Where to install new tire?

I got a flat tire on a busy state highway, had to drive on it for a half mile, to get to a safe place to change it. Ruined the tire with less than 10000 miles on it.
I got a new tire, Cooper AT-3, same as the rest, and wondered which position would be best to mount the new tire on. This tire is going to be a little bit bigger than then the other three and I don't want to be any harder on the drive train then I have to be. Would it be better on the front or rear? The bad tire was on the right rear I was thinking that I would put the new tire on the right front , put the right front tire on the right rear. Swap the left side, so I would have tires of the same size on the rear end. See any flaws in this logic? What I would like to do is put the new tire on the back right side to take up a little taco lean, but then I would have to take a tire from the other side and it would be rotating in the opposite direction in it's new spot.
What does the TW brain trust say?

 

The whole "rotating in the opposite direction" thing is a non issue unless it's actually a directional tire which AT3 isn't. It's actually good to flip the direction of tires around ever 5-10k so they wear evenly.

However......the reason I'd still put it on the front is because on the rear the spider gears would be turning all the time, even while going straight, if you have mismatched tires on the rear. Also you need to be more careful with 4WD now.

 

Now a days the tire shops are putting new tires on the rear.

 

And there we have it folks.

 

I would have bought 2 tires and put them both on the back and taken the used good rear tire and make it a spare. If your spare is the same as the new one you bought, I would swap it in.

Where do you put 2 new tires on a rear wheel drive?
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When tires are replaced in pairs in situations like these, the new tires should always be installed on the rear axle and the partially worn tires moved to the front. New tires on the rear axle help the driver more easily maintain control on wet roads since deeper treaded tires are better at resisting hydroplaning.

Do front or rear tires wear faster on rear wheel drive?
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Let's start with the basics. Since most cars today are FWD and the front tires are responsible for acceleration, steering and most braking, they normally wear faster than the rears. ... Rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicles and part-time four-wheel drive (4×4) vehicles may wear the rear tires faster

 

Have what exactly?

 

Put it on the right rear. If you have a e-locker keep it off and smoke the tire down to size. I'll need a video for proof, lol.

 

Please tell us, what is the meaning of this wisdom?

 

Hopefully you're kidding, but I don't think you are. It surprises me because you're smart AF. New tires are used as soon as they're driven off the tire shops lot and the warranty factor is the only difference between new tires and used tires - assuming the date of the used tires was checked prior to purchase.

I'm at Discount Tire right now, the displays they have up are hilarious.

 

I've bought several sets of used tires and never had a bad experience. Are we somehow suggesting that a new tire isn't subject to flats? Pretty sure the nail you drive over doesn't care how old the rubber is...

 

I don't have a clue what they're referring to. Both of those guys are really smart though...

 

If they all were bought at the same time just put on were it came off and continue rotate as usual. Cross rotate if you wish but front to back is fine. I assure one or two mm in tire diameter isn’t gonna make a shit of difference in wear to the gears.

 

Yep. If you can swing for another new tire OP I'd be doing this

 

I recently had a tire replaced under warranty and the shop used a tire tread depth gauge to match the new tire with a tire that had the most tread and put that pair on the rear. So I'd suggest getting a tread depth gauge and go from there.

 

manufacture tire warranty's are a joke, I had a toyo a/t blow out on me and they made me jump through hoops to get it warrantied. In the end they just sold me one half price because they couldn't find any fault with the tire its self even though the bead literally separated and the tire split into two pieces lol.

 

I've had good experience with tire shops and their independent warranty but dealing with the actual manufacture what a nightmare it was.

 

Buy a tread gauge.
If only buying 1 tire, The (2) closest matching tires should be installed in the rear since that is the drive wheels 100% of the time.
I would recommend buying in sets of (2) is the more ideal. Put the new tires on the higher wearing position (Front/rear) judge based on tread depth measurements. then rotate L/R until they match the other (2) tread depths. then follow normal rotations.
Replacing only 1 tire puts some additional wear on your diff carriers.

 

My whole point was that the OP bought wheels and tires that had no TPMS sensors. He took them to his tire guy and had them rebalanced. He either drove around with the TPMS light gleefully shining or did the TPMS light delete mod. If he had a functioning TPMS system, he could have pulled off the freeway long before the tire shredded to pieces, thus saving him from having to buy a new tire.

 

If it really bothers you, google "shaving down a tire". Some places will shave tread off of a tire to match the rest. It matters in some AWD cars.

 

Well, not quite . Now for the rest of the story.
The tires I bought on Craigslist are all season on factory aluminum wheels are doing just fine. They are presently vacationing in the basement under the pingpong table . The flat happened on the steel wheels that came on the truck. Last September I ordered the new tires and put them on myself, using tire balancing beads for to balance . The beads worked well on my Golding and scooter, not so well on my taco. I asked the guy who changed my tire what the beads looked like when he dismounted the tire, he said you couldn't see the beads for all the shredded rubber. That half mile did a real number on that deflated tire. I don't believe I will try balancing beads on four wheel vehicles again.
The set of wheels on the truck had tpms sensors on it. I watched the light come on as the noise from the rear got louder. It was a big puncture.