Tires: repacing tires, wheel drive cars, all wheel drive cars

Question
I have a 1999 Ford F350 Super Duty 4 wheel drive truck.  Two weeks ago a person lost their load on the highway and I lost a tire driving through the debris field.  One tire got something lodged into it and went flat beyond repair according to Les Schwab.  The other tires have another year left of tread wear and the isurance company wants to only replace one tire.  Schwab says you can't do that due to it being a 4 wheel drive truck.  They say it will cause damage to the differential and transmission if not all tires are the same within 2/32 of an inch and the best practice is to replace all 4.  Mismatched tires can also present handling problems and possible others...are they right?

Answer
Mike,

There are 2 issues here:

1)  You should replace all 4 tires since 4X4's and all wheel drive cars will experience drivetrain bindup and potentially center differential or transfer case failure.

2)  Be aware that I am not an attorney and that the following is based on my experience:  Since the tires were well worn at the time of the accident, the insurance company is only obligated to return the vehicle to the condition it was in at the time of the accident - which means a worn tire.  The fact that they are willing to pay for a new tire does not mean they are REQUIRING you to use a new tire - you could use a used one.  If you wish to preserve the integrity of your vehicle, then the cost of purchasing new tires has only been moved forward one year - and the insurance company compensated you for that by paying for a NEW tire instead of a used one.