Tyre and Configuration Recommendations

[pspeirs]

Hey All,

For some off the wall reason, when I recently purchased another GU, the two front tyres are near new and the two rears in need of replacing soon. Since my spare is brand new, the options are replacing one of the rears with a new, moving the spare onto the rear and using the other rear as the spare.

The spare is a Dueler A/T 693 (not available in this pattern) in 275/65R17.

My options are probably going to be getting a Toyo Open Country AT2 in the same size, 275/65R17.

The other possibility would be just replacing the two rears with the Toyo 285/75R17 perhaps. Would there be an issue having a nearly 33" on the rear and the 31.2 (or whatever it works out to) on the front with the intention of replacing them when they wear.


Regards,
Paul

[PeeBee]

Don't do it, total disaster territory. There is no centre diff to take up the different rolling circumference. I would guess you would get 100m down a track the transfer case would lock up.

[pspeirs]

My reply just disappeared . . . No matter . . .

I realise this is a big difference, and probably in reality wouldn't be on my list as an option. I'm curious though, wouldn't the same issues arise for example, in my particular case where the fronts are near new and rears are down about 8mm. So, the 275/65R17 tyres have a circumference of 2479 mm compared to tyres at say 8 mm worn which would be down to 2431 mm. Thats a difference of 48 mm or nearly 2". What is stopping a similar things from happening a little further down the track?

Regs,
Paul

[PeeBee]

Yes, correct, and transfer case wind-up will accelerate as he differences increase. I get the same issue as my tyres wear down front to rear. If the tryes wore evenly, which they don't, you would not have a problem. If you had a constant 4wd transmission with a centre diff it would take care of this until you locked the centre diff, then the same wind up would start. In most cases its not much more than having to stop and reverse a few yards or go back and forth a few times to release the transfer case from low range into 2wd.