# Tire damage question - fine or replace it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 11, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088 "2021-01-11T14:44:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a87d85/32.png) [@Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hpsportsfanatic_166976)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/1 "2021-01-11T14:44:47Z")
Hello all, Just noticed this on our non daily driver truck. Later in the week I’ll take it to a tire shop but want to know if this will need to be replaced. Don’t want to fall into the trap of just buying a tire b/c they recommend it and want a quick sale. And I just want to be mentally ready if I need to. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/f/cf2e4b98993a42e293e3418384fae1c0fb680201.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/2 "2021-01-11T14:46:30Z")
No tire shop is going to repair sidewall damage period. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/3 "2021-01-11T14:53:50Z")
I’d replace it. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/4 "2021-01-11T15:19:55Z")
And if that truck is a 4-wheel-drive, they are not ripping you off when they tell you that all 4 tires need to be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a87d85/32.png) [@Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hpsportsfanatic_166976)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/5 "2021-01-11T15:22:31Z")
Ahhh and of course it is. Now again this isn’t necessarily our daily driver. More of a dump run occasionally, pick up large items that don’t fit in our other cars, friends to borrow when moving kindve truck. How bad would it be just to do 1 or 2 tires instead of all 4? ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/6 "2021-01-11T15:25:49Z")
If the 4 wheel drive system is fully manual (i.e., the car does not automatically put it in 4wd/awd when it detects the need) and you _never_ put it in 4wd, it’s not critical. But if you run unequal diameter tires with 4wd engaged, you’ll break stuff. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/7 "2021-01-11T15:26:16Z")
If you are loaning a vehicle to other people just find a tire shop you trust and let them make the call . The very least I would do is put 2 new tires on the rear and the best 2 older tires on the front . Also if this thing sets outside all the time and they are 6 years old then replace all 4. OK , I am changing my thoughts . Apparently this is a 4 Wheel Drive and has been in the desert for at least 5 years . Just replace all 4 , they don’t have to be top of the line tires because the sun will make them unusable before they wear out the tread . ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/8 "2021-01-11T15:27:39Z")
Oh yeah, good point. You have to not only never put it in 4wd yourself, you have to be confident that none of the people you lend it to will do so either. 😉 Another option is to seek out a used tire shop and get 4 equal tread depth tires. If it’s such a limited use vehicle, that’d be a budget option to get all 4 and not have to worry about whether or not someone uses 4wd. ---
**Author:** ![Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a87d85/32.png) [@Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hpsportsfanatic_166976)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/9 "2021-01-11T15:28:23Z")
Yeah, it has a dial I have to turn to engage it. And I live in the desert. Only time I would need it is if I go snowboarding up north. Which I haven’t since I moved hear 5 years ago 😂 ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 3:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/10 "2021-01-11T15:56:43Z")
Another option is to buy one new tire and have it ‘shaved’ to match the size of the other tires. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 4:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/11 "2021-01-11T16:37:22Z")
> [@shadowfax](#): > > And if that truck is a 4-wheel-drive You don’t need to replace all 4 tires on a 4wd system. AWD - maybe…It depends on the AWD system. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 5:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/12 "2021-01-11T17:31:49Z")
The cut looks very shallow, if the cords are exposed the tire should be replaced. Be careful of those who want to sell you 4 new tires to match, you don’t need perfectly matching tires to drive on snow. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/13 "2021-01-11T20:18:10Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > You don’t need to replace all 4 tires on a 4wd system. AWD - maybe…It depends on the AWD system. I think we’re both right, because some full-time 4wd systems do need equal diameters. And since we don’t know what OP drives, we don’t know what system we’re talking about. There’s also the problem that 4wd and AWD are often used interchangeably in conversation, so we _really_ don’t know what we’re dealing with as yet. ---
**Author:** ![Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a87d85/32.png) [@Hpsportsfanatic\_166976](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Hpsportsfanatic_166976)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/14 "2021-01-11T20:19:06Z")
F-150 2006 lariat 4x4 5.3l ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/15 "2021-01-11T20:27:46Z")
Your owners manual will tell you about your drive train, and whether it needs all four tires to be replaced. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/16 "2021-01-11T20:42:18Z")
Maybe you can get insurance help with this. It looks like damage from a road hazard to me. Worth a call, anyway. Let them refuse the claim. If you don’t call, they definitely won’t cover it. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/17 "2021-01-11T20:47:34Z")
> [@jtsanders](#): > > Maybe you can get insurance help with this He can call but it is doubtful if it worth the time. Besides the deductible will more than the price of a tire . Road hazard tire damage is separate from the vehicle insurance. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 8:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/18 "2021-01-11T20:55:15Z")
I guess he should contact you first and not annoy the insurance folks. ---
**Author:** ![marcojung50\_172905](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@marcojung50\_172905](https://community.cartalk.com/u/marcojung50_172905)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/19 "2021-01-11T21:07:18Z")
I would say that you should change it ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088/20 "2021-01-11T21:39:45Z")
> [@shadowfax](#): > > I think we’re both right, because some full-time 4wd systems do need equal diameters. And since we don’t know what OP drives, we don’t know what system we’re talking about I’ve owned several 4wd systems over the years…and never heard of that. Which ones that you know of are like that…Always willing to learn something. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tire-damage-question-fine-or-replace-it/174088.md?page=2)