Newest tyres front or rear (RWD)?
Discussion
The two front tyres on my car badly need replacing, and I have two tyres on order to be fitted on Wednesday. My question is this, should I put my current rear tyres on the front of my car and the new tyres on the rear or just replace the front tyres with the new ones?
The car is RWD and the current rear tyres will need replacing in the next few months anyway.
The car is RWD and the current rear tyres will need replacing in the next few months anyway.
Flippin' Kipper said:
The two front tyres on my car badly need replacing, and I have two tyres on order to be fitted on Wednesday. My question is this, should I put my current rear tyres on the front of my car and the new tyres on the rear or just replace the front tyres with the new ones?
The car is RWD and the current rear tyres will need replacing in the next few months anyway.
Just me but regardles of if FWD or RWD I've always put newest tyres on the front (and rotated old fronts to rear is better than the ones removed) My logic has always been most of the braking is done on the front so if it's wet I want the best water clearing tread at that end......The car is RWD and the current rear tyres will need replacing in the next few months anyway.
But like I said thats just me
What's the car?
Nearly all RWD cars I know of have wider tyres at the rear so not interchangeable.
If the same, put them on the rear but if you've got to replace those soon anyway, why not do all at once as you'll often save money (I get 5/10% off if I buy all 4 tyres at once rather than 2).
Nearly all RWD cars I know of have wider tyres at the rear so not interchangeable.
If the same, put them on the rear but if you've got to replace those soon anyway, why not do all at once as you'll often save money (I get 5/10% off if I buy all 4 tyres at once rather than 2).
i would put the new ones on the front as i always want more grip on the front that back on a rwd car as a light foot can make sure the back doesn't come out and and you want enough grip up front to lead the rear if it does go out of shape. the other thing is you need most grip up front for breaking .
B'stard Child said:
Flippin' Kipper said:
The two front tyres on my car badly need replacing, and I have two tyres on order to be fitted on Wednesday. My question is this, should I put my current rear tyres on the front of my car and the new tyres on the rear or just replace the front tyres with the new ones?
The car is RWD and the current rear tyres will need replacing in the next few months anyway.
Just me but regardles of if FWD or RWD I've always put newest tyres on the front (and rotated old fronts to rear is better than the ones removed) My logic has always been most of the braking is done on the front so if it's wet I want the best water clearing tread at that end......The car is RWD and the current rear tyres will need replacing in the next few months anyway.
The "argument" is that most cars are set up for understeer, most drivers find it easier to react to understeer (they just lift off and wait for grip to return) so you want the front end to lose grip first to warn you that you've overdone it. Once the back goes, unless you are quick to react and know what you are doing, the outcome could well be worse. Anyway, this is the reason I ask what the OP's car is, is it a lary RWD fun car or a dull electronically controlled everything that stops and sort of grip loss...
Dracoro said:
What's the car?
Nearly all RWD cars I know of have wider tyres at the rear so not interchangeable.
If the same, put them on the rear but if you've got to replace those soon anyway, why not do all at once as you'll often save money (I get 5/10% off if I buy all 4 tyres at once rather than 2).
RX-8 think they are all 225/45 18Nearly all RWD cars I know of have wider tyres at the rear so not interchangeable.
If the same, put them on the rear but if you've got to replace those soon anyway, why not do all at once as you'll often save money (I get 5/10% off if I buy all 4 tyres at once rather than 2).
pitbull turbo said:
i would put the new ones on the front as i always want more grip on the front that back on a rwd car as a light foot can make sure the back doesn't come out and and you want enough grip up front to lead the rear if it does go out of shape. the other thing is you need most grip up front for breaking .
What is it going to break 
You might have slightly shorter braking distances, but slam on the brakes on a damp bend or accelerate around a damp sliproad with shaggers on the back and spankers on the front and see what happens
In the grand scheme of things I'd rather have a predictable back end on a country road than the last 10 yards of stopping distance on the motorway
In the grand scheme of things I'd rather have a predictable back end on a country road than the last 10 yards of stopping distance on the motorway
Kawasicki said:
newest on the front. easy.
Well, that's wrong, unless you disagree with the tyre industry and tyre experts http://www.tyresafe.org/news-and-events/detail/mot...ESP and the like may well mean the decision is "less" of an issue.
I always the replace the tyres that are worn out, and don't bother moving them about. Never caused me any problems, albeit in a 112bhp FWD hatch lol. If the rears needs doing in a few months anyway I would change them all at once, its nearly winter so may as well make sure you have some decent rubber before the bad weather sets in. (Not that the summer has been that great!)
The 'safest' (ie easiest for the lowest common denominator) option is to have the better tyres on the rear regardless of which end is driven. However there are plenty of us who prefer to have the better tyres on the front. Naysayers proclaim this to cause instant uncontrollable death by oversteer, but I find that it helps neutralise dull factory understeer. Obviously with the proviso that you're sufficiently competent to understand potential limitations when it comes to situations like standing water with grossly different tread depths and drive accordingly.
ETA: In the particular case of the OP I'd probably just bite the bullet and replace all four at the same time.
ETA: In the particular case of the OP I'd probably just bite the bullet and replace all four at the same time.
Edited by GravelBen on Monday 21st September 12:51
Dracoro said:
Kawasicki said:
newest on the front. easy.
Well, that's wrong, unless you disagree with the tyre industry and tyre experts http://www.tyresafe.org/news-and-events/detail/mot...ESP and the like may well mean the decision is "less" of an issue.
Plus there is the whole braking distance issue. Stability is great, long braking distances not so good.
Go with the industry experts on this one but remember they are providing recommendations to the average driver in a average (fwd) car.
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