More on front or rear for 2 new tires

[jsharp]

Everyone has the same lawyers, and that's why they say to mount the new tires on the back. They want the car to always understeer because the average driver can deal with it. When the front starts to plow he will back off. This action will load the front of the car and give it more traction. He's saved himself but never really understands why. Most cars without anti-lock have heavy front brake bias for the same reason. Too much rear brake bias and a little rotation (yaw) and the car will oversteer easily. IOW, all these decisions are made for morons.

I'd rather the front have more traction. I'll take my chances that I can control the rear with the steering, throttle and brakes. When the front loses traction what's required to keep the car turning is completely different.

In fact, if you exceed the front traction limit substantially with high tire slip angles the only way to get regain traction is to reduce steering input. If that's not counter intuitive nothing is.

Jim - just another old autocrosser who'd rather not have the handling characteristics of his vehicles set by lawyers ...

 

[Brian Reid]

quote:

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jsharp:
Everyone has the same lawyers, and that's why they say to mount the new tires on the back. They want the car to always understeer because the average driver can deal with it. When the front starts to plow he will back off. This action will load the front of the car and give it more traction. He's saved himself but never really understands why. Most cars without anti-lock have heavy front brake bias for the same reason. Too much rear brake bias and a little rotation (yaw) and the car will oversteer easily. IOW, all these decisions are made for morons.

I'd rather the front have more traction. I'll take my chances that I can control the rear with the steering, throttle and brakes. When the front loses traction what's required to keep the car turning is completely different.

In fact, if you exceed the front traction limit substantially with high tire slip angles the only way to get regain traction is to reduce steering input. If that's not counter intuitive nothing is.

Jim - just another old autocrosser who'd rather not have the handling characteristics of his vehicles set by lawyers ...

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Some years ago Ford did tests on Tauruses and concluded that new tires should go on the front on the Taurus and Sable.

Unfortunately I can't lay my hands on the article at the moment.

Given the realities of hydroplaning (tread depth is the best protection), I'll stick with new tires on the front with FWD.

 

[labman]

Oversteer may be fun in a parking lot with nothing at risk except a few pylons and the driver's ego. I just hope I have left enough room in front of me when you go sideways out on the road.

 

[Brian Reid]

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labman:
Oversteer may be fun in a parking lot with nothing at risk except a few pylons and the driver's ego. I just hope I have left enough room in front of me when you go sideways out on the road.

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Ford's test results indicated that would be the result of putting new tires on the back of a Taurus.

Since worn tires will result in loss of control - oversteer or understeer being more or less irrelevant when the car ceases responding to inputs - I suppose the safe thing to do is put four tires on at a time.

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by labman:
Oversteer may be fun in a parking lot with nothing at risk except a few pylons and the driver's ego. I just hope I have left enough room in front of me when you go sideways out on the road.

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Yes, hopfully your front wheels will have enough traction to keep from plowing straight into me...

Me, I'll still take the best tires on the steering axle...

 

[javacontour]

So I'll ask the question I always ask, even to the tire guy that suggests mounting on the rear axle.

"Where do you put these newer tires when you rotate them?"

TB

 

[White 03]

quote:

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Originally posted by javacontour:

"Where do you put these newer tires when you rotate them?"

TB

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I have been wondering that myself. Maybe I am thinking to much about it. One though is put them on the front during dry season and on rear during wet season. On my car the front wear most so I have brought the better ones from the back and I am letting them get the wear. I probably should just rotate them more often so I can't tell the difference.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by jsharp:


Me, I'll still take the best tires on the steering axle...

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When you put the worst tires on the rear and make a hard stop it becomes the steering axle, only you can't control it, not good.