Using stock tires on front and new tires on back okay for towing trailer?
 

Hey guys, I just got the 2 back tires on my 2018 F150 replaced. The stock tires were Goodyear Wranglers 17", new ones are Mazama Open Range A/T 17" tires I got from Les Schwab. Apparently only Les Schwab sells these. They seem very solid, but my concern is that I decided to leave the two stock Wranglers on the front because they said there's another 30,000 miles of life in them... but the truck definitely feels different with two new tires on the back and the originals on the front. Is there any danger to having two different sets of tires on the front and back? I will be towing a 4,000lb trailer to New England this summer. Thanks for any info!

Photo is of one of the new back tires.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...afb3be89e7.jpg

It is generally a good idea to have all 4 tires the same with the same miles on them. You can get some funky handling even unloaded. If you properly rotate them they'll all wear out at the same time. You'll PROBABLY be OK. But if it were my truck I'd replace the fronts too and sell them. The tire store where I do my business would, and has offered me a fair price. I've been in a situation where one tire was destroyed and could not be repaired with about 1/2 the tread life. Getting another exact tire was not an option so I just bought 4 new ones and sold the 3 good ones to the store.

If it is a 4X4 vehicle you should NEVER use different tires. All 4 should be exactly the same, purchased at the same time. Even if they are the exact tire in the same size the older worn tires are enough smaller to cause problems.

With the all the electronic systems involved, as mentioned it's always best to replace all 4 at the same time. I wouldn't chance driving around town much less across country on different tires, the expense of a very possible failure spooks me.
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The new tires need to break in, give them 500 miles or so to get rid of release agents and get some of the edges worn down. I am one that rotate my own tires and when one is ready they are all ready to replace but LS did it correct by putting the new on the rear. Drive it and see if it gets feeling less weird and it all else fails get the other 2 and sell the GY on Craigslist if LS will not give you anything for them.

What do you mean by a "very possible failure" by having the stock tires on the front and new tires on the back? It is a 4x4 by the way. Because of my long trip coming up I am a little concerned... but frankly don't wanna cough up another $550 for two more of the tires if I don't have to. But if it is a serious risk with a 4x4 vehicle then guess I should?

Every wheel has a speed sensor and when you have different diameter tires reporting different speeds it can cause all sorts of funky driving characteristics that can cause system failures.

Do what you want it's your truck but I wouldn't run my truck that way. Way too many very expensive repairs is a very real scenario and I work on these things for a living so all it would cost me is the parts and that alone is not a very appealing prospect.
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It's a 4X4? If so this is a bad move.

Personally I would never just replace 2 tires, especially on a 4X4. Rnlcomp has some great advise in the previous posts about replacing all four tires at the same time.

I appreciate the feedback from everyone. Going to begrudgingly cough up another $550 to purchase 2 more of these tires for the front. Hopefully I can turn in my Wranglers for some credit toward the purchase. Only had these new tires for like 4 days so it'll still be basically getting all new tires at the same time. Safety on my 3,000 mile trip > $550. Thanks again guys.

What about the guys who use a traditional snow tire on stock wheels?