I have recently had the front suspension changed just before the warranty expired and replaced the original rear Conti tyres after around 54,000 miles and put the barums that I had on the front on the back and new Conti's on the front. The car now is sliding all over the place. Before the suspension was changed and I had the Barums on the front and the rear Contis just above the tread limit the car was fine.

Should I put the Barums back on the front? change all four tyres? I was think of getting the tracking and geometry checked.

I have recently had the front suspension changed just before the warranty expired and replaced the original rear Conti tyres after around 54,000 miles and put the barums that I had on the front on the back and new Conti's on the front. The car now is sliding all over the place. Before the suspension was changed and I had the Barums on the front and the rear Contis just above the tread limit the car was fine.

Should I put the Barums back on the front? change all four tyres? I was think of getting the tracking and geometry checked.

By sliding do you mean oversteer (rear end sliding and causing the car to step out at the back) or understeer (front end sliding and not turning in)?

There is a school of thought that says you should always put the best tread on the rear, to make the car tend to understeer before it oversteers as this is considered easier to deal with by most drivers and is more gentle and predictable.

Did you alter the tyre pressures when you swapped the front and rears?

The problem is you've changed a few things all at once so pin pointing the problem may be a a process of elimination. The easiest (and no cost) first option is to swap the tyres back and see.

Both oversteer and understeer.

No I did not change the pressures. Will check tomorrow and alter if necessary. If still no change then I will change the tyres back.

Both oversteer and understeer.

No I did not change the pressures. Will check tomorrow and alter if necessary. If still no change then I will change the tyres back.

The contis will (or should) improve up to about 500 miles from new. I would be tempted to put the ditch finders on the front again unless you like drifting.