A vehicle is not only a means of transportation that brings pleasure to the car enthusiast, it is also a serious expense item. To ensure that the car does not fail on the road, it must undergo periodic maintenance at a car service center; many consumables and elements, including tires, must be replaced.
In an effort to save money, many drivers resort to tricks by swapping wheels from one axle to another, or purchasing only one or two tires to replace a worn one. At the same time, many do not even know whether it is possible to put different tires on different axles, what the consequences of such rearrangements are and what this entails when the car is stopped by a traffic police officer.
A set of tires installed on a passenger car consists of 4 tires of the same size and with the same tread, which can be installed on any axle. If any tire is damaged, it needs to be replaced. In this case, the driver needs to purchase a new tire, however, as a rule, tires for the car are sold in pairs.
Not wanting to incur extra costs, the driver begins to look for a solution to the problem: installs a spare tire with a different pattern, buys a used tire, borrows a tire of the right size from familiar car enthusiasts.
Technical regulations establish certain requirements for vehicle tires:
- The tread depth of the tires must be at least 1.6 mm for the summer type and up to 4 mm for the winter or all-season type. This requirement applies to tires installed on passenger cars. This compliance can only be checked at a specialized service station using licensed equipment.
The traffic police officer does not have the right to determine the tread depth independently.
- The rubber should not have any visual damage - punctures, protruding cords, etc.
- The load that the tires can withstand must correspond to the model of vehicle for which they are purchased.
Separately, the regulations establish requirements for car rims.
They should be missing:
- Damage and cracks;
- Chips and any other defects and irregularities.
In addition, they must be secured using the entire set of fasteners provided by the manufacturer. In the absence of the entire set, operation of the vehicle is prohibited.
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- tires with a mismatched tread pattern;
- rubber of various designs;
- wheels designed for different seasons of operation;
- new tires and tires on which the tread has been retreaded;
- tires with and without studs.
This ban is due to the fact that a vehicle with different tires installed on one axle may behave unpredictably during an emergency stop on a slippery or icy road. Such situations are common when one wheel is installed on the car’s axle for driving on a dry road surface, and the second one is installed to hold the car on a wet road. In this case, when driving in rainy weather, one wheel will effectively hold the vehicle on the road, while the other will skid.
Particular care should be taken when installing tires intended for different seasons on one axle. Do not operate a vehicle with summer and winter tires installed on the same axle. In addition to a fine of 500 rubles from a traffic police officer, the driver can get into big problems if unforeseen situations arise on the road and the need to quickly reduce the speed limit or stop. Therefore, if one of the winter tires on your car is damaged, you should not hesitate to go to the store and purchase a pair to replace it on the entire axle.
In addition, it is strictly regulated that all 4 winter tires must be studded or not have them. Installation of combined tires is not allowed.
Harm
Many people are interested in whether it is possible to put different tires on the wheels of one car. People don’t walk around in winter with one foot in sandals and the other in felt boots. So why are they trying to put only two wheels in winter tires? Installing tires with different patterns on one side is strictly prohibited. And this is not just for security purposes. Tires with different patterns have significant differences in performance. Significant differences are expressed in speed indicators, as well as in the braking process. It is for this reason that Russian legislation prohibits installation of different types of rubber.
Considering that this situation significantly reduces the level of safety, the lives of passengers and, accordingly, the driver are at risk. Imagine a situation where you install a tire designed for wet roads on one wheel, and a tire designed for dry roads on the opposite wheel. On any surface, one wheel will have excellent traction, while the other will skid. Therefore, different tires on the axles can lead to dire consequences not only for the car, but also for the riders.
Operating a car on tires with different tread patterns
During the operation of a vehicle, car owners often install tires with different patterns. The legislation of the Russian Federation does not prohibit this if tires with the same tread are installed on the same axle. Thus, a pair of front tires may differ in design from a pair of rear tires and this will not be a violation of current legislation.
Installing tires with different tread patterns on one axle is a violation of paragraph 5.5. current traffic regulations. If such a fact is discovered, the traffic police officer is obliged to issue a warning to the driver of such a vehicle or fine him.
Is it possible to put different tires on the front and rear axles?
