A tyre question
Discussion
A colleague of mine has said that tyre manufacturers are now recommending that if you need to buy only 2 tyres, you should place them on the rear wheels, not the front. If you need new rears then you should move the used (still good) rears to the front and put the new ones on the rear.
Apparently the theory goes that you are more likely to regain control if you have a front tyre blow-out than a rear one, so you need the better tyre on the rear.
This doesn’t sit right with us; is there any truth in this?
Apparently the theory goes that you are more likely to regain control if you have a front tyre blow-out than a rear one, so you need the better tyre on the rear.
This doesn’t sit right with us; is there any truth in this?
smeggy said:
A colleague of mine has said that tyre manufacturers are now recommending that if you need to buy only 2 tyres, you should place them on the rear wheels, not the front. If you need new rears then you should move the used (still good) rears to the front and put the new ones on the rear.
Apparently the theory goes that you are more likely to regain control if you have a front tyre blow-out than a rear one, so you need the better tyre on the rear.
This doesn’t sit right with us; is there any truth in this?
Apparently the theory goes that you are more likely to regain control if you have a front tyre blow-out than a rear one, so you need the better tyre on the rear.
This doesn’t sit right with us; is there any truth in this?
I would suspect you are better with new tyres on the rear to avoid "loosing" the rear end under braking etc.... would you be more likely to generate oversteer with the better tyre on the front?..........although someone will probably come along and prove me wrong now..
Edited by esselte on Monday 19th February 13:41
I always do the opposite, certainly on the fwd machinery, as:-
- front wheels do most gripping
- front wheels do most braking
- front wheels need traction more than rears
- front wheels hit standing water first
...and, IMHO, it's easier to recover from unintentional oversteer than understeer in a fwd car - understeer recovery requires you to lift off the throttle, which if it's 'unintentional' would suggest low throttle openings anyway. Oversteer recovery requires merely a steering input, and if really bad a sharp application of brakes (let ABS sort it out).
Happy to debate this, if anyone is of another mind.
Oh...and would this be better in Advanced Driving?
- front wheels do most gripping
- front wheels do most braking
- front wheels need traction more than rears
- front wheels hit standing water first
...and, IMHO, it's easier to recover from unintentional oversteer than understeer in a fwd car - understeer recovery requires you to lift off the throttle, which if it's 'unintentional' would suggest low throttle openings anyway. Oversteer recovery requires merely a steering input, and if really bad a sharp application of brakes (let ABS sort it out).
Happy to debate this, if anyone is of another mind.
Oh...and would this be better in Advanced Driving?
but lets not forget, for joe public understeer is easier to recover than oversteer? (or is it having seen joe public trying to drive - they will crash whatever!!)
loading up the front going in to a corner (too hot), with less grip on the rear potential for oversteer - more grip this can be avoided (or it will let go later resulting in sharper oversteer less controllable). Certainly in wet conditions it is better to haev more grip at back than front.
As for fezza 360's - just buy a new set of rear boots too!
loading up the front going in to a corner (too hot), with less grip on the rear potential for oversteer - more grip this can be avoided (or it will let go later resulting in sharper oversteer less controllable). Certainly in wet conditions it is better to haev more grip at back than front.
As for fezza 360's - just buy a new set of rear boots too!
i posted asking the same question a couple of months ago. my local tyre place wanted to fit them to the rear, and i had to argue with them to get them put on the front. his argument was that when new, they don't have as much grip, but every time i've had new tyres on the front, i've always noticed the improvement in grip over the old, bald ones!
This was tested on fifth gear. for Front drive cars fit the new tyres on the rear, for rear drive stick them on the front. You can to varying degrees control over/understeer with the throttle, so you need to have your best, stickiest tyre on the undriven wheels.
I recall they took a fiesta and drove it in circles, with the old tyres on the back it fell off the road at very low speed. Swap front and rear and it attained a much higher speed and stayed on the line.
I recall they took a fiesta and drove it in circles, with the old tyres on the back it fell off the road at very low speed. Swap front and rear and it attained a much higher speed and stayed on the line.
havoc said:
Oversteer recovery requires merely a steering input, and if really bad a sharp application of brakes (let ABS sort it out).
I would not recommend trying that in an FWD car. Applying the brakes moves more weight foward giving the car even less grip at the rear. Correct thing to do is to apply throttle, this helps pull the car straight and shifts weight rearwards helping the rear grip.
Rob
As stated, the newer tyres go on the back to provide better stability in extreme circumstances by attempting to ensure the front loses grip first causing understeer rather than the back causing over steer.
The natural reaction of most muppets is better suited to understeer than oversteer.
Brand new tyres can be "slippery" when new due to the production process so you generally take it easy for the first 50miles - same as new pads / discs etc.
The natural reaction of most muppets is better suited to understeer than oversteer.
Brand new tyres can be "slippery" when new due to the production process so you generally take it easy for the first 50miles - same as new pads / discs etc.
Edited by bluepolarbear on Monday 19th February 20:25
Rob_the_Sparky said:
havoc said:
Oversteer recovery requires merely a steering input, and if really bad a sharp application of brakes (let ABS sort it out).
I would not recommend trying that in an FWD car. Applying the brakes moves more weight foward giving the car even less grip at the rear. Correct thing to do is to apply throttle, this helps pull the car straight and shifts weight rearwards helping the rear grip.
Rob
I have tried it...with success.
But agree that for the masses understeer is safer.
Parrot of Doom said:
Better to have the grip on the rear.
A blowout at the back when cornering = fishtailing car, total loss of control
A blowout at the front when cornering = understeering car, brake to a halt.
So yes, they're correct to replace the rears in preference to the fronts.
A blowout at the back when cornering = fishtailing car, total loss of control
A blowout at the front when cornering = understeering car, brake to a halt.
So yes, they're correct to replace the rears in preference to the fronts.
But a blow at 70+ on the motorway is far worse on a front tyre than rear.
New tyres always go on the front I mine, I find, it might sound odd, that the tyres wear off squarer on the back making a better contact patch and thus are better left there (makes sense in my head!)
Simpler solution is to swap front to back to keep the wear even and then replace all four at once.
If you can't, and it's a pain on anything with tyre pressure sensors, then depth of tread doesn't make much difference to anything except resistance to aquaplaning, which suggests new tyres should go on the front where this will do the more good.
Personally I think 'lifing' tyres as part of the MOT would be no bad thing either, but it would get pricey for some.
If you can't, and it's a pain on anything with tyre pressure sensors, then depth of tread doesn't make much difference to anything except resistance to aquaplaning, which suggests new tyres should go on the front where this will do the more good.
Personally I think 'lifing' tyres as part of the MOT would be no bad thing either, but it would get pricey for some.
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