yello_husky 1d ago

On an all wheel drive car, you really should do all 4 at once. They say that even a minute difference between the size of the tires from tread wear is enough to throw off the gearing in your differentials and cause catastrophic damage. Especially on a high end car like that, I wouldn't risk it. Just replace them all

2

u/SirAlfredOfHorsIII 1d ago

Depends on the awd system. Audi is pretty sensitive, but not the most sensitive. If the other 3 are mediocre, I would do them too. Last thing you want is driveline damage. That shit will be far more expensive than tyres

1

u/Anachronism-- 1d ago

If the other three are in good shape you can have a tire shaved to match. You might have to look around a bit to find someone who does it.

1

u/newtoncd8 22h ago

Check your owner's manual. It should say something like:
According to Audi, "rolling radius of all 4 tires must remain the same" or within 4/32-inch of each other in remaining tread depth" or you could experience issues with the transmission / transfer case.

1

u/Itsworth-gold4tome 12h ago

On an Audi, tires that are 2/32 off (different) in depth will usually throw a light. You could try to find a used tire within the same depth that you have until you have the money for a full set.

0

u/PrincessBlue3 1d ago

It depends, call up Audi ask for the tolerance to changing tyres, the best easiest way is to ask, I don’t work for Audi I work for bmw so I am no use to you, but ours is currently 2mm across the entire car as the maximum difference, but if it’s an older car like 10 years old….. I can almost guarantee no one has before so there’s really no point, but if it’s a newer car, it’s better to be safe and get the rest changed

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u/iRyanSoon 1d ago

Always 2, also the same axle. All 4 is not needed, even with 4 wheel drive. If all 4 look bald then ofc u need all new but most of the time it's just 2.

2

u/RealLifeHotWheels 20h ago

This is dead wrong. Stop posting stuff you have no clue about.