Mixing directional with non-directional?

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Our beater van needs 2 new tires up front. There are 2 TripleTreds upfront and 2 Hydroedges up back. The Hydroedges are shot due to bad front alignment, but the noise wasn't there until I put them in the back. I know Costco won't warranty them due to alignment issues as I can feel the tread is "wavy".

Is it OK to mix a non-directional tire like a BFG Premier Touring or a General Altimax RT with the TripleTreds or no?
 
Obvious, the best situation is 4 identical tires at the same state of wear. That mean the vehicle is as balanced as it can be no matter which tires are put where.

But if you have different tires (speed ratings, wear, etc.) you want the best tires on the rear. The problem you've posed complicates the issue.

Obvious new tires should go on the rear if there is a decided wear difference between the tires.

However, if the wear difference is small and one pair is directional - which should help hydroplaning resistance - then it becomes a guessing game as to which pair are least likely to hydroplane.

The EXACT question you've posed - new directional tires, vs well worn non-directional tires - well, this is not the best setup, but if you are going to go that direction, new directional tires on the rear
 
why the newer tires on the rear: front does most of the braking, and most of the grip strength is required from front, especially with FWD; i have always put the best tires on the Front.
 
Originally Posted By: Captain_Klink
why the newer tires on the rear: front does most of the braking, and most of the grip strength is required from front, especially with FWD; i have always put the best tires on the Front.


Unexpected understeer is very easy to control, unexpected oversteer is not.
 
I have always put the best tires up front in my Accord and that has been the recommendation of the shops I have gone to.
 
Well, it's a weird catch 22 with a front wheel drive car.

If, on Dee's Accord, he always put the best tires in back he would wear through the fronts much faster, and always be buying tires in sets of two, putting them on the rear and pushing the rears up front.

Which is fine, but it violates CapriRacer's other suggestion of "the best situation is 4 identical tires at the same state of wear" as the fronts will always have more wear than the rears, and be wearing faster at that. Plus, eventually you won't be able to buy the same tires again.

I agree that the best emergency handling is with the best tires in the rear, but on a front wheel drive car the better tires have to go up front if you want even wear across four tires.
 
Originally Posted By: bepperb
I agree that the best emergency handling is with the best tires in the rear, but on a front wheel drive car the better tires have to go up front if you want even wear across four tires.

Which poses a question: what's more important, even wear across four tires or better emergency handling?
 
It's not dangerous to have front tires that have a little more tread than the back tires. It only becomes a problem when the difference is enough that there is a significant difference in snow/wet traction and hydroplane resistance. On my car, the tires with greater tread depth go on the front at each rotation. Once they get close to the wear bars, they stay on the front until they're done.

By the end of last winter, the studs on my front tires were more prominent and sharper than the ones on the rear (semi-aggressive cornering does that, aggressive cornering ruins them). My car definitely developed a more neutral cornering attitude as a result, and I could feel a touch of oversteer every once in awhile during cornering on icy roads. Obviously, those sharper studs will be on the back at the start of next winter!
 
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
Obvious, the best situation is 4 identical tires at the same state of wear. That mean the vehicle is as balanced as it can be no matter which tires are put where.

But if you have different tires (speed ratings, wear, etc.) you want the best tires on the rear. The problem you've posed complicates the issue.

Obvious new tires should go on the rear if there is a decided wear difference between the tires.

However, if the wear difference is small and one pair is directional - which should help hydroplaning resistance - then it becomes a guessing game as to which pair are least likely to hydroplane.

The EXACT question you've posed - new directional tires, vs well worn non-directional tires - well, this is not the best setup, but if you are going to go that direction, new directional tires on the rear

The tires on there are now are both directional. I'm thinking about replacing the shot Michelin Hydroedges with non-directionals.
 
Originally Posted By: nthach


The tires on there are now are both directional. I'm thinking about replacing the shot Michelin Hydroedges with non-directionals.


As I said before:

Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
........

Obvious new tires should go on the rear if there is a decided wear difference between the tires.

However, if the wear difference is small and one pair is directional - which should help hydroplaning resistance - then it becomes a guessing game as to which pair are least likely to hydroplane.

........
 
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