Scotty says two new tires go to the...

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All my daily-drivers have been FWD. I've always had new tyres put on the back, always felt this was safest.

In the UK we are required to have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread accross the centre 3/4 of the tyre at all times.
 
Scotty is a youtube mechanic from Texas. I feel like his experience in snow driving (which seems to be the conditions that most people in this thread is relating too) is akin to a 18 year old that just got their license in the snow belt states. If anybody has gone snow/ice racing before or even threshold brake on the track, it's easy to understand why the better condition tires should go in the rear.

But if any of your tires were bad enough that you can't accelerate or turn during bad driving conditions then you shouldn't have been out in the first place.

Originally Posted by AZjeff
And the point the rest of the industry tries to make is the average (low skill) driver is better able to deal with understeer than oversteer?


Yes. Understeer is easier to manage for the normal driver since most understeer can be corrected with just letting off the gas.
 
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For us peasants that drive FWD and FWD-based AWD vehicles, does that mean when it comes to installing snow chains, they should go on the rear tires instead of the front, for the same reason why new tires should be installed in the rear?
 
Originally Posted by UG_Passat
For us peasants that drive FWD and FWD-based AWD vehicles, does that mean when it comes to installing snow chains, they should go on the rear tires instead of the front, for the same reason why new tires should be installed in the rear?


Those would go on whichever the drive wheels are. AFAIK, tire chains only help with the forward movement and braking of the car (I only carry chains for Colorado and Utah - they're illegal in IL and surrounding states so I don't follow the new stuff very much.)
 
Originally Posted by Pew
Originally Posted by UG_Passat
For us peasants that drive FWD and FWD-based AWD vehicles, does that mean when it comes to installing snow chains, they should go on the rear tires instead of the front, for the same reason why new tires should be installed in the rear?


Those would go on whichever the drive wheels are. AFAIK, tire chains only help with the forward movement and braking of the car (I only carry chains for Colorado and Utah - they're illegal in IL and surrounding states so I don't follow the new stuff very much.)



Chains and cables help turning also, since it also provides lateral grip.
 
At the risk of wading in here...

I get the idea, but sometimes wonder at the inanity of it. I mean, let's say I have a car with tires at 4/32's on it. I can motor around all day with that, with some decrease in wet traction. I buy a new set of tires, but when they get down to say 6/32's, say I hit something and am forced into getting a matched pair. Suddenly the new tires have to go on the rear, for safety's sake. Somehow 6/32's is dangerously low but 4/32's wasn't.

And I do get the fact that it's about disparate levels of traction... but on a typical front biased FWD car, does it really matter that much?

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I just go by the guidelines as they make sense. But I'll fudge them a bit on my own vehicles as I see fit.

I didn't watch the video. IMO we've all just added to Scotty's bottom line here.

*

Lately I've been kinda intrigued by how much traction an inside wheel has. I've always thought that, once the body starts to lean over (remember, I drive Toyota's) that the inside wheel is kinda along for the ride. Couple times recently I've taken turns with the inside tires on a bit snow, outside on wet pavement, and I can feel the car slide a bit as a result. I guess all 4 tires really are there for a reason.
 
I think the point is that 4/32 all around is safer than 6/32 on one end and 10/32 on the other.
It will slide sooner but not rotate and surprise the driver.

I think this is the point.

I may be wrong ;-)

KrzyÅ›
 
Originally Posted by UG_Passat
Originally Posted by Pew
Originally Posted by UG_Passat
For us peasants that drive FWD and FWD-based AWD vehicles, does that mean when it comes to installing snow chains, they should go on the rear tires instead of the front, for the same reason why new tires should be installed in the rear?


Those would go on whichever the drive wheels are. AFAIK, tire chains only help with the forward movement and braking of the car (I only carry chains for Colorado and Utah - they're illegal in IL and surrounding states so I don't follow the new stuff very much.)



Chains and cables help turning also, since it also provides lateral grip.


I'm thinking of traditional ladder chains like this. I just heard of the autosock not to long ago from another Focus owner but I've never tried them out. I wonder how those are.

[Linked Image]
 
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you have diamond pattern also for chains

[Linked Image from vulcantire.com]


as well as diagonal style for cables also
[Linked Image from vulcantire.com]


Yes, I have driven ladder style also, such as the Thule (Konig) K-summit with all of the sizing bolts removed.
 
The tire manufacturers and retailers are probably correct in theory. In reality, the effects and consequences can be so subtle as to be indiscernible to a large segment of drivers. The only reason this is a "thing" is because the manufacturers and retailers don't want to be dragged into a lawsuit for not adhering to best practices and procedures at all times.
 
A lot of people are missing the entire point of having deeper tread on the rear axle. It is due to keeping the rear of the car stable while driving on wet roads. The back half of the car weighs much less than the front. Less weight means less force keeping the tires planted firmly whenever the road is wet enough to hydroplane. The weight of the engine helps keep the steer tires planted, so you can usually get by with the front tires being worn a bit. Yes the front tires can still lose traction, but often recovers fairly quickly.

Over 90% of hydroplaning scenarios is from the rear tires losing traction resulting in a spin out. As a truck driver who covers a LOT of roads, I see it happen way more than I care to. I've actually never seen a car slide completely out of the road due to the front tires hydroplaning. I've seen dozens spin due to rear kicking out...even on a completely straight road in a heavy rain.

So...if all 4 of your tires are down to 4/32 tread depth and all you can afford is 2 tires at the time...they belong on the rear axle. Ideally you want to replace all 4, but not everybody can drop coin on a full set all at once. Of course you would want to replace the other 2 asap whenever the finances allow.

Anybody who allows their tread to get to 2/32 is being very irresponsible.
 
Originally Posted by super20dan
ask your self -whats more dangerous blow out rear or blow out front? nuff said


Rear blowouts are far more dangerous, I believe that's what you were getting at.
 
Originally Posted by bubbatime
Originally Posted by super20dan
ask your self -whats more dangerous blow out rear or blow out front? nuff said


Rear blowouts are far more dangerous, I believe that's what you were getting at.

Exactly. All you need to do is watch a NASCAR race to get the picture here. Anytime they cut down a rear tire...they almost always spin out.
 
Seriously now....I HONESTLY think there are enough responses to this age old question to make a logic tree out of them.

Seriously. Also, 2 colors of ink can be used to differentiate between what we think and what is known.

Possibly two trees need to be made. One for 4 tire rotation and another for 5.

Add yet another for the unavoidably simple rotation for staggered tire set-up. Ha-ha, I bet that one, posted on a tire store's wall next to the others, would sell staggered set-ups due to its simplicity.
 
Was driving in a rental Rogue Sport in the snow. With newer tires in the back, had the rear end kick out on me making a turn, wasn't even driving that fast. I thought the deep tread in the rear was supposed to prevent this?
 
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