More on front or rear for 2 new tires

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For those who want to know the Michelin position on where to mount 2 new tires (front or rear) here is a good link;

http://www.michelinman.com/care/tip6.html#5

I mistakenly attributed this to Car and Driver magazine when in fact it was Road and Track that did the story a month or two ago. Road and Track consulted with Michelin to bring this to light. I found it pretty interesting. I think it was the May Road and Track issue if anyone has access to back issues.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Whimsey:
The vehicle they show is a rear wheel drive BMW. Does this also pertain to front wheel drive vehicles?

Whimsey


The BMW only made a cameo appearance. The two cars being tested at the end are front wheel drive Ford Tauruses (Taurii?).

[ July 18, 2004, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: darryld13 ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by darryld13:

quote:

Originally posted by Whimsey:
The vehicle they show is a rear wheel drive BMW. Does this also pertain to front wheel drive vehicles?

Whimsey


The BMW only made a cameo appearance. The two cars being tested at the end are front wheel drive Ford Tauruses (Taurii?).


I guess I need a better computer because I could not load the video and just saw the BMW
frown.gif
. So they are saying that even front wheel drive cars should have the "new/better" tires on the rear wheels also?

Whimsey
 
quote:

Originally posted by Whimsey:
I guess I need a better computer because I could not load the video and just saw the BMW
frown.gif
. So they are saying that even front wheel drive cars should have the "new/better" tires on the rear wheels also?

Whimsey


Front or rear drive makes no difference. Now quattro or awd like in a Subaru, I wonder if that would make a diff? Going strictly based on the Michelin tests and logic I would think not.

In the Road and Track article when they did the tests at the Michelin facility they used two front wheel drive Nissan Altimas.
 
I appreciate that.

I'm going to have to throw out my old notions about mounting tires.

You need quicktime to view.
 
quote:

Originally posted by VaderSS:
I had posted a link to that video in my first response to the last discussion on this.

Oops
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. Boy, the marbles are going quicker than even I thought. At this rate, by the time I'm 45 I'll be a babbling mess. I'm sure you would argue that I am already.
banghead.gif


Sorry Vader. I honestly didn't remember seeing it in the other thread.
 
I've been hearing this recommendation for a while now, the reason being it's much easier to control the car if the front tires lose traction than if the rears break loose. Makes all the sense in the world when you think about it, but it is counter-intuitive.
 
I always knew with a rear wheel drive car that two new tires should go on the rear, but that seems wrong with FWD as those cars, in my experience, always tend to understeer.

OK, I stand corrected.

Now, having said that, maybe Michelin wants you to wear out your partially worn tires on the front so that you will have to buy two more tires even sooner?
wink.gif
wink.gif
(always looking for a crass commercial motive)
 
I have a hard time buying thier statement about new tires on the rear reducing hydro-planing.

The front tires are the ones that see the most water, and are more suseptable to hydro-planing, IMO.

In any case, I dont change 2 at a time, so it's pretty much irrelevant to me.

The front tires see the most wear, heat, and loading, and also do the most braking, so why would you not put the newest and best tires on the front is beyond me.

My, .02
 
quote:

Originally posted by 02supercrew:
I have a hard time buying thier statement about new tires on the rear reducing hydro-planing.

The front tires are the ones that see the most water, and are more suseptable to hydro-planing, IMO.

In any case, I dont change 2 at a time, so it's pretty much irrelevant to me.

The front tires see the most wear, heat, and loading, and also do the most braking, so why would you not put the newest and best tires on the front is beyond me.

My, .02


So why do they always put the duals on the back?
 
Just some food for thought:

Do the rear tires follow the same track as the fronts when the vehicle goes around a curve?

So doesn't this mean that when the vehicle is most likely to encounter oversteer, the front tires do not clear the water out of the way and perhaps even add to the problem?
 
quote:

Just some food for thought:

Do the rear tires follow the same track as the fronts when the vehicle goes around a curve?

So doesn't this mean that when the vehicle is most likely to encounter oversteer, the front tires do not clear the water out of the way and perhaps even add to the problem?

That's why driving sensible according to the road conditions is critical. Just because I can go straight down the highway at 80 mph without hydroplaning doesn't mean the tires won't lose grip if the conditions (for example a curve) suddenly change. Driving skills are critical, and knowing one's own and the car's limits are part of driving skills.
 
This discussion is another form of fwd vs. rwd i.m.o.
dunno.gif
I expect this not to come to an end.

Eventhough it is more possible to produce a skid in a rwd, Rwd or fwd all "familiy" cars designed to give a slight natural oversteer. FWD might be more on the oversteering side but on extremes also the fwd tends to oversteer. On rwd you push the pedal in the center of the curve, and on the fwd you just release the hard pushed gas pedal resumes similar effects. There is a -whip effect- (sorry for terminology). After front tires turned abruptly, a lateral acceleration can be initiated at the backside.

On straight line braking I'm not sure. With the new sets on the back more equal distribution might be obtained. On the front, grip is where the 60~70% braking force is with the possibility for the rear end loosing its track.
 
The argument makes sense to the point where the person rotates their tires, then the more worn out tires are placed on the back. I guess it is more for the average owner who never ever rotates their tires.

Hydroplaning is so unpredictable, its a scary thing and sometimes you cannot feel it until it is too late. Just yesterday I was on my home on I-95 right after a big rainstorm, all of a sudden my ESP light started blinking like crazy and continued to blink until I slowed to about 50 MPH. If I did not have ESP I would have never known I was hydroplaning, I could not feel a thing.
 
BTW Goodyear also advises the new two to go rear...

"When radial tires are used with bias or bias belted tires on the same car, the radials must always be placed on the rear axle. Never mix radial and bias-ply tires on the same axle. When you select a pair of replacement tires in the same size and construction as those on the car, we recommend you put them on the rear axle. A single new tire should be paired on the rear axle with the tire having the most tread depth of the other three."

http://www.goodyeartires.com/faqs/Technical.html
 
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