I know it's recommended to replace tires in full sets. But I have about 40% left on my tires and I just ran over a very large screw that's a little too big to plug.

Think I can just replace 2 tires on my 04 STi?

Jason

 

How about buying one and having it shaved to the diameter of the others?

 

I'd love to hear Subaru's official answer on this. You should contact them and see what they say.

I know that with AWD, you are supposed to run the same diameter tires front and rear, with some allowance for wear that occurs over time, being able to run a different diameter mini-spare for several hundred miles, etc. Even air pressure determines the OD, but anyway...

Please contact subaru and get us an "official" answer! (not the opinion of a service manager or something hokey pokey, either!!!)

 

...the answer should already in the manual. I believe the tolerance is 1/4"

 

You can grab just one tire (another of the same brand and model of course) and shave it to match the others.

 

Well, I have the same problem, and I went ahead an replaced just one tire because I don't have enough
extra cash to replace all four. I just got some tax returns and I was thinking I might replace the
one opposite my new one so at least both front tires would be the same, and both back tires would
be the same.

I don't know if I could bring myself to buy a brand new tire, then shave off %60 of it.

Let me know if you find out an official word.

 

the official word from Tire Rack:

Subaru - Within 1/4-inch of tire circumference or about 2/32-inch of each other in remaining tread depth.

Here is the informative page where it came from.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...chingtires.jsp

 

I just got off the phone with Autowest Subaru (Roseville, CA) and the service advisor checked their documentation and they told me that the new tire must be no more than 1 inch larger in circumference than the remaining tires.

I haven't had time to call a central Subaru number yet since I'm at work.

Anyone happen to have the circumference of a new Bridgestone S-03 for the STi size?

I'll keep on trying to get more information.

Thanks all for the information so far! As always, you all are very helpful!!!!!

Jason

 

Assuming you were on S03s before the incident, all you have to do is order a new tire and find a place to shave it down to the same tread depth as your others. As S03s are molded with 10/32 of tread, I'm quite sure you'll want to match within the 2/32 recommended by Tire Rack. I would. Also, Tire Rack will shave tires for you fairly cheap.

 

It's a whole lot cheaper than replacing all four, which is the only real alternative.

 

yes, this works.

i had a set of BFG KD's (167each) and got a nail in one. couldn't fix it. ordered another one "shaved" from TireRack (Luke). worked fine. just get a tire tread depth gauge and measure all the tires and then have the new one shaved down to either the avg, or close to, of the other three.

 

Thanks for all the input guys!!! Looks like I'll probably just buy one s-03 and get it shaved down.

Jason