Poll on where to fit new tyres

storm99 said:

Taking things to the extreme..to prove a point....if you were driving a hgv (not a trailer type)...and you had to choose, where would you want the better tyres..front or rear?

Click to expand...

It's a different situation because the starting weight distibution is going to have a big rear bias, over 60% rear when loaded. Most commercial vehicles have a load sensor that modulates the brake input on the rear axle, when it's lightly loaded most of the braking pressure will go to the front. So to answer your question, its got to be front again.

storm99 said:

i didn't say let go of the steering wheel!!

Click to expand...

.:d:d:d

.

I agree with SpudH. In a hard/panic stop, the vast majority of your braking force is on the front wheels. The other reason for me to fit the newest tyres on the front is one of aquaplaning. Doesn't happen very often but if/when it does, it's pretty frightening. The better the tyres, the less chance of coming to grief on a sodden motorway.

i'd have to say new on the front too, had a corsa rally car for 2 years and only had to change the fronts due to cornering hard, plus the fact i think sideways driving is way better than straight line boringness, had a hillman imp rally car fer me first car (RWD) and still only changed the fronts on that from scrubbage when scrabbling to turn into drifts (and the occasional flat spot from locking up...dam bias peddle box set up!!) but i can honestly say, if i had to choose from front or rear new treads, its gonna be front every time, i'd prefer to stop or go sideways than plough straight into the back of someone

I used to race clubmans single seaters (RWD). In the wet the best of my grooved tyres always went on the front. I could catch and adapt the the rear sliding, aquaplaning flat out down the straight was another matter as was understearing off!

Datatek said:

I used to race clubmans single seaters (RWD). In the wet the best of my grooved tyres always went on the front. I could catch and adapt the the rear sliding, aquaplaning flat out down the straight was another matter as was understearing off!

Click to expand...

That's exactly my experience too Datatek (although never in a single seater) from rallying and road bikes and I think this engineering argument is very transferable to road cars situations.

So far IMHO Storm99 has put forward the only logical argument for rear fitting but I feel it is far outweighed by arguments for front. We'll see if it develops further

I like worn rears and catch back end

I was really bored in Costco one day waiting for the missus to finish buying the place up and was watching a video in their tyre department.

They didn't explain why, other than to show two identical cars going round a track, but apparently the video proved that new tyres should always be fitted to the rear wheels.

Didn't even mention whether they were front wheel drive - they were american jelly moulds so unrecognisable. I was extremely unconvinced and and been waiting for someone to explain it to me ever since.

My view was that since most modern cars are front wheel drive and if they've got any poke then the grip is marginal at best, then surely you'd want the newer/better tyres on the front as these wheels have to do the most work (ie steering and power delivery).

I spose they might have been suggesting that the tyres they sell are so crap that you wouldn't want them on the front...

they recommend fitting new tyres to the rear because if one of the old tyres fails, i.e Blowout the car is more controlable.

Thats what the tyre man told me...

but arnet worn tyres more likely to have a blow out? hence the new ones should be on the front??

more possible that say 20,000 mile/km's old worn ones?

i think that advice is for people who are scared of driving, i'd prefer oversteer an spin every time opposed to understeerin into a tree.....

lowfat said:

Tyres :: Tyre rotation

Click to expand...

Again I'm flabbergasted at this advice:doh::doh:

Anyone who has experienced an actual blow-out at motorway speeds will tell you what a terrifiying experience it is to bring a car to a stop with a blown front tyre. Not near as bad with a blown rear one.

It goes back to what I was saying about a spin, it requires differential grip between the front wheels to initiate a rotational moment under braking. If you get a front wheel blow out and do a panic stomp on the brakes you will spin. Blow out a rear and you can much more easily bring the car to a stop.

I must do a bit more research to see what is driving this advice. I honestly believe this is a hangover from the old cross ply/RWD days and is totally at odds with the type of cars prevalent today.

BTW I shouldn't be surprised that a tyre fitting company would give wrong advice. I can't count how many times I've been told (and gotten into a subsequent argument) that there is no need to balance rear wheels by tyre shops. This is total boll*x too, you need to balance rear tyres for the exact same reason as the front, its just imbalance isn't as immediately apparent but it'll f*ck up your bearings, handling and noise characteristics just as quick on the back as the front.

SpudH said:

Again I'm flabbergasted at this advice:doh::doh:

Anyone who has experienced an actual blow-out at motorway speeds will tell you what a terrifiying experience it is to bring a car to a stop with a blown front tyre. Not near as bad with a blown rear one.

It goes back to what I was saying about a spin, it requires differential grip between the front wheels to initiate a rotational moment under braking. If you get a front wheel blow out and do a panic stomp on the brakes you will spin. Blow out a rear and you can much more easily bring the car to a stop.

I must do a bit more research to see what is driving this advice. I honestly believe this is a hangover from the old cross ply/RWD days and is totally at odds with the type of cars prevalent today.

BTW I shouldn't be surprised that a tyre fitting company would give wrong advice. I can't count how many times I've been told (and gotten into a subsequent argument) that there is no need to balance rear wheels by tyre shops. This is total boll*x too, you need to balance rear tyres for the exact same reason as the front, its just imbalance isn't as immediately apparent but it'll f*ck up your bearings, handling and noise characteristics just as quick on the back as the front.

Click to expand...

thats what i was thinking too, as at least with a rear blow out you still have full steering to be able to bring it to the side of the road in a somewhat controlled mannor