Hi

Whats everyones views on the following. When i buy new tyres, i do them in pairs becuase of cost, i always place the set with the most tred (normally the back) on the front and then have my nice new ones on the back.

My thinking is, the front wear twice as fast as the rear so when the front need replacing my backs have half there tread left. And this cycle repeats itself each time.i make sure to move the tyres from rear offside to front nearside and visa versa.

Anyone do it diffrently?

If you don't rotate your tyres, then I would put the new pair on the back.

 

As I rotate them and also swap them between summer and winter sets, the ones with most tread go on the front, to even the wear. Unless I want to get rid of a pair then they go on the front to wear down as fast as possible.

GLENTS54321,

Thats how the Tyre Fitters mostly advice you too do it, often without even thinking that every situation is not the same..

 

Personally if its the tyres the car came with on the rear and like new, i leave them there and put slightly better quality new tyres on the front of a Front Wheel driver.

Maybe even a different Profile of tyre, then that might get rotated to the back and a matching pair will get fitted later to the front.

 

its a personal choice thing, different cars, different seasons, different tyre types etc etc.

FWD, RWD, AWD, Part time 4x4 etc.

Just remember to set tyre pressures, reset TPMS, drive to what the car is fitted with.

 

george

And, to complicate matters further, Brand X may have different wear, dry grip and wet grip charactoristics than Brand Y. In this case you want the higher grip brand on the back, irrespective of whether they're more or less worn.

We have been through the grip threads here before,

to get the back out and losing grip/control, first you want to be moving.

 

No traction no action,

no steering and front braking, then where the rear might be is anyones guess.

If the front is pointing in the general direction you want to go, you might just make it around that corner.

 

British roads and national speed limits in the dry wet or cold, if the back end is going away, the tyres really must be bad, or you are not driving to the conditions.

 

Good tyres front and back, better tyres on the back if thats what suits you,

luckily its still free choice in the UK.

You just fit good tyres all around.

At least you have given it thought, know what is fitted and drive to that.

 

george

My new ones went on the front. Rears had plenty left when I did it but now are down to 3mm so it does make it feel more playful when cornering. I like it like that

Having staggered wheel sizes, I don't have the choice.

 

I'd rather but the good ones on the rear though.

Is that on a Rear Wheel Drive BMW?  Sounds like an idea then.

 

(reminds of those BMW drivers with only 1 pair of 'Snosock' & they put on the front of a RWD car)

 

george

As above done to death. Best on the back is the tyre company advice as you're less likely to be involved in a spin.

I generally put the new tyres on whichever axel needs them. I only swap them round ie new front/old back if I want to put a set of four on next time.

Rule of thumb, new on the back, old on the front. An under steering car is far easier and safer to control if a little slower at the limit.

I generally put the new tyres on whichever axel needs them. I only swap them round ie new front/old back if I want to put a set of four on next time.

 

I tend to do the same.

If you have the better tyres on the rear you are less likely to lose the back end under hard cornering.

If you have the better tyres on the front you are less likely to skid under heavy braking.

I tend to do the same.

If you have the better tyres on the rear you are less likely to lose the back end under hard cornering.

If you have the better tyres on the front you are less likely to skid under heavy braking.

 

Are you trying to suggest there isn't a single perfect answer for all situations?!?!? Mods? Mods!

Not sure if that is a rhetoric question.

 

But no there is no single, or even simple answer.

Horses for courses.

Take some AWD or 4x4's depending on the Transmission, drivetrain and differential.  Like an Octavia 4x4 say.

You may want or need tyres of the same total diameter,

but with other AWD or 4x4's it may not matter.

 

Take other car that have different width and profile of tyres on front and rear axles, as they come from the Manufacturers,

then the New tyres need to be fitted where the new tyres are required.

 

george