better tires up front or rear?

[94ToyBear]

Yesterday while talking to my High school Auto class I had told them it is better to put the better tires up front on a car. The two of my Seniors that work for Discount tire agreed with me but disagreed by Discount tires rules. turns out Discount tire puts New or the better tires on the rear of the car..............this confuses me and goes against everything I have ever been told or taught same goes for the other instructor who has 35 years Auto experience. What I think is going on is I'm more concerned about controlled stopping and Discount is more concerned about spinning out of control or Hydroplaning. living in Colorado you really never know what your going to run in to on the road rather it be good weather or bad weather a squirrel, cattle or an elk that being said I want the best traction to stop my car and being that your most stopping power is up front I want better tires up front..... I wont change the way I do tire work because I high believe in what I do. I Know there is a few Tech here and wanteded to know what your dealerships want you to do. What Everyone's opinion about this ? (( sorry for any typos))

[Brad]

I always believed in the better tires up front. To qualify that I have been a VW/Audi guy for over 20 years and primarily owned FWD cars. With AWD cars (Audi and Land Rover) I would lean towards better tires in rear as it is a changed handling geometry with true AWD systems. I still get too much under steer in my AWD cars with better tires on the rear (naturally) but they do stop better.

[gm4x4lover]

Its a very strange deal but yes handling issues from have to good of ones on the rear and 2 really crappy ones on the front. How ever. The whole point in tire rotations on a front wheel drive is to keep the good tires on the front. I dont really agree with that mentality either. But when it comes to snow tires itis dangerous to only have them in the front. It can make the rear end really loose coming out of a corner or when you try to correct a slide.

Edit. There is no room for common sence in large companies like firestone, discount, costco, walmart, etc so they make it black and white.

[Squshiee1]

I think you want the new tires in the rear, even thought the front makes sense. Think about trying to stop, all of your weight is in the front, and there isn't much in the rear, if your on water or snow this is going to cause the rear to slide out. Even it you try to give it gas and its slick, this will cause the rear to slide out first and clearly, most people don't know how to correct a drift.

[Rick]

always been told good up front...driving in rain with bald front tires will make you hydroplane:2c:

[alexb]

I remember having this argument in college. We took a matchbox car (no steering at all) and put it on an incline plane (lifted up one side of a chest).

Car would roll straight down the ramp with no push, no power, just letting go at the top of the ramp.

Now add a piece of scotch tape across the front two wheels. This is a poor-man's simulation of 0 friction due to snow, ice, hydroplaning, etc.

Tape on the front wheels: Car rolls straight down the ramp.

Now remove the tape on the front wheels and add tape to the back wheels: Car spins out rolling down the ramp.



It's an overly simplistic experiment, but I was shocked watching the effect of having "good" traction on front wheels vs. rear wheels even without any power pushing the car down the ramp.

[xaza]

The rear tires should get the better tires to prevent the vehicle from spinning, just like experiment above. If you are able to get more stopping power in front due to better tires the back end will swing around in front of you. With front tires sliding the backs are able to maintain better control and keep vehicle more straight. Think about a bicycle that has no braking power in rear but decent in front what will happen when hard braking is applied.

[Rick]

just thinking....I would much rather have a blow out on a rear tire than a front one......just put good tires all around...debate settled:D

[javaman34]

.just put good tires all around...debate settled

That will work.

[94ToyBear]

just thinking....I would much rather have a blow out on a rear tire than a front one......just put good tires all around...debate settled:D

Done and done haha. You got it.

[Rick]

:lmao: stuff like this is good cuz there are a million reasons for everyones thinking.good points to all of em.

[ExplorerTom]

most people don't know how to correct a drift.

exactly.

I use to autox a FWD car. I would intentionally do things to the car to give the rear less traction- stiff rear sway bar, a little bit of negative camber (more would be better for more traction). This would reduce its tendency to understeer and be more in the edge. Oversteer in a FWD is a ton of fun as you just keep in the throttle and it pulls you through.

