Mixing different type/brand tyres on car? Is it dangerous or just a myth?

brianposter

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Evidence for which bit?

That insurers don't care? Check your policy. It will (probably) require the car to be roadworthy but won't specify anything about "same tyres". Since matching tyres are NOT required for legal roadworthiness, them failing to specify a higher standard means they don't care because no court or tribunal would EVER sustain a refusal to pay based on something, above the legal requirements, which wasn't mentioned in the contract.

That it's not a safety issue? If it was then Construction and Use regulations would prohibit mixing, as they do for different construction types.

The evidence you find online is a mix of anecdotal, "I'm a driving god and can feel the difference" types, and manufacturers / tyre sellers who are in the business of not selling one tyre when two will do.

You seem to be living on a very distant cloud. In most EU countries you will not get through an MOT with mixed tyres on one axle.
As I said it is not difficult to find evidence that "mixing tyres is unsafe", and if your insurer does not want to pay out they can easily find such evidence.
Do you really think that a court is going to prefer the evidence of Joe H. to that of Continental tyres?

sevenhills

brianposter wrote: »

You seem to be living on a very distant cloud. In most EU countries you will not get through an MOT with mixed tyres on one axle.

In the UK 1.6mm is required for 75% of the tyre.


Which would be the least safe, a vehicle with 'mixed' tyres above 1.6mm 100% of the tyre or one the just passed UK law in regard to 75% tread depth?

AndyMc.....

sevenhills wrote: »

In the UK 1.6mm is required for 75% of the tyre.


Which would be the least safe, a vehicle with 'mixed' tyres above 1.6mm 100% of the tyre or one the just passed UK law in regard to 75% tread depth?

It's actually 1mm, if you want to make a sweeping statement.

Nearly_Old

brianposter wrote: »

You seem to be living on a very distant cloud. In most EU countries you will not get through an MOT with mixed tyres on one axle.
As I said it is not difficult to find evidence that "mixing tyres is unsafe", and if your insurer does not want to pay out they can easily find such evidence.
Do you really think that a court is going to prefer the evidence of Joe H. to that of Continental tyres?

Some links to the evidence of mixing tyres would be useful.


In the "olden" days there was a case for not mixing crossply and radial tyres on the same axle.

sevenhills

AndyMc..... wrote: »

It's actually 1mm, if you want to make a sweeping statement.

It is if you drive a bus.

Joe_Horner

brianposter wrote: »

As I said it is not difficult to find evidence that "mixing tyres is unsafe", and if your insurer does not want to pay out they can easily find such evidence.
Do you really think that a court is going to prefer the evidence of Joe H. to that of Continental tyres?

You don't understand how the legal system works, do you? Its sod all to do with "the evidence of joe", it's because they can't wriggle out of a contract by relying on things they didn't specify within that contract unless that thing can be established as an implied term.

They don't specify "same tyres on an axle", and it can't be implied from "maintained in a roadworthy condition" because UK (and EU) law don't require the same tyres across an axle.

Even if they could prove in court that it was the most dangerous thing possible short of drinking cyanide, because it's something in excess of the legal roadworthiness requirements, they couldn't use it to avoid a claim unless they'd specified it explicitly.

Incidentally, there's a big misconception about EU rules. they don't outlaw different treads / brands across an axle, they outlaw different types. That has a very specific technical meaning relating to the internal construction, and also applies here in the UK.

Seeing as it's extremely unlikely Kwikfit is going to be fitting an odd crossply or bias-belted tyre for you nowadays0.....

AndyMc.....

sevenhills wrote: »

It is if you drive a bus.

Or a goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes.

AndyMc.....

sevenhills wrote: »

Yes.


Less tread is also more effective on a dry road.

Is it really?

Until the tread is worn away there's the same amount of contact with the road.

Joe_Horner

Nearly_Old wrote: »

Some links to the evidence of mixing tyres would be useful.


In the "olden" days there was a case for not mixing crossply and radial tyres on the same axle.

Fairly extensive googling shows:

Lots of forum posts ("I can feel the difference" - see my earlier)
Continental tyres ("Buy 2 of our tyres instead of 1" - see my earlier)
and
Protyre.co.uk (tyre sellers who mis-quote the law to fear sell - see my earlier)

On the other hand, the British Tyre Manufacturer's Association only goes as far as saying:

"The effects of mixing can be unpredictable and the following information is intended as a guide only. It is recommended that for optimum performance cars and light vans should be fitted with a matching set of tyres."

https://btmauk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Replacing-car-tyres-important-information.pdf


Hardly a dire safety warning there, eh? Not "strongly recommended", or even recommended "for safety", just "recommended for optimum performance", which I doubt anyone would disagree with!

Of course, a bit like Trump's (or UKIP's) "immigration crisis", some people will never let facts get in the way of a good bit of fear :rotfl:

Joe_Horner

AndyMc..... wrote: »

Is it really?

Until the tread is worn away there's the same amount of contact with the road.

Yes it is, because less tread = lower tread blocks = reduced lateral tread movement ("squirm"). But again, the average driver really isn't going to notice the difference either way.