Snow tyre question

[Xt500]

Although it might seem counter intuitive, if you only have two winter tyres, I'm pretty sure that the advice is to fit them at the rear, even on front drive cars.

 

well they would be pretty useless on the rear of a FWD car so im not sure where you got the duff advice from.

 

On a FWD car you need the grip on the drive/steer wheels,to a point its pretty irrelivant what the back end does if you know what your doing.you obviously dont.

 

i suppose you would fit chains to the rear wheels too

[El Cid]

I agree. The point I was making was in response to a poster putting them on the front only.

 

I was surprised that when I googled about front or rear for new tyres, the results said put them on the back. But as most of us rarely encounter snow, I will await others responses.

[rudds1]

I was surprised that when I googled about front or rear for new tyres, the results said put them on the back. But as most of us rarely encounter snow, I will await others responses.

 

I went to a tyre shop other day and they said put new tyres on rear even though my car is fwd as if I leave worn tyres on rear cars back end will kick out as you go round a bend

[roosterboost]

I sell wheels, have fitted tyres for years there will be no problems whatsoever. As for speedo being out, theyre not accurate anyway. You could drop down to 15s with say a 195 60 15 tyre thus giving almost identical rolling radius

 

The problem there is that the wheels might just foul the brake disks or suspension.

The difference in rolling radius between 205,50,16 tyres 205,55,16 is minute. I doubt it would be any problem on something with the clearance of a Volvo. It might on a lowered GTi but that wouldn't be running skinny tyres.

Edited December 8, 2014 by roosterboost

[geared]

I went to a tyre shop other day and they said put new tyres on rear even though my car is fwd as if I leave worn tyres on rear cars back end will kick out as you go round a bend

 

and if you leave worn tyres on the front you get reduced grip for cornering and a big reduction in grip for braking, especially in an emergency situation or in the rain.

 

IIRC recently the AA were campaigning for everyone to change their tyres at 3mm tread depth, as past that braking efficiency and the distance taken to stop increases quite dramatically.

 

Some great advice they gave you there :hihi:

[Eater Sundae]

well they would be pretty useless on the rear of a FWD car so im not sure where you got the duff advice from.

 

On a FWD car you need the grip on the drive/steer wheels,to a point its pretty irrelivant what the back end does if you know what your doing.you obviously dont.

 

i suppose you would fit chains to the rear wheels too

 

I wouldn't fit just two winter tyres on a car. However, if I had to drive a car with mismatched tyres, I'd want the better tyres on the rear.

 

I just hope I never meet you fish-tailing towards me.

[Obelix]

I was surprised that when I googled about front or rear for new tyres, the results said put them on the back. But as most of us rarely encounter snow, I will await others responses.

 

That's good advice assuming that all four tyres are the same sort. It stops lift off oversteer, or at least reduces the liklehood of it happening.

 

Although it is legal to have different tyres front and back (it's only illegal to mix tyres on the same axle) it's not a good idea as the grip and handling characteristings of snow tyres are so different from regular tyres.

 

---------- Post added 08-12-2014 at 13:23 ----------

 

and if you leave worn tyres on the front you get reduced grip for cornering and a big reduction in grip for braking, especially in an emergency situation or in the rain.

 

You shouldnt as you should never leave your tyres to become that dangerous. If you add new tyres on the front, then if you overcook it into a corner and suddenly back off the power, you end up transferring grip to the front wheels, the back flips round and you roll. By having new ones on the back, you mitigate this effect to some extent.

 

Some great advice they gave you there

 

They gave him correct advice.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Obelix

[geared]

if you overcook it into a corner and suddenly back off the power, you end up transferring grip to the front wheels, the back flips round and you roll.

 

Lift-off oversteer is rarely that dramatic and would need mitigating factors to have that effect.

 

If you overcook it on a corner with crap tyres on the front you'll just understeer straight off into a hedge, wall, parked car or a bus-stop full of nuns.

 

It wasn't good advice, especially in the winter.

 

Front tyres do the steering

Front tyres do the vast majority of the braking

 

Front tyres need to be the best they can be.

Edited December 8, 2014 by geared

[Obelix]

Understeer is always preferable to oversteer. That is precisley why you are trying to provoke. It is far preferable to understeer a little and be able to recover, than oversteer and slide out of a corner back end first.

 

That's why everyone who actually understands what's happening will advise new tyres on the back.

 

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/car-tyres.html

 

http://www.ctyres.co.uk/tyre_info/tyre_rotation.html

 

http://www.tyresafe.org/media-centre/latest-news/69-motorists-get-their-tyres-%E2%80%9Cback-to-front%E2%80%9D

 

http://www.michelin.co.uk/tyres/learn-share/care-guide/ten-tyre-care-tips

 

There is an excellent video on Youtube from Vicki Butler-H showing why you should fit them to the rear as well.

[Eater Sundae]

Lift-off oversteer is rarely that dramatic and would need mitigating factors to have that effect.

 

If you overcook it on a corner with crap tyres on the front you'll just understeer straight off into a hedge, wall, parked car or a bus-stop full of nuns.

 

It wasn't good advice, especially in the winter.

 

Front tyres do the steering

Front tyres do the vast majority of the braking

 

Front tyres need to be the best they can be.

 

Neither is "good". As I understand it, if you are going to lose control, it is probably better to understeer and hit an obstacle head on than to oversteer and hit it sideways