Set of new front tires

[Duff]

Excuse me for not visiting for so long, but I have a question that I'm sure some of you have some valuable insight on.

Today I got the 95 Legacy wagon awd w sunroof, etc., inspected. It unfortunately needed two new front tires which I thought were in like new condition. Delta GT Road Max. They were worn down excessively on the insides only on the front.

Would this indicate an alignment problem? Can I get just the front realigned?

Also, the dealer mechanic suggested that I replace all four tires, but stated that the rear tires were plenty new and had over half the tread on them and that I could safely drive the car with the new exact type and size Delta GT Road Max tires on the front and not mess up the clutch in the transfer case in the rear axle; which seems to make sense to me when you think of variances caused by cornering, etc., that would also introduce some drive train wind up.

Is this true or recommended that I drive this with rear tires with over half the tread on them along with brand new front tires with a full tread that is noticeably deeper on it?

The car has been extremely good ever since I got the new speedodometer installed, not check engine lights, etc., about a year ago. Love the car, don't want to mess it up.

My plan is to get two more rear tires within six weeks if my budget permits and then, according to the dealer, get a four wheel alignment. In the meantime the new front tires are going to be subject to inside wear.

There is no telling how long the insides were wearing or what condition they were in when I bought the car because the front tires looked great; it's only the most inner tier of tread that is worn down. Not easy to detect with just a glance inspection of the front tires.

So, I'm wondering two things:

One: Can I run the less than half worn out back tires of same brand, size and dimensions, speed rating, etc., with the new front tires without adverse action to the clutch in the rear transfer case? Or other damage?

Two: Should I get a front wheel alignment immediately or asap? Or should I wait to get the rear tires in six weeks or so and do a four wheel alignment and tire rotation then?

Also: Should I just run the new front and less than half worn out rear tires until the rear tires wear out and get a four wheel alignment now?



Additionally: Should I get the alignment done at the dealer, who is fair, but 90 dollars, or wait for an alignment special sale at a place like Monroe, Firestone, or elsewhere?


All ideas and advice are appreciated to the utmost and I really appreciate all of your expertise and experience and advice.



Duffy
Winfield, Pa. USA
mjbolduc@dejazzd.com



Thanks for being here!

[Airgne]

well you can run new tires on the front, but NOT RECOMMENDED. the diff in the tread on the front and rear can mess up your center diff.

now on the alignment i would go to a fierstone(if you have one) and ask them about a lifetime alignment. it should be about $160, but this is a one time payment. after this you can take it in 3x a day if you want and you should not pay a penny for anything.

[Huffer]

Get 4 new tires, and an alignment. You can roll on uneven tires for a short period, but not too long.

[Monkhouse]

As with most things, the more you can spend on it now, the less you'll have to spend on it later. If you can find a place that offers lifetime alignment, get it. If not, just get the one time alignment. But get an alignment now. If you don't, it''l start to wear those new tires the same way the old ones were. Once you get those front tires worn unevenly, they'll keep wearing that way. Then, when you do get an alignment, the uneven tires will pull the alignment back out of spec.

[ivwarrior]

Last I checked, Subaru said all 4 needed to be within 1/4 inch circumference. 2 brand new and 2 half worn out isn't even close to that. Get 4 new ones and a good alignment.

[MCarp22]

Last I checked, Subaru said all 4 needed to be within 1/4 inch circumference. 2 brand new and 2 half worn out isn't even close to that. Get 4 new ones and a good alignment.

I sat down and figured it out, the difference between full tread 12/32 tires up front and half tread 6/32 tires in the back is about 1.1" circumference.

The most treadwear you could have and be safe based on that specification is 1/32" or about 1/10th of the total tire wear. :shock: