[jason2454]

Hey guys,

My car was recently driven over a curb. The two tires on the right side were flat. The insurance company does not want to replace the back rear tire as it appears to be un-damaged, even though it went flat. The rim was bent breaking the bead. However the car sat for a few days on the flat tire. Do you guys think the tire is possibly damaged and should be replaced? Im worried it might be damaged... it did jump a curb afterall. Its a bridgestone re-01r with about 5k miles on it.

[T3h_Clap]

you'll need to replace all of them, the sidewall is damaged and Subaru's require having 4 matching tires.

it'll be cheaper/easier for the insurance company to buy 4 tires then to have to match the other 3 to the one good one.

have your owners manual ready to try and fight to get all 4 replaced.

[CGMDan]

T3h Clap has spoken.

[tyler_sti]

(yoda voice) True, this man speaks.. You have a good case at you're hands.

[RFFG]

Post 2 contains what you need...

IBTL

[jason2454]

Appreciate the responses guys. I talked with the body shop manager today and she said in her experience they rarely will replace all 4 tires unless they are damaged. Looks like i need to make a call to the insurance adjuster. BTW, my owners manual happens to be in the car which is in the body shop. Does anyone happen to know what it says exactly about driving with 4 of the same tire? Could it just be referencing Tires of the same design or size? Or does it say tires of the same treadware?

thanks again guys

-jason

[boondocksaint]

Originally Posted by jason2454

Appreciate the responses guys. I talked with the body shop manager today and she said in her experience they rarely will replace all 4 tires unless they are damaged. Looks like i need to make a call to the insurance adjuster. BTW, my owners manual happens to be in the car which is in the body shop. Does anyone happen to know what it says exactly about driving with 4 of the same tire? Could it just be referencing Tires of the same design or size? Or does it say tires of the same treadware?

thanks again guys

-jason

The issue is that the tires all need to be nearly the same rotating circumference. If this value differs greatly side-to-side or front-to-back, it can damage the differentials over time. This information is in the owner's manual. I would show it to the adjuster and ask him if insurance is going to pay for the replacement of the differentials - a pricey procedure - because they couldn't cough up another $200 for proper tires.

FWIW: You also want to have identical treadwears if possible, simply because if those differ, the tires will wear at different rates and you'll end up with the rotating circumference problem again.

I wouldn't think you'd want different brands of tire on the car simply because different tires perform differently, and will make your handling less predictable in a given road condition.

[stretch]

You can run the two higher treadwear tires up front without a problem. That'll actually give you a closer-to-equal rotating circumference than will four new tires because the added weight on the front of the car reduces its rolling radius.

But push for four new tires anyway, I think you have a case. Certainly I'd want two new tires.

[boondocksaint]

Originally Posted by stretch

You can run the two higher treadwear tires up front without a problem. That'll actually give you a closer-to-equal rotating circumference than will four new tires because the added weight on the front of the car reduces its rolling radius.

Until you rotate them.

[T3h_Clap]

I wouldn't suggest running different compound tires front and rear, even if they were from the same manufacture and model tire.

the difference in section width and tread width between a 245 FK452 and 245 RT615 is enough to make me scared.

It is ALWAYS best to run the same tire (Size, Brand, Model, Treadwear) all around and keep them properly rotated.