One more tire question

[Indigo Crow Weaver]

Hi Friends... changed my mind about putting the girl in the barn after the owner said she couldn't come out till May!

Anyhow, I've got the outdated 8x16.5 tires on her and the back ones all have dry rot so they need to be replaced. I've seen a lot of posts recommending a switch to 8.75 x 16.5. My question is this: do I have to replace all 6 tires or can I get away with just changing out the four rear tires that are bad? The front tires are in great shape.   i??
thanks!!
Indigo

[cosmic]

if you change the rears. they all have to be the same size tire. the tires in the front do not necessarily have to be the same because its not 4 wheel drive.
On that not then you have to have 2 different size spares. if you could get 4 tires for the rear that are the same size as the fronts now your talking. then you can switch every which way.

to answer you question no you do not have to change the fronts to make them all the same size. its just more convenient that way if you were to have a blow out.

[DonD]

A buddy changed his tires from 8 to 8.75 and the rears did touch at the bottom. He would get a blowout EVERY time he'd take a long trip. Short hauls, no problems. I warned him when he got the oversized tire but he knew better.
YRMV

[Indigo Crow Weaver]

Don D... what do you mean the rears did touch the bottom? The top of the tire touched the bottom of the chassis? That doesn't sound good at all. Please tell me more!

[Wantawinnie]

I assume he means the sidewalls of the inner and outer tire were touching each on the duals due to the wider tires. Eventually they would heat up and cause a blowout.

[DonD]

Yes, the rear (tires) did touch each other at the bottom. Not good.

[Froggy1936]

The proper definiton is kissing when the sidewalls touch ea other (causes overheating)  On duel mounted tires  This can happen with any duels that are underinflated also  Frank