Fitting new tyres to front vs rear

Idioteque

Have a slow puncuture on a front tyre that was previously repaired (puncture was near sidewall so they said might not last). So going to replace both tyres on one axle. When I said to local tyre place I'd like the new tyres on the rear the guy who owned the place said it's a bad idea and they should always go on the front.

I've done a bit of reading of old threads and elsewhere and the most common advice is to put them on the rear (of a FWD car).

Is it a case of bad info from the local tyre place or is their an argument to put them on the front. He said something about "The rear tyres have older rubber which will be harder so you want the grippier tyres on the front"

lawred2

Interesting - I'm sending our car in for a pair of front tyres tomorrow. Wonder what their advice will be!

XsApollo

If you are going slow then it’s fine, the theory Behind it is if the bad tyres are on the rear then the rear can step out when doing something drastic or in an emergency.

where as if the bad tyres are on the front then the car will more than likely under steer first before losing the rear.

understeer is much easier to control than having the back flipping around.

Kenny Logins

https://www.uniroyal-tyres.com/car/tyre-guide/tyre-knowledge/good-tyres-on-front-or-rear

kirving

It depends IMO on the type of driving (motorway or backroads), the car, and the driver's experience.

A FWD car on a wet motorway - new fronts will clear more water and are better when braking in a straight line as the weight shifts forward. There is often talk of the rear stepping out, but the vast majority of drivers do not swerve in an emergency, they get target fixation and brake as hard as possible.

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117853278#Comment_117853278

You should never be in a situation where you have bad tyres though.

This notion that non new but otherwise good tyres on the back are going to send a FWD car into a spin is untrue.

XsApollo

It is true.

colm_mcm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117861796#Comment_117861796

please explain how by replacing your front tyres, that the rear tyres suddenly are likely to make a FWD car oversteer?

If that’s happening, you need new tyres all round.

Kenny Logins

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862004#Comment_117862004

I would say if the tyres are good any difference is minimal but if you really have to choose, tyre manufacturers recommend newer on the rear.

I wouldn't (and don't) worry about it TBH.

stoneill

I thought the logic is that front tyres wear faster due to power steering

XsApollo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862004#Comment_117862004

Did I say likely?

I said in emergency or extreme circumstances , if you have a rear tyre just above minimum thread depth and a new tyre on the front in an extreme situation or an emergency, the new tyre will perform better.

I don’t need to explain, nearly every bit of research or even tyre companies themselves will tell you to put them on the rear.

it’s the same as cheap tyres vs premium tyres. They are fine until you need them.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862214#Comment_117862214

The other poster said "This notion that non new but otherwise good tyres on the back are going to send a FWD car into a spin is untrue" and you said it IS true. In what world does "just above the minimum thread depth" qualify as "otherwise good"?

XsApollo

Where did he get that notion from?

colm_mcm

You said it was true a few hours ago!

The blind mantra of ‘new tyres on the back’ might suit the tyre companies, and it’ll certainly do no harm - but if you have otherwise good tyres on the back of the (FWD) car, there’s no good reason to not have new tyres on the front.

In fact most manufacturers also recommend rotating tyres!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862191#Comment_117862191

Well, not much to do with power steering, its just the " STEERING" part, like the tyres fitted on a truck are classed as 'steer' or ' rear'- like they have different thread/ obviously steering tyres cost more€

theteal

I know of some places that will only fit new tyres to the rear axel as per policy. Costco being a specific example and I'm not going to argue considering they sell proper branded tyres at savage prices.

As you can see from the above, there are differing theories/feelings on the matter. Either way, I'd stick with the consensus of not letting your tyres go to sh!t and you'll be alright.

XsApollo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117862472#Comment_117862472

And it still stands, what’s a good tyre in your opinion? Will a tyre with 3mm perform the same as a tyre with 6mm thread, in heavy hail or standing water it doesn’t perform the same.

there is no mantra. A newer tyre will perform better, you said it’s simply untrue which is wrong.

the advice the the op got from the tyre fitter is new tyres should always go on the front, which is the wrong advice.

I don’t put new tyres on the rear myself.

the advice from every test and tyre manufacturer is new tyres on the rear.

you seem to disagree with that.

they advise rotate the tyre to keep the wear rates pretty even as different wear on tyres can unbalance the car in extreme situations which was my point.

pretty much the same as putting a Goodyear eagle F1’s on the front and having a landsails on the back.

Put an empty coke bottle down on its flat. Grap and hold the cap-end (replicating more grip at front) and move the bottle side to side. Imagine trying to steer the moving bottle.

Repeat, grabbing the bottom of the bottle (replicating more grip at rear) and move the bottle side to side. Imagine trying to steer the moving bottle.

In which scenario is steering possible?