New tyres?

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#676659 25-Aug-2012 01:52

If the front tires have significantly less tread depth than the rear tires, the front tires will begin to hydroplane and lose traction on wet roads before the rear tires. While this will cause the vehicle to understeer (the vehicle wants to continue driving straight ahead), understeer is relatively easy to control because releasing the gas pedal will slow the vehicle and help the driver maintain control.

However, if the front tires have significantly more tread depth than the rear tires, the rear tires will begin to hydroplane and lose traction on wet roads before the fronts. This will cause the vehicle to oversteer (the vehicle will want to spin). Oversteer is far more difficult to control and in addition to the initial distress felt when the rear of the car starts sliding, quickly releasing the gas pedal in an attempt to slow down may actually make it more difficult for the driver to regain control, possibly causing a complete spinout.

source: tirerack.com

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#676662 25-Aug-2012 02:11

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#676664 25-Aug-2012 02:15

Yogi02

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#676676 25-Aug-2012 07:54

Thanks for putting up the vids. Have to admit until seeing thoses, I thought that those saying to put them on the rear were full of it. Quite surprised actually.

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#676699 25-Aug-2012 09:19

nakedmolerat: If the front tires have significantly less tread depth than the rear tires, the front tires will begin to hydroplane and lose traction on wet roads before the rear tires. While this will cause the vehicle to understeer (the vehicle wants to continue driving straight ahead), understeer is relatively easy to control because releasing the gas pedal will slow the vehicle and help the driver maintain control.

However, if the front tires have significantly more tread depth than the rear tires, the rear tires will begin to hydroplane and lose traction on wet roads before the fronts. This will cause the vehicle to oversteer (the vehicle will want to spin). Oversteer is far more difficult to control and in addition to the initial distress felt when the rear of the car starts sliding, quickly releasing the gas pedal in an attempt to slow down may actually make it more difficult for the driver to regain control, possibly causing a complete spinout.

source: tirerack.com

Correct.

Never said it wont happen, always said it could happen, but under what conditions?
Completely bald triangle rear tyres with sticky fronts in a supremely imbalanced car?
If your rear tyres are bald of course they need replacing.
If your rear tyres are good why replace them? (note i didnt say do not, just asking a searching question)

It's up to you to decide but i am saying the statement "when buying new tyres they go at the back" cannot be generalised and cannot save everyone.

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#676700 25-Aug-2012 09:21

While understeer is "relatively easy to control" ... Have you ever tried it in a blind corner in a narrow road with an oncoming truck?

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#676701 25-Aug-2012 09:33

Just another question for those who go by the rule put new tyres on rear ... If any one of you drive old style 4wd ... Might as well start walking because there is a chance of it rolling and it is more difficult to control than understeer too ... If any one of you drive a less than 5 star safety car you might as well take the bus because if a drunk driver hits you head on it more difficult to control than understeer ...

I don't say don't put good tyres on the rear, but ... New tyres must go on the rear ... Everyone can make up their mind on that

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#676739 25-Aug-2012 11:09

Yogi02: Thanks for putting up the vids. Have to admit until seeing thoses, I thought that those saying to put them on the rear were full of it. Quite surprised actually.

No problem. Glad i can help. It is definitely imperative to have two new tyres at the back.

If you can afford 4 new tyres, that would be the best.

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#676772 25-Aug-2012 12:33

Where do you do most of your driving?
At what speed?
Around town with stop start intersections and 50kmh?
Yes! Best make sure your car won't oversteer in extreme circumstances on slick highways then!
No need to worry about emergency stops or avoidance action in town streets with cars pulling out or kids running across the road. Steering and stopping are not the most important things there! But hey. what do I know? I'm just a life long car enthusiast with years in the industry.

*shakes head and walks away*

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#676890 25-Aug-2012 16:47

1eStar

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#676986 26-Aug-2012 00:09

I always make sure the *best* tread depth is on the front, and *good* tread depth is on the back. But right up on importance is tyre pressure, and quality tyres in the first place. Most cheap tyres neither last long or provide much traction in the wet. I generally ask the tyre shop for their recommendation for a good wet weather tyre on special, then google it's specs and writeups before committing to a purchase. Four good tyres on a vehicle is cheap life insurance.

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#677063 26-Aug-2012 11:36

I wish this thread went up a couple of months ago. Beaurepaires didn't mention a thing to me about this although to be fair I didn't ask either. But it would have been nice if they had mentioned something. Well I guess I better go and rotate my tyres.

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#677066 26-Aug-2012 11:52

Because it's an opinion

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#677087 26-Aug-2012 12:34

Two points worth making.

First it's pretty easy to tell if your tyres will pass the warrant. There's a wear marker/indicator running across the tyre at regular intervals around the tyre. When the tread depth matches the depth of the wear marker/indicator then your tyres are no longer legal.

I have a RWD car and for some time now I have been replacing two tyres at a time and every time the tyre shop moves the half worn front tyres to the rear and puts the new tyres on the front. It's a good tyre shop and I figure theyt know what they're doing.

To me it makes sense to have the good tyres on the front. That's where the steering and braking happen and where the most likely source of any instability problem's start. I would suggest that most accidents occur through loss of control at the front (under steer, lack of traction for braking, aquaplaning) before loss of control occurs with the rear tyres.

Sure good traction at the front compared to the rear can cause loss of traction at the rear but I rather suspect this happens less frequently that loss of traction on the front tyres.

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#677092 26-Aug-2012 12:41

Technofreak: First it's pretty easy to tell if your tyres will pass the warrant. There's a wear marker/indicator running across the tyre at regular intervals around the tyre. When the tread depth matches the depth of the wear marker/indicator then your tyres are no longer legal.

Incorrect, they are not legal depths, they are a guideline that they need replacing soon - not a legal depth limit.

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