bebbetufs

I'm struggling to find tires to fit my 7j and 9j 16" turbo-s rims as discussed in this thread.

It would make my life much easier if I could mix tires from different manufacuters, but I have been adviced against this. I thought this question warrants a new thread; why is it bad to mix tires for track use when it is commonplace to see this with road tires?

Would not a pair of stickier tires in the front help cure some of the understeer in the 944 turbo?

Jim Michaels

You again! Me again!

I didn't know that mixing tires was common with road tires.

Yes, stickier tires in the front than in the rear would reduce understeer, and it might be just the ticket for neutral handling. Then again, it might produce wild oversteer. One just doesn't know what will happen until the mixture is tested. Different makes of tires vary in internal construction and sidewall stiffness as well as in the rubber compound that meets the road. Thus, even if they had the same surface rubber, they're likely to react to g-forces differently.

Even so, I've heard of cases where mixing race tires resolved handling problems that were difficult to resolve in other ways. The resolutions came through testing various combinations, however: something most of us are not allowed to do before we order tires.

So I guess we're advised not to mix tires through fear of the unknown.

bebbetufs

Thanks, makes a lot more sense when you put it like that.

Over here it is very common. It used to be illegal to mix tires on the same axle, but now they've opened up for that as well, so in theory you could run four different tires as long as they are of the same basic type, ie. UHPS. Most people would never do this, however.

John 996 TT Cab

Mixing tire manufacturers reminds me of Ralph Nader's old statement. "Unsafe at any speed!" It's not legal in certain provinces in Canada nor I believe in certain of the US states.

John in Vancouver