If you use pairs of unequal tires on the front and rear axles, then you can move the car. From the point of view of current legislation, there will be no disciplinary measures. The properties and parameters of these wheels are almost at the same level, which means the car will be relatively stable and controllable on different types of road surfaces.
In order for the car to be controllable on winter roads, experts advise installing seasonal tires on the rear axle. In this case, the car will not become loose when turning and will not go into skids.
Using tires with different wear levels
In accordance with clause 5.5. Traffic rules: identical tires must be installed on one axle of the car. At the same time, we are not talking about the degree of their wear; accordingly, such a situation does not fall under the restriction and ban on the operation of the car. If the tires on the driving axle of the car are significantly worn out, they can be moved to the driven axle, and from there, rearranged with higher quality tires.
But it is prohibited to use new and retreaded tires, or new rubber and a tire with a deep tread type, on the same axle. Reconditioned rubber is considered to be worn-out tires on which a new layer of tread has been applied. Tread deepening - cutting a deeper tread on the tire in use. By using such tires in combination with new ones on one axle of the car, the driver violates the requirements of paragraph 5.5 of the traffic rules, and also exposes himself and other road users to significant risk.
What's the result?
If different tires are installed on one axle, the car owner will face a fine. Moreover, it is ineffective and unsafe.
Different tires on the axles located at the front and rear are not prohibited by law, but it should be remembered that it is recommended to install only varieties with similar characteristics that will have the same seasonality. In addition, you should refrain from installing studded and non-studded tires on different axles, since this will also harm safety and will inevitably lead to penalties.
Sanctions for violating traffic rules
If the driver has violated the requirements of paragraph 5.5 of the traffic rules, if the vehicle is stopped by a traffic police officer, he will be punished. Thus, Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses defines the following types of penalties for the use of various tires on a vehicle:
- warning;
- a fine of 500 rubles.
The traffic police inspector will draw up a decision if the car is equipped with winter tires with and without studs. The second option, in which the driver will not be able to avoid liability, is to install different tires on one axle of the vehicle. As an example, you can specify the installation of tires of different sizes in height or width; rubber with different tread patterns, etc.
In some situations, the driver may be fined inappropriately. For example, when he was forced to install a spare tire to fix a problem with the main tire and was heading to a tire repair shop, but was stopped by a traffic police inspector. If the driver is sent to the service to eliminate a violation, he cannot be fined by a police officer. To appeal the issued decision, you must submit a corresponding application to the administrative court. It must indicate all the data regarding the current situation, as well as provide evidence confirming the incompetence of the actions of the traffic police officer (testimony of witnesses, video recording from the registrar, etc.).
Taking into account the above, the vehicle owner must be clearly aware that installing different tires on one axle of the car reduces its safe operation. All this can lead to undesirable consequences on the road, including the creation of an emergency situation, accidents and harm to the life and health of other road users. In addition, if a violation of the requirements for the operation of vehicles is detected, the traffic police officer will issue a fine to the driver of the vehicle.
Punishment for the use of different tires provided for by law
Figure 1. Car wheel axles.
The front axle of the machine is indicated by wheels 3 and 4; the rear axle of the car has wheels 1 and 2. Car tires provide traction between the rubber and the road surface. Tire manufacturers produce products equipped with different tread patterns that provide different contact patches when the tire comes into contact with the road. It is unsafe to drive a vehicle equipped with different tires; there is a possibility of losing control of the vehicle, and the risk of an accident increases. The driver is subject to a fine of five thousand rubles in the following situations:
- the car is simultaneously equipped with studded and non-studded tires;
- one axle of a vehicle has different tires.
The fine for these violations is small, but when using different “shoes” for wheels, you should first of all take care of your own safety.
Figure 1 shows a car with numbered wheels on the front as well as the rear axle.
How to determine wheel offset
What constitutes wheel offset is a geometric parameter of a car rim. This question interests many motorists who buy new components for their cars. This parameter determines the distance between the plane of application of the disk to the hub and the vertical center line of the wheel. As a rule, this value is measured in millimeters.
Determining the value
The formula for calculating the departure in general is as follows:
- ET = a-b/2.
- ET = XY/2.
