Will different tread depths hurt my 4 wheel drive?

This is something I've commonly heard said, usually by tire salesmen, but I do not buy. The difference in speed of the rotating tires between 6/32" is very small and likely less than many other factors such as alignment and tire inflation differences. The differentials are meant to handle small differences between the different tires rotation speeds and should be able to cope with this.

All this assumes that you are using the same size tires. Never mix tire sizes on a 4WD vehicle.

However, I'd recommend that you call Ford if they provide some sort of "answers line" and verify with them that there isn't anything unique in the design of the system that couldn't cope with this difference in tread depth on otherwise identical tires.

As an aside: We were once traveling through Montana and had a tire die. We limped into town and found a place that could replace the tire, but they were pushing for us to get all 4 matched tires, because we were driving an AWD car (Audi Quattro full-time AWD). I'm kind of particular about my tires and they didn't have what I would have wanted on it, so I just had them replace the one, so we could get home and deal with getting the right tire ordered in then. I was able to get them to replace just the one tire.

I later called the Audi Customer Service Hotline and asked about this. The person I spoke to said that as long as they were the same size tire, it was absolutely not a problem. She re-iterated that the tires must be the same size, but differences in the wear are fine. She obviously did not look this up or have to ask anyone, so it seems like a question they get a lot.

Different outer tire diameters creates a different rate of rotation for each wheel. Depending on the design of the differential, maintaining higher speeds for a lengths of time with great enough differences in rotational speeds can create too much heat, which I imagine leads to break down of the lubrication and damage to the differential.

It would be wise to follow the manufacturers guidelines.

There is no problem with driving different tyre tread depth. Imagine that you go on slight turning angle. Wheels have different rotation speeds anyway even on high speeds. So differentials do all the job to make drive smooth. There is no big deal driving few milimiters smaller wheel on one side since it is not more than 10mm or something about 1/25 inch.

It matters, but how much it matters varies from vehicle to vehicle. TireRack has an article about this topic -> Matching Tires on Four-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive Vehicles

Here is the Manufacture Specific info from the end of the article:

Here are recommendations from some of the manufactures that Tire Rack currently serves for matching the tires used on their four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles. Additional recommendations from other Original Equipment Vehicle Manufacturers is pending.

• Audi: As published in their vehicle owner's manual, "rolling radius of all 4 tires must remain the same" or within 4/32-inch of each other in remaining tread depth.
• Porsche Cayenne: within 30% of the other tire on the same axle's remaining treadwear.
• Subaru: Within 1/4-inch of tire circumference or about 2/32-inch of each other in remaining tread depth.

Unfortunately they don't have any info specific to Ford so you should definitely call Ford & get their take or check your owners manual and see if it is in there (like it is for Audi).

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vboTBpHWHKM&fulldescription=1&client=mv-google&gl=US&guid=&hl=nl. This will happen when you're driveing diffrant size of tire on an awd. And 4wd cars that have 4high and 4low locking diffranciAls

Had the same noise and problemen on 4h and 4low with my opel campo 3.1l 4wd because the gear ratio on the front diff wasn't maching up with the rear diff when driving with differant tire size . When i change all 4 tires with the same size everything just works fine. b

Look, I agree with the tyre rack article to a certain extent. But let's all use a little common sense. Using their example (as I do) in rotating my full size spare on my Wrangler. Even when I swap out at every tyre rotation the act of not using 1 tyre for that set of 5000 miles creates a tyre circumference difference of about 1/8" of an inch. So by there example, I could not ever rotate that tyre back on to my driveline b/c of the 4 less rotations per mile that larger tyre would roll. Not to mention that all roads/ highways are angled or crowned to allow water to be diverted off so that creates a difference in rotation numbers as well. I think the moral is keep it close, if your pushing anything more than an 1/8 or more I wouldn't do it. But car components have tollerence allotments so it can take it. Just use common sense

In vehicles with all-wheel-drive systems, including Subarus, Audis and Lamborghinis, the differential and the computer work together to send the right amount of torque to each wheel to minimize slippage and maximize control. If one of the tires is a different size than the others -- because three tires are worn and one is brand new -- the computer will take an incorrect reading and the differential will work too hard. Drive this way long enough and you'll burn out the drivetrain.

The real answer is, it depends.

The biggest factor is the design of the all wheel drive or four wheel drive system and what type of transfer case it uses.

Some all wheel drive systems use viscous couplings and other limited-slip designs with torque splits, that are sensitive to different rotating speeds front to rear. The problem is, if the difference is too high, these heat up and wear prematurely, causing them to fail. These are mostly found on cars, though, not trucks, and there will always be at least some acceptable level of difference, as the car naturally experiences differences in speed when turning or when the weight load changes, compressing the sidewalls of the tires.

Pickup trucks and full size SUVs tend to use traditional four wheel drive systems with a locked ratio transfer case with a direct chain drive or similar, and locking wheel hubs. These four wheel drive systems will generally be fine with significant differences in front to rear wheel speed. The problem you'll run into running different size tires with them is excessive tire wear, since the tire is the weak point in the system instead of the transfer case. You may also need to change the gear oil sooner than normal, but it shouldn't cause total failure.

Find out the manufacturer guidelines for your specific all wheel drive system, and follow them.

Tech here from Richmond VA. It definitely will depend on the vehicle. I understand that it is a small difference in rotational speed, but over time IT MATTERS. It 100% will create additional heat and stress that can and probably will burn up one or all of the following if the computer can not process the information properly: Rear diff, PTU or Transfer case and Transmission

The shop i'm at specializes in transmission's but we do ALOT And this is a common problem we see all the time. We end up having to replace a transmission along with PTU or rear diff. And most of the time we will see major differences in tread depth on 90% of these vehicles. I am currently working on 2014 explorer 3.5 turbo with about 120k on it. The Right rear tire is 10/32's and other 3 are 3-4/32's. It has probably destroyed the PTU. FLuid inside was black and thick as playdough. If you have had the pleasure of smelling gear oil this burnt then you know what i'm talking about. Its horrible. Our shop has 14 bays and the other techs smelled it up front. LOL to those who know. Anyways haven't diagnosed the trans yet but it was feeling pretty rough. Now, had they serviced this fluid at some point it may have saved all this trouble and tread depth may not have destroyed it. But that is why we recommend fluid exchanges and checking fluids in drive train and correct tire rotations and correct tire inflations and buying 2 or 4 tires and so on and so on. Is this irrefutable proof of tread depth issues, no, but it seems to happen too much to be a coincidence.