So yeah, better tires up front if you like chasing the rear of the car and go backwards into the tree.

Better tires on the rear if you want to let the engineered crash structure of the car do it's job- and watch it in front of you.

Better tires all around to avoid either.

[Patrolman]

I have always heard on a FWD or AWD, the better tires go up front. The front does most of the braking, and of course has most of the traction.

On a RWD or 4wd, I put the better tires on back. Mostly because the rears tend to wear faster (but not always) and of course you want to avoid oversteer and having the rear end come around on you. It requires keeping in mind that you may be more prone to hydroplaning in wet conditions. You have to use your noggin and be aware of what the vehicle will do.

[Chris]

I just got back from having Discount rotate my tires and noticed their sign about putting better tires in the back. I guess I should have read it but didn't because I like the better in the rear for the reasons mentioned, primarily the back trying to catch up to the front. Naturally 4 good tires is the way to go.

[gm4x4lover]

Jeff on my car that's the way I would do it. How ever in todays society most people cant even function driving on dry roads let alone crappy weather. It also seems like liability blame gets pushed off some where, I mean after all if someone crashes it cant certainly be there fault. Majority of the cars on the road are either front wheel drive or awd with fwd bias. I truly understand the theory behind how ever, tires get rotated every day and it is recommended by the tire manufacture as well as he automotive manufacture and when this happens the better tires are put on the front. This is done so tires can be worn evenly. But the argument really isn't where do better tires go but rather when only replacing 2 tires when 4 are needed.

[Hypoid]

My brother told me about this back in the '80s. He used to work at Center Point Firestone (in Aurora), for three years as a mechanic, and nine years as service manager. What he told me is that when you can't afford four new tires, put the best ones on the back. The reason is that WHEN you break traction (skid), the deeper tread in back will keep the vehicle tracking straight.

It does not matter what drive train you have. If the front tires break traction, you turn the steering wheel to correct the condition. If the rear tires break traction, the only thing to oppose lateral force is the tread of the tire. It does not matter how good you think you are, the laws of physics will prevail.

[cfr]

Check these out,

http://www.michelinman.com/tires-101/buying-tires/how-to-choose/mixing-tires.page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cBSWEhimdA

[flashboiler]

I think Discount says best in back because of the liability.

If you put the best tires in front, if the car spins out it's because you had the best tires on the front and that's Discount's fault.

If you put the best tires in back and you can't stop (front's do 90% of stopping) and crash into a car in front of you it's your fault for following to close.

I'd rather have the best tires up front and stop and avoid crashing into someone. I know how to counter-steer.

[glacierpaul]

My game plan is replace all tires at the same time, anything else will end up costing more at some point, I mean tires are certainly cheaper than a wreck.

[gm4x4lover]

I think Discount says best in back because of the liability.

If you put the best tires in front, if the car spins out it's because you had the best tires on the front and that's Discount's fault.

If you put the best tires in back and you can't stop (front's do 90% of stopping) and crash into a car in front of you it's your fault for following to close.

I'd rather have the best tires up front and stop and avoid crashing into someone. I know how to counter-steer.


Sadly this the truth. Its all a blame game. People don't take responsibility for there own actions.

[Adaa60]

I used to believe that good go upfront until one day i was driving a Acura Vigor down 104th in a snow storm. 35mph and no breaking i had new all season tires on the front and same brand/make old 25% tread all seasons on my rear and it randomly did a full 180 and ended up barely missing a big ass truck. scared the crap out of me and was SUPER embarrassing. when the cop stopped he asked what happened and then told me they put there studded tires on the rear to keep the cars still

[xaza]

My older brother (turning 50 this year) got into his first accident this winter because he could only afford 2 new tires and put them in the front. The back end swung out on him too quick to do anything and he hit a sign and totaled his truck. He lives on a fixed income which is why he could only replace the 2.

[Chris]

It's looking like those of us that have had that happen are the ones that put the new tires in the rear now! ;)