On my ML350 I have 3 tires that are around 11/32-10/32 and a used tire around 7/32. They are all the same brand and size tire bridgestone dualer HL- Alenza 235-65-17. The reason the one tire is 7/32 is I got a blowout on the way to Death Valley and stopped at a used tire store that had a tire of the same brand and size (pretty lucky in the middle of the desert) The guy threw it on balanced and mounted for $40 bucks! So when I got back to town I was going to buy a new replacement tire and no one will sell me a new one! I went to 4 tire shops and they all say I have to buy all 4 new at 13/32 tread depth because if they are not all exactly the same tread depth on this vehicle it will destroy the transfer case or the trans or some kind of fluid clutch?? .....Never herd of this?
So whats the scoop are they pulling my chain or is this true that 3/32 will cause alot of damage??????????????????
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88 W124 3.0
96 R129 119eng
06 ML350
98 ML320 sold
02 CLK55 amg

That's a complete load of BS. My shop handles DOZENS of situations like yours every week. Keep looking until you find a shop that knows what they're talking about, or God forbid, visit your local dealer.

So should I just keep the used 7/32" tread depth tire?

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88 W124 3.0
96 R129 119eng
06 ML350
98 ML320 sold
02 CLK55 amg

If the vehicle drives/handles properly leave it be, you'll be fine. Congrats on scoring a matching tire for $40.

Thanx for the info, the whole thing sounded weird to me. I have looked at a parts breakdown on EPC and I don't see anything that can cause a problem in the transfer case. Must be an urban legend among tire shops

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88 W124 3.0
96 R129 119eng
06 ML350
98 ML320 sold
02 CLK55 amg

In extreme cases of circumference difference the wheel speed sensor reading at the smallest circumference tire vs. the highest will be different. At high speed this difference can become great enough so the the traction system intervenes, usually in the form of applying the brakes to the wheel it thinks is spinning fastest. I saw an early W211 burn up the L/R caliper once, but the L/R was bald AND 15psi low while the other three tires were NEW!!! The driver ignored all warnings and drove it until it stopped........