Simple dumb tire question

Im sure this is common sense, and my mind is telling me NO,

But, I have a 4eat, I'm having issues keeping air in the front tires and the rears are holding fine, all wheels have about 50% on them.

 

The question is, due to financial restrictions at the moment, could I get away with putting new rubber on the front axle for about a week or 2? Would I have to run the fwd fuse (though I know it's hard on the duty c)?

Car doesn't travel much when I'm off work and furthest I'd go with it is 60mi it or so to work, but I drive to park for a week and drive home, then it's trips less than 10mi

At most, I might run 150mi in a week, if I'm lucky.

 

Current size 185/70/14, considering 60 or 65 on the side wall.

Also considering slapping the spare wheels from my neon as they are also 5x100. Opinions?thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Danny

 

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According to the manuals, the recommendation is no more than ~2/32nd's difference in the tire depth between the 4 wheels IIRC...

 

test fit the neon wheels and tires and see if they fit (the lower offset usually means you may have rubbing issues).

 

Other than that, I would see why your front tires are losing air - if its the tire, it may be patched/plugged for much cheaper than a new tire. You can even plug it yourself with a $10 kit - I've done this before when I had tires that I just wanted to use as spares and/or already close to the bars. I would then transfer the patched/plugged tire to the back axle just to be safe. If its the rim - even brand new tires will lose air and you're back to square one.

FWD mode isn't hard on the Duty C solenoid as much as would be thought. Run it until you get properly matching tires and tire tread.

@rouge I think the tire itself is flat out shot. I removed it and was running the other tire because it was consistently losing air. And even for me to get to work I had to stop every 15-20 mi and air back up as I was less than 20lb.

 

The 2/32nds info is helpful. I wasn't aware of that.

The passenger side looses air as well but it's more manageable, it'll be down 5-8lb in 2 weeks. But I think it's leaking around the stem or the guts, haven't looked into that though as I was planning to replace them once snow started falling. (South Central PA)

 

Ive patched many of tires before, I usually break the bead and properly patch it, and I've used the plugs before too in a pinch. This is something else lol

 

@dohce I would run it, however I gotta hit every fuel stop between work and home and air up. I know I'm asking for a sidewall to blow out on me.

 

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Are the needle valves in the valve stems tight?

You'll definitely have to run FWD while you get this sorted. Lucky you have the 4EAT so you can.

Since I bought our '97 GT in June, I noticed some slow air loss in all tires (1- 2 lbs a weeks, a little more in the two fronts). I'm wondering if they need a bead reseal with sloe leaks like that.

@gteaser

Yeah and they were replaced, getting new stems when I replace tires. Currently on the road, fortunately I drive truck so the it doesn't get run much.

 

As far as being lucky I have a 4eat, I dunno about that. It shifts hard and the 3/4 shift... Is weird... It's like the it hesitates to grab 4 then locks on. And releases TC. Typically it does this coming off of hard Accel. Sometimes during "normal" driving.

 

@stevo try a bottle of soap water, spray around your bead or tread etc look for bubbles.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't found my leak in this method, and I have yet to see a steel wheel crack. So I'm at a loss.

 

I do appreciate all the info though guys.

 

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if you can break the bead, you can easily replace the stem yourself for like $2... you just cut off the old stem at the rubber bit and pull through the new one.

 

I'm just given alternative solutions to buy you time until you can get all 4 tires properly replaced...

I've attempted to do on a set for my neon. Ended up bending a wheel and damaged a tire beyond use. However on a lighter note I talked my boss into an advance in my pay to replace all 4.

I do appreciate everyone's help. Fortunately things worked out.

 

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Just for future reference, the spec is 5/32" circumference.

 

O.

Just for future reference, the spec is 5/32" circumference.

 

O.

For tire difference? Min overall?

 

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max is 5/32 from the smallest tire to the largest, for the center of the tire.

So it pays to keep your tire pressures within spec..

 

O.