ET means offset, Y is the width of the structure, X determines the distance between the plane of application of the disk to the hub and its internal plane.
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Is it possible to put different tires on a car according to traffic regulations?
Many motorists used different tires on their cars: sometimes out of necessity, and sometimes at their own request. However, the legislation does not give a clear answer: is it allowed to drive a car with different tires? What makes the situation worse is that some types of rubber can be combined, while others cannot. And this article was written just to make it easier for drivers to understand all the intricacies.
Wheel offset
Many experts argue that the offset of a wheel rim is the size of the protruding part from the body. In reality, everything is not so simple. All wheel structures have a mating plane. As a result, the structure comes into contact with the hub. This may happen during installation of these items. Therefore, the term “overhang” primarily refers to the distance from this plane to the vertical axis of the product, dividing it into two symmetrical halves.
Product overhang
The value usually affects the safety of the driver and passenger when traveling at high speed. An incorrectly selected design offset can cause wear on the suspension unit. When choosing components for their own vehicle, motorists often make mistakes. When buying new products, you don’t need to prioritize only their appearance. In addition, buyers are not particularly familiar with the characteristics of the product and confidently buy components that sometimes do not fit the standard size at all. To avoid unnecessary troubles, you should study the features of your car.
Note!
Without taking into account the recommendations of the manufacturer, you can attract unfavorable factors. For example, there is a possibility of a traffic accident occurring. Therefore, when purchasing new components, the driver must carefully check all performance characteristics.
In what cases can you drive on different tires?
To have the best handling, it is better not to experiment with tires at all. It is better to install tires with minimal differences on all wheels of the car. However, not every difference will be punishable by a fine. The conditions under which the use of a vehicle with different tires is prohibited are listed in paragraph 5.5 of the List of faults. And now more about each type.
Summer and winter tires
It is prohibited to install tires intended for different seasons within the same axle, even if it is the same size and from the same manufacturer. If there are differences between the two axles, then motorists can install tires of different seasons with peace of mind, but with an important condition: if the winter tires are studless, for example, with Velcro.
But driving a car with both studded and non-studded tires is prohibited! And in this case, it doesn’t even matter whether they are installed on different axes or not.
Rubber from different manufacturers
There must be one manufacturer of tires located on the same axle. Moreover, the tires of one axle must completely match the model and even the type of pattern. That is, theoretically, even a situation where the tire matches the model number, but has minor differences in the tread pattern, will be considered a violation. Another question: will the inspector notice these differences if they really are insignificant? It all depends only on the luck of the motorist.
Wheel offset "Volkswagen Polo" 2007
The meaning of wheels for a Volkswagen Polo
Note!
For example, wheels for a Volkswagen Polo sedan are marked 6Jx15 ET 40 PCD 5×100.
The marking is deciphered as follows:
- number 6 is the width of the rim in inches;
- J - means the shape of the rim flange profile;
- 15 — wheel rim diameter in inches;
- ET (disc offset) is the distance from the disc mounting plane to the rim symmetry plane, expressed in millimeters;
- PCD 5×100 - bolt pattern.
Wheel sizes for Polo sedan:
- 5J x 14 ET 35 PCD 5x100.
- 6J x 15 ET 38 PCD 5x100.
- 6J x 15 ET 40 PCD 5x100.
As an example, consider the sizes of Polo sedan tires and their markings.
So, for the Polo sedan in the Highline configuration, tires with the following marking 195/55 R15 85T are suitable:
- 195 is the width of the tire section in millimeters.
- 55 — tire profile height (percentage of width).
- R - tires with a radial design.
- 15 means the diameter of the wheel rim.
- 85 - the maximum load on the wheel at maximum speed is 515 kg.
- T — the maximum driving speed on these tires is 190 km/h.
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Polo sedan tire sizes:
- 175/70 R14 84T.
- 185/60 R15 84T.
- 195/55 R15 85T.
On a note!
You can experiment with options for selecting rims and wheels, but the manufacturer does not recommend putting 185/60 tires on 15-diameter winter rims. Such components impair the driving performance of the vehicle. Also, Volkswagen engineers allow R16 wheels as possible for tuning, but only in the summer.
