Hi all,

Having just got my vRS, I'm very pleased to find that it has a full size alloy spare.

A thought, I've never rotated tyres on any car, but I'm thinking about it on this one, as it's going to get more hard drving than my others

So, how many miles between rotations?

I was toying with the idea of rotating them round, including the spare, so move them all clockwise one place every so often.

Simon.

Not worth including the spare in the rotation, as you really should change the tyres in pairs (ie. fronts and rears), so having a fifth wheel in the rotation will mess this up.

Best thing to do is see how the tyres wear, and work off the tread depth. You will probably find your rears last quite some time, while your fronts could last anything from 10-30k miles depending on how you drive...

Rob.

Simon,

I used to swap front to back when the fronts got worn, but I found it to be a false economy as I ended up having to replace all 4 at the same time (ouch!). I think it's better just to replace them in pairs as they wear out. I never let mine get below 2.5mm to 3mm before I replace them - from experience below this they can (dependent on the manufacturer) become far less effective in the wet.

Plus, if you keep your spare in top nick, should you have an unfortunate kerbing you can always bring it into service, especially should you come to sell the car.

Cheers,

Howard - Shame you're not running on 205/40s else I'd take them off your hands for the extra 2mm of wear allowed...

I think my current fronts are going to have to be replaced fairly soon'ish. They may have been

Hats off Jason - someone under the age of 25 who actually knows how to, and does, check the tread depth on his tyres!! .... :cheers:

PS Simon - I agree with Howard - it's a waste of time. If you are going to do it, check whether you have directional tyres - if so they can only be rotated front to back on the same side of the car.

Well - If you call "checking" being when I see bits of metal coming out of the corners... That's what happened on my first set of conti's, after 20000 miles... But, I can do it, and normally do when I wash the alloys (about twice a week then)

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

Howard - Shame you're not running on 205/40s else I'd take them off your hands for the extra 2mm of wear allowed...

If I had 17's, then I would be running 205/40s, but with 16's I'm stuck on 205/55s. Crap Michelins at that. Shan't be replacing with the same!!

I have had nearly 30k out of them, though (the Michelins, that is).

Thanks guys, I'll save the bother and just replace front ones when necessary.

Then you start the whole debate about whether new tyres should be put on the front or the back...

Rob.

Originally posted by SkodaSimon in this post

Thanks guys, I'll save the bother and just replace front ones when necessary.

Don't forget to remove and replace the rear wheels occasionally just to make sure that they don't get corrosion welded to the hubs. It'll be easier to remove them if you ever need to change a wheel. (A smear of copper grease between wheel and hub won't hurt, either.)

Originally posted by robmawer in this post

Then you start the whole debate about whether new tyres should be put on the front or the back...

Rob.

No debate! Less tread on rears equals less grip when conditions are compromising, thus could lead to loss of rear end sooner. Although for years I never really thought of it properly and as such always replaced the fronts for higher treads. So now it makes sense, although it was from some tyre manf site, seemed to make sense, although maybe just marketing mumbo jumbo.

oh and about to buy 3rd set of fronts, 23k Total...to be fair the original p6000's came off at about 13k with a lot left on them. Also running directional so new fronts will go straight to the fronts and next change will be expensive, but at 70quid a corner, not too bad for Toyo T1-S Directionals. Also find that now I'm on directionals I get excessive wear on the nearside (roundabout basher) wheel, as such it looks alot worse than it should for it's short life. Debating asyemtrics after directionals for this problem alone, but will prob just get nearest to hand and get :drive1:

We've had this debate - but!!

Would you rather lose the FRONT end? To me it feels a lot more disturbing than a bit of back end slide, especially in a FWD car ...

I suppose you get the back end spinning out on the 928 quite regularly, you boy racer, eh?

I prefer less grip at the rear - is basically more fun when provoked, and more instinctive when grip is lost.

Having the front wash out wide is plain annoying, having the rear step out of line is fun and doesn't slow you down as much.

(straps on flamesuit )

boy racer!

... cue "corner carver" response ... Why don't you **** *** and go somewhere else you ******* - don't you know that drifting is for losers etc etc etc

You have to go faster round corners than I'm comfortable with to make the 928 lose the rear end (in the dry, at any rate). It has happened once or twice but I don't provoke it deliberately - well not often anyway

And it's raining, so the Octy will be behaving like the proverbial shopping trolley on the way home ...

Funny, its usually the opposite for me, if it's raining I'm in full "driftmuppet" mode attacking every greasy bend I can find!

Perhaps -

a) you've got some decent tyres on your car

yours is 4WD

c) you're younger than me

Mine just slides sideways at too frightening a rate to really enjoy it. Now it's on Ffelan's old springs and shocks it's a whole lot better than it was, particularly in the dry, and when tyre-change time comes it may start to feel safer in the wet. Until then it's a case of tiptoeing.

Mine gets really upset at mid-corner bumps and goes all out of shape. Mind you, that's probably due to the sofa springs at each corner (soon to be replaced). If I'm being 'enthusiastic', the Michelins give very little clue that they are about to let go - just a faint hint of a squeal and then it's "Oh ....".

Any recommendations from the Briskoda world on replacments (when they're due)?

There's a good fun bit on the A30 on the way to work - between Hartley Wintney and Blackbushe. Double wiggle with a humpbacked bridge on the second wiggle (and a gap in the dual-carriageway just over the bridge where sometimes some innocent is waiting to pull out in front of you). Needless to say the Octy gets a LOT of stick over that little bridge. When all four wheels leave the ground and you're going a little bit up and a little bit sideways and quite fast forward, what happens when they hit the ground again can be a touch unpredictable, but fun More predictable now with the harder springs on though - almost a shame :p