Juts back from Micheldever Tyres, having fitted Michelin Pilot Exaltos to the rear of my Golf VR6. The old Firestones had lasted 35,000 miles since new with the car; there was about 3mm of tread left, but there were too many small cracks around the edge for comfort, age having taken its toll over seven years. The Pilots on the front have now done 17,000 miles and still have 5mm of tread left, which compares well with the original Firestones, which expired at 17,500 miles. Viz. the continuing debate about which end to fit new tyres: Micheldever were resolute about putting the new ones on the rear, front-wheel drive notwithstanding.
A typical trip:
* At 7.00 a.m., miles and miles of queues in both directions on the M25, exacerbated by rubbernecking at a cleared-up minor multi-car accident south of Maple Cross. Boy, that does make me spit.
* Lane-change indicating seems to be out of fashion on the M3.
P.S. There's some good stuff on speed cameras in today's Daily Telegraph.
|
I've always understood the rule was 'best tyres on the wheels that steer'
|
|
Most tyre outfitters now go with "best on rear" as understeer is safer/easier to control than losing the back end.
|
|
This argument (new tyres on rear) is only valid for boy racers and other performance drivers. If you don't accelerate wildly or throw the car into bends, it seems to me that tread belongs where the traction is. On a FWD car the back wheels are just big castors.
|
This argument (new tyres on rear) is only valid for boy racers and other performance drivers. If you don't accelerate wildly or throw the car into bends, it seems to me that tread belongs where the traction is. On a FWD car the back wheels are just big castors.
I couldn't have put it better myself.
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
|
|
|
|
A couple of years ago the thinking changed, now it's thought best the best tyres should be on the rear - if the front lets go most people (FWD) can handle oversteer but wouldn't be able to handle understeer if the back let go.
I'm not fully in agreement myself as steering is one thing, braking is another and the front wheels definitely do 90% of the work.
|
Well living in rural Staffordshire where we get snow, I would/could not drive a fwd car with worn fronts..
But then most people/road testers seem to regard snow and rain as not things to test cars on.
All these great BMWs are absolutely undriveable in snow.. fwd any day with new tyres on the front...
madf
|
All wheels should have good tyres on them in snow!
If traction is the problem, I thought the auto BMW's had intelligent gearboxes where you could start in 2nd gear in snow?
|
Malcolm: mine was a E36 318i.. No traction control..
But traction control is no good if your tyres don't grip...
madf
|
There's a vigorous discussion about front or rear at:
tinyurl.com/wwhw
|
And some weighty advice from Michelin at:
tinyurl.com/wwj8
|
And a useful site for anyone in doubt about the correct tyre pressures for their car:
tinyurl.com/wwkb
Time for a glass of wine now.
|
For anyone in the Essex area - I have had uneven wear on a tyre - dealer price was about £130 for computerised check.
Had it done yesterday by Performance Tyres at Bishops Stortford - checked and one wheel needed adjusting - £35-25 inc VAT.
It is £15-00 for four wheel alignment check - if adjustment is needed it is £15-00 Front and £16-00 rear.
I have no other connection with the company - the steering feels great after thier work.
Matt35.
|
Most punctures ocurr on the rear tyres, as objects such as screws are flicked by the fronts running over them, and a split second later, the rear tyres run over and collect the screw while its still flicked up.
New tyres on the back are less likely to get punctured as they are thicker :o) , but if they do, a newer tyre is also burst! :o(
|
|
|
I've got Continental Sport Contacts on my Audi Quattro. Done 13K and they've only got about another 2k in them, I reckon. They are particularly worn on the outside of each tyre (which I was told was normal (?)), wear being pretty even between front and rear. They are great tyres (don't try braking hard when they're cold though) with loads of grip (when they are warmed up). Can anybody suggest competent replacements which might wear a little better. I don't fancy spending the thick end of 500 quid every 18 months on tyres.
PS I had a Rover 214i once and replaced the fronts at 35K miles and the rears at 60K (and that was only because the tyre wall was bulging on the insides)!
|
Best tyres on front or rear has been discussed many times before on this site and the tyre manufacturers say they should be on the rear for the reasons detailed above.
However in my lifetime of driving the advice was always that the best tyres should be on the front for the reason that a blow out at speed on a rear tyre can be handled OK, but if it happened on the front the car would go out of control.
Probably not wise to contradict the experts but.....I still have the best tyres on the front.
|
|
|
I can recommend the hard wearing qualities of the Yokohama A539, sitecode. They have a pleasing diamond tread pattern, and are quieter than the Continentals I had before, and seem to have good ride comfort.
Although still very competant they are not the best for dry road cornering, as you'd expect on a tyre with good treadwear.
Excellent in the wet. (Primera)
LZ
|
|
|
|
Swings and round abouts. If a tyre is worn down to the legal minimum but us still otherwise in good condition, it will offer more traction on a dry road than new tyres. On a wet road the situation is reversed. The bigger the difference in tread remaining on front and rear tyres, the more significant this effect will be. I think the advice assumes people are more likely to loose control in wet conditions, where a tendancy towards understeer will be benefical for the average driver.
Another reason maybe to wear out the oldest tyres first. The majority of cars and drivers will wear out the front tyres first.
|
I had the Conti Contact Sports on the Alfa and they were noisy and prone to let go in the wet. Lasted 16k (front) but there was noticable cracking on the sidewalls of the rears at three years old, so replaced those too.
Opted for Michelin Pilot Sports as replacements. After a further 13k they show every sign of lasting upwards 24k on the front and more on the rear. A very quiet tyre and superior in grip to the Contis.
Micheldever replaced all four for around £360 (205/55/16ZR)including a full tracking/alignment checks and adjustment.
|
|
|
|
RE tread life. A, balance wear by changing fron to rear occaisionally- probably do twice in life of tyres. Keeps the whole cars tread more balanced.
b. Look for tyres with High 300+ treadwear index. I haver had less than 35k life on performance coupes (audi & honda). People argue that the index is only camparative within one make but My experience suggests otherwise.
Marangoni tyres have 400 index! hope this helps
|
|
|
