Do You Really Need to Replace All Four Tires on an AWD Car When You Get a Flat?
If one tire is flat, you don’t always have to shell out for a full set. Here’s how tire shaving can save your drivetrain—and your wallet.
The conventional wisdom among drivers of all-wheel-drive vehicles has been that when a single tire needs to be replaced, all tires should be replaced. Doing that ensures that the AWD system won’t experience unbalanced wear and that there’s balanced traction at all four corners.
This approach may work when it’s naturally time to replace four worn tires, but it can be costly when just one tire goes flat or is damaged. There’s a clever solution that protects the car and lets owners avoid buying tires in sets: shaved tires.
Learn more about saving money when buying replacement tires.
The Risk of Mismatched Tires on AWD Vehicles
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
Finding Tire Shaving Services and Retailers
Buying four new tires may be needlessly expensive for drivers who only require a single tire to join the three other moderately worn tires. But you can buy a single new tire from TireRack.com and have the company shave it to the tread depth that matches the depth of your other tires. It will shave any tire you buy from the company, usually for $25 to $35. (Call TireRack customer service at 888-353-5082 for more details.)
This service is relatively inexpensive compared with the alternative: buying four new tires.
Note that shaving a tire will likely nullify its tread-wear warranty. Other retailers may offer a similar service, though the special equipment to shave a tire’s tread isn’t common.
How Worn Is Too Worn to Shave a Tire?
A typical new all-season tire has a tread depth of about 10/32 inch and is worn out at 2/32. So, shaving a replacement tire makes the most sense if the remaining tread on your tires is no more than about half worn, at approximately 6/32 inch.
Drivers interested in this strategy should buy a tread-depth gauge (readily available at auto-parts stores). They can measure the tread depth of each tire in the grooves that have tread-wear indicators, which are raised platforms set 2/32 inch high that appear flush with the tread to indicate that a tire is worn out.
If the wear seems inconsistent between tires or there’s evidence of uneven wear, such as one groove wearing faster than another, it’s better to buy four new tires and have the car checked for suspension or alignment problems.
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
Need New Tires?
Check our tire buying guide and ratings.
