Why you MUST replace BOTH tyres on same axle (it’s life-threatening if you don’t)

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Keith Phelps of Dunlop South Africa. 

Listen below:

A customer assistant recently informed Kiewit it would not be 'ethical' to sell him a single tyre as they should be bought in pairs along the same axle.

Replaced tyres should be the same model, make, and thread patterns, as replacing only one tyre might cause swerving, the customer assistant suggested.

Kiewit asked 'tyre expert' Phelps: When one tyre is damaged, should you replace both/all of them?

Phelps says this customer assistant was 'well within his rights' to give Kiewit this advice because replacing only one tyre is a 'huge safety concern'.

"... manufacturers don't build tyres the same, there are different compounds, casing constructions and thread patterns... you should legally fit two tyres of the same make, model and thread pattern... because it is a huge safety factor when it comes to your vehicle's handling, breaking and cornering... when it comes to wet road surfaces, the water dispersal rate between the two tyres affects the breaking of the vehicle.... and can cause malfunctions of the ESP (Electronic Stabilising Program)."

- Keith Phelps, Dunlop South Africa

"It's explicitly not illegal... tyre manufacturers do not recommend mixing tyres on the same axle of a vehicle... each tyre will react and respond totally differently under various road conditions."

- Keith Phelps, Dunlop South Africa

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.