Hi
I am going to view one of the last Freelander`s made with the original Goodyear Wranglers, apart from the OSF which has been replaced 2000 miles ago as a result of a puncture to the side wall, my concern is the diff.

After reading about diff problems and not mixing tyres I was wondering if any one out there could advise if this would be have damaged any thing in particular the diff, the car is only used for local work about 100 miles a week.

My thoughts were to put the original back tyres both with equal tyre wear on the front and put the replaced OFS tyre and a new tyre on the rear any thoughts please
Richard

I doubt if damage has occurred, but I wouldn't mix tyres on an axle out of safety concerns. Personally I'd get a new tyre on a matching wheel (most styles can be found second hand) and keep the odd tyre as spare. Or get a new tyre to match the odd one and keep the original tyre as a spare. I'm assuming you don't already have a spare! Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

Thanks for the response all the tyres are the same brand ie Goodyear Wranglers, even the replaced one , so no problem with brands.

My thoughts are a new tyre Goodyear Wrangler on the older worn tyre rim no problem with that.
But do you think that would be ok mixing it with a new tyre same brand on same axle with a tyre that has done approx 2 thousand miles, and would they be best on the back or front.
My local 4x4 land rover specialist and new tyre fitter says it dose not matter, the last thing I want is to cause damage that can be avoided
Thanks

I had a similar query recently with my winter tyres one of which had a a non repairable puncture

This is the response I got from the Goodyear Tech Dept


Please find our company position regarding mixing different patterns and constructions on axles.

According to the law in the UK it is permissible to mix tyres across the axle as long as they are of the same construction i.e. radial.

Goodyear Dunlop, many of our competitors, and many motoring organisations however take this further and recommend tyres of the same construction and pattern should be matched across the axle, so aiding equal handling especially in the event of extreme driving conditions. By this we include harsh braking. In some countries, mixing tyre brands across the axle is illegal.

The mixing issue also applies to tread depths as well. A tyre with 7mm of tread is going to have better water dispersion characteristics than a tyre nearing the minimum tread depth law. This means in some driving conditions tyres with different states of wear may not react in the same manner across the axle.

Different brands and patterns of tyres may also vary slightly in overall diameters due to their individual designs. In some cases (depending on vehicle make and especially if the vehicle is a 4x4) this could affect the performance or mechanics of the vehicle if the tyres were mixed.

As the vehicle is a 4x4, the manufacturer should be consulted as to how much flexibility the vehicle has when in fixed four wheel drive. Often the owners handbook will give the vehicle manufacturers advise on the subject which could well mean same tyres on all axles.

As the law of the UK does not require the same pattern across the axle the choice is yours / the bill payers as to mixing tyres but, to ensure best and safest driving conditions, we advise fitting tyres with equal performance across the axle and also checking and following the vehicle manufacturers guidance on the subject.


I would have thought that the difference between a 2k mile tyre and a new tyre was insignificant, so provided you have the identical tyres across the axle you should be fine

Steve

Isn't the whole purpose of a differential to allow one wheel to turn faster than the other? Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

If there is only 2K difference I would not worry too much but to get the ultimate best wear and load factor I move my wheels back to front on the same side each year.

So if you can put one to spare and get the others of all the same make balanced out at each axle side and then move front to rear as they wear it should be spot on for thousands of trouble free miles.

A MY13 year onwards is so much less prone to diff failures I understand.

Hope that makes sense.  FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

Agree. 2K won't make much difference. Newer tyres should always go on the back (see many threads on here for discussion!). In my 7-odd years of FL2 ownership I kept an eye out for spare wheels (I've got plenty of storage space). Ended up with a set of four 17" with winter tyres, plus a matching wheel with a nondescript tyre as emergency spare, and six 18" wheels with matching tyres. When I put the summer tyres back on, I just put on the best four, plus one on the spare and one in the garage. Tread varied by the odd mm but no transmission problems at all. Never bought a tyre in three years on my last car - the winter wheels were off the previous car, the spare was brand new and the extra 18" was bought with a brand new tyre off a forum member for less than the cost of a new tyre. And I gave away my old steel spare (less tyre) to another forum member. When I changed to the DS I managed to sell all my FL2 spare wheels on the forum. It's always worth keeping an eye on the "for sale" section. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

And very good they are Past Master  Common sense isn't very common.
_______________________________
2007 Land Rover Freelander2 I6 hse Auto

Ah the Wintrax! They seemed to wear better than the Pirellis! Glad they suit you. Of course this year without winter tyres I had to encounter my first solid ice - on the NY Moors, and then again in the Cotswolds. Must say the DS on newish tyres coped very well - a bit of slippage but pretty sure footed and the electronics soon sorted out any problems. I'll be getting some new wheels and winter tyres for next year though I think. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.