Discussion
Personally if I have non-identical tyres I prefer the better ones on the front as I find understeer much less enjoyable than oversteer.
The best-tyres-on-back-regardless-of-any-other-factor argument I think is aimed more at folk who don't have enough knowledge or interest in driving to decide on their own preference, in which case that advice would probably be correct for them. (I should clarify nothing against people who prefer them on the rear though! Its your choice to make.)
Road cars practically always have understeer engineered into them (for obvious reasons), my tyre/alignment etc choices help neutralise this.
The best-tyres-on-back-regardless-of-any-other-factor argument I think is aimed more at folk who don't have enough knowledge or interest in driving to decide on their own preference, in which case that advice would probably be correct for them. (I should clarify nothing against people who prefer them on the rear though! Its your choice to make.)
Road cars practically always have understeer engineered into them (for obvious reasons), my tyre/alignment etc choices help neutralise this.
Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 18th July 12:18
This thread isn't helping 
Basically, I have bought a set of wheels for trackday use on my E36; two of the tyres have had it but two are nearly new. But they're cheapies: Riken Maystorm 2.
Seems a shame to just throw them away, so I'm thinking I'll get a couple of decent summer tyres for the other pair, Conti/Yokohama/Toyo, and then run the Rikens out over this summer.
Just trying to decide (even though I thought I had decided) which pair to stick at which end.
Basically, I have bought a set of wheels for trackday use on my E36; two of the tyres have had it but two are nearly new. But they're cheapies: Riken Maystorm 2.
Seems a shame to just throw them away, so I'm thinking I'll get a couple of decent summer tyres for the other pair, Conti/Yokohama/Toyo, and then run the Rikens out over this summer.
Just trying to decide (even though I thought I had decided) which pair to stick at which end.
Edited by V8mate on Sunday 18th July 12:41
Personally I'd put the cheapies on the back and do some drift days to wear them out. They may last a long time though if they're made of plastic!
Having felt the frustration of an MX5 getting power understeer in the wet with Kingstars on the front, then laughing my head off driving around on the lockstops after swapping them on the rear... I know which way I'd go.
They may last a long time though if they're made of plastic!Having felt the frustration of an MX5 getting power understeer in the wet with Kingstars on the front, then laughing my head off driving around on the lockstops after swapping them on the rear... I know which way I'd go.
5paul5 said:
Correct me if i am wrong but surely new tyres should go on the front as they do the steering as well. Having done several trackdays in my rear wheel drive car the front tyres by far get the most wear.
With relation the the road - it's got nothing to do with steering, it's about braking. If your front tyres lose traction under braking you'll understeer and generally go in a straight line which is controllable. If you lose traction to the rear tyres under braking the back end will snap out which is far less controllable and dangerous to the average driver in a confined environment. Obviously all PH'ers are driving Gods and would control the back end with a bit of opposite lock and just drift the car out of trouble !On the track, I guess it's a question of what the OP wants, understeer of oversteer. I guess oversteer on the track is more controllable than on the road, where there's no room for manouver - unless of course it snaps-out too quickly and you end up in the armco backwards.
JQ said:
With relation the the road - it's got nothing to do with steering, it's about braking.
While you're 100% correct about braking on the road, the same applies to steering so I'm not sure why you discount that.
If you're cornering it's better to have the fronts lose grip as you'll understeer. If the rear loses traction first you'll oversteer which is harder to control.
To the OP: Budget tyres can be quite fun on track so don't discount using them on trackdays. They're generally so hard they wear really well, and will allow you to explore drifting if you stick them on the rear
jon- said:
If you're cornering it's better to have the fronts lose grip as you'll understeer. If the rear loses traction first you'll oversteer which is harder to control.
Not necessarily better, different - easier to control for drivers unfamiliar with oversteer yes (as they just tend to lift off), but mild oversteer is no harder to control than mild understeer and understeer gives less options for a competent driver to deal with the situation and adjust the attitude of the car.Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 18th July 21:25
5paul5 said:
Well jon to correct you i am driving on the limit every time ! My car is a pretty standard mx5 and on the last track day the only thing that managed to pass me was a tvr tuscan and there was some pretty potent cars out thad day.
It was a tongue and cheek comment. All trackdays should be spent sideways after all 
GravelBen said:
jon- said:
If you're cornering it's better to have the fronts lose grip as you'll understeer. If the rear loses traction first you'll oversteer which is harder to control.
Not necessarily better, different - easier to control for drivers unfamiliar with oversteer yes (as they just tend to lift off), but mild oversteer is no harder to control than mild understeer and understeer gives less options for a competent driver to deal with the situation and adjust the attitude of the car.Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 18th July 21:25
Understeer is safer because for most people, the immediate response to something being "not right" is to lift off the gas. With understeer, lifting causes more weight to transfer to the front wheels and restores grip and away you go in the direction you intended.
With oversteer, lifting off will unweight the rear, which will likely cause MORE oversteer and you reverse to the scene of the accident.
("You" in the above being "other people". As has been noted, PHers are driving gods.)
With oversteer, lifting off will unweight the rear, which will likely cause MORE oversteer and you reverse to the scene of the accident.
("You" in the above being "other people". As has been noted, PHers are driving gods.)
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