Howdy,
I just had a quick question about tread and differentials. The tread on my mud tires is now uneven and I'd like to save up a little bit more before I buy new tires. However, they still have enough tread to were I'm not risking a blow out or anything. I just have to deal with the rough ride. Should I suck it up now and buy new tires or should I wait until I can better afford them? Main question. Does uneven tread damage the differentials with all the vibrating?
Thanks,
-Andrew

 

too vague of a question. Miles on tires? Have a lift? Last time alignment was done? What brand of tires? Too many variables. And the uneven wear may be more related to worn parts. As for damaging diffs, that too depends on how much wear, running lockers, what terrain you wheel on, etc......

 

50,000 miles on tires, no lift, last alignment done in November of 2013, brand of tires Maxxis bighorn. No lockers street terrain with 2-3 off road trips every year. Also used as the daily driver.

 

50k is pretty damn good for a tire, particularly anything all terrain or mud terrain. Just make sure your joints are all good (control arms, spring seat, ball joints, track bars, steering, etc.). If that's all good, get the new ones and a fresh rotation, and you are goo d to go. Your short answer, don't worry about the diffs. Just change your fluid as recommended. They are designed to slip while driving. Cheers!

 

Different tire sizes on the same axle can ruin your spider gears (ie 35" tire on the driver side rear axle with a 33" tire on the passenger side rear axle).

Uneven tread such as cupped tires shouldn't ruin anything as long as the vibration is not to bad.

 

Don't ever go to Walmart for a tire rotation. I went to have them throw my spare into the mix once because I didn't feel like doing it myself and they wouldn't do it because the tires that were driven on were more than an 1/8th in difference in tread depth. So they rotated the normal 4 I was always driving on without asking me if I was ok with that, which I wasn't, and then charged me. Pissed me off. The whole point on me going was to get the spare rotated in. Handed me some bull crap line that it will ruin my differentials and they cannot be held responsible.

 

1/8" difference in tread depth is 1/4" difference in diameter. Maybe not a big deal, but it's more difference that I would like on mine. I keep mine all within a 32nd or two.

I agree they should have told you as soon as they found out, though.