Is there a issue with putting new tires in front, old one in rear?

[carbosam]

My front tires are worn out, the stock potenza that is. The rear one can last the rest of the summer, they are at 5/32. Im thinking about putting 2 hankook ventus evo 12 in the front and keeping my stock potenza for my rear tire.

I dont know much about situation like that, is there a issues doing that?

 

[mzdaspd3]

i don't remember how you have to do it, but you can check out any of the main tire dealers websites under their FAQ and it should say something about it. I don't want to say one thing and it be wrong

 

[RadioSilence]

The tire shop by me refuses to put a new pair on the front unless you sign a wavier. When I originally looked it up I found a much better source, but this is all I could find right now to rationalize it.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/4243992

 

[MikeHTally]

That's the conventional route for FWD: Keep replacing the fronts. Move the fronts to the rear when the rears finally give it up and put new on the front. I prefer to rotate tires every 6K or so.

The PM article is the first I've seen touting "new tires on the rear". I see their point, but don't know if I buy it.

 

[oaklandopen]

All i can say is good thing you dont drive an awd, and also good thing i never buy used anymore

 

[Stamperman]

New tires are supposed to go on the back, though that seems not to make sense. Here is the reason, on a front wheel drive car most of the vehicles weight is on the front wheels. The load on the rear wheels is less.

The tread on a tire is designed to cut thru water more than anything else and not for dry grip (that 's why race tires have no tread). The theory is that because the the back of the car is light that the new tire will do a better job of cutting thru water when it rains or when the road is wet. The tire with less tread when fitted in the back will be more likely to aquaplane because of the light load. Braking makes this situation worse, as more load is transferred to the front and the back gets even lighter. Braking in a corner is prone to produce oversteer in this situation. On the front, the extra wieght of the motor helps keep worn tires planted, even with shorter tread height.

So, new tread on back resists aquaplaining better, old tires on front and the extra weight helps to keep the tires from aquaplaining.

Make sense?

 

[Mike240SX]

No, it doesn't make sense. In a FWD platform, your front tires control all vital operation functions. Acceleration, steering, and the brunt of braking. You want more traction there in all situations. The rear tires are doing little more than keeping the back end of the car off the ground and in line with the front end.

 

[gonerogue]

No, it doesn't make sense. In a FWD platform, your front tires control all vital operation functions. Acceleration, steering, and the brunt of braking. You want more traction there in all situations. The rear tires are doing little more than keeping the back end of the car off the ground and in line with the front end.

You're incorrect. It may not be intuitive, but it makes sense after reading the explanation.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=52

 

[Mike240SX]

Color me surprised and corrected.

 

[oaklandopen]

also, in a nutshell, oversteer is more dangerous than understeer. this is because a vehicle's safety system is geared more towards frontal impact as well as having the most "give" during a crash situation

and if you're understeering in a corner and have impact it's going to be frontal. if you have oversteer and get in an impact situation, you'll more than likely have something other than a frontal impact (side, rear, flipping, etc)

 

[darkthunder]

Definitely true on the best traction in the back! I can tell you about it first hand as i live in Idaho in high elevation. If it ever snowed and turned to slush my rear end was in no way in control! Very, Very dangerous if you are in slippery conditions!!

On a second note I have the Hankook Ventus Evo 12 on my speed all around and love the tire!! All around a great tire. For the price and performance factor. Love mine! Im on 225/40/18 on the stockers. For now..... But good luck with your decision.

 

[Mr_Boom]

NEVER PUT WORN TIRES ON THE REAR !!!
It doesn't matter if it's FWD, RWD, AWD, physics will still rule the day.

Okay, now that I have your attention, we frequently do a demo where I work at the Michelin Proving Grounds in SC where we simulate this for guests using two identical FWD Ford Fusion's. The track is a wet 1/2 mile constant radius with a polished concrete surface (something like you would see on an big city interstate on/off ramp). One Fusion has brand new tires on the rear with ~60% worn tires on the front, the other fusion has new tires on the front with ~60% worn tires on the rear.

Fusion A can drive around the track, and when it begins hydroplaning and pushing to the outside the driver can just let off the gas and the car recovers...no problem. Fusion B begins to get up to speed, and when hydroplaning occurs the car instantly spins around into the grass. We have 100% success with drivers spinning out. I would guess around 80% of our customers always guess wrong before the demo. After training you can save the car by counter-steering and mashing the gas...this way it will never spin out. But it's hard to do that when you're driving on the interstate around 65 mph and talking on the cell phone / eating / tuning the radio.

Luckily, Michelin has been able to work with a lot of our tire dealers (Sears, Costco, etc.) in an attempt for them to refuse putting 2 new tires on the front.

 

[808MP5]

*ed1t
fixed
My vote goes for newer tires in the rear. Worn tires in the back is highly dangerous in wet weather.

 

[Kain]

My vote goes for newer tires in the front. Worn tires in the back is highly dangerous in wet weather.

larf.

 

[808MP5]

larf.

?
lol... yeah i had it backwards... i meant newer tires in the rear... i just purchased some tires recently and they had a nice big sign showing what happens when you put the worn tires in the rear

 

[carbosam]

thank you all for sharing, ill put the partially worned out tire in front!