Mismatched UTV tires

[yanmars]

I purchased a used Kawasaki Mule 2510 4wd UTV. The specs call for 22-11 -10 tires on both the front and rear. All tires are Dunlaps, the front are that size and about 60%. The rears are new but 23-11-10. Any problem with this?
I do not ride on the road or fast and the only time I use 4wd is going up steep hills and that is less than 5 % of the time if that much. Thanks

 

[DIXIEDOG]

As long as you aren't on a good gripping surface when in 4wd you'll be OK....if you get a spot where you don't slip they will bind up and break stuff.

 

[pwright]

Mixing diameters is a bad idea and could well end up breaking something as DixieDog says if you get both front and rear gripping at the same time. On the Mule is the front drive locked and always driving in 4WD or does it only drive when the rears slip?

 

[texasjohn]

I don't have a Mule, but I bet that on a hard surface they would simply wear an extra amount of rubber. The metal is tough. Typically in 4wd the front tires turn slightly faster than the rears, thus "pulling" the vehicle forward using all tires. Your rears are larger than the front tires, thus, seems to me the size difference is sufficient to overcome the "pull" factor and the rear tires will be turning faster than the fronts, thus the rears are "pushing" the front tires.

Way to test this is to mark a front and rear tire when they are exactly on the ground. then drive forward slowly, straight, in 4wd, and count the revolutions both front and rear. At some point it will become obvious if front or rear is getting ahead of the other. Do it again in 2wd, same distance, do you observe a different front tire rotation rate??

 

[yanmars]

pwright: Generally it is in 2wd with the differential locked but if that caused problems I can be in 2wd with the diff unlocked. It is rarely in 4wd unless needed because when it was on a hard surface it would make a loud metallic bang, ended when not in 4wd unless in a tough situation.

 

[pwright]

Under the majority of your driving conditions there is little, if any, risk of hurting your Mule. It would only be when you have 4WD engaged and suddenly found yourself in situation where both front and rear are driving and both have good traction. Only use 4WD when on loose terrain and take it easy. Use it in 2WD (w/rear diff unlocked) for most of your driving and you'll be fine. Chances are if they had to replace the rears with so little wear on the front it was because they had the rear diff locked way more often than was needed. That will really wear down those rear tires.

 

[yanmars]

Thanks for all the good information. In the beginning I had it in 4wd a few times when really not needed and I got the loud, metal clunking sound. Pretty quickly realized that was not the thing to do, thankfully before anything was broken.

 

[clemsonfor]

Keeping it locked will wear your tires out in the rear even in 2wd. That causes each tire on an inside turn to scuff and spin in place more than it goes fwd accelerating wear on that tire. Assuming you do equal left and right turns you will wear them out faster.

 

[Shmudda]

Yanmars,

Do yourself a favor and get the same sized tires. The cost of tires compared to transmission repairs is quite a big difference. Calculate the difference in circumference and you will be surprised at how that number adds up over just 50 or 100 yards

Craig

 

[johnk]

I agree with Shmudda. Get the right sizwe tires. Not only for wear and tear on axles and tranny but also for your safety. Your life is woth more than a couple undred bucks...