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Better tires to the front or back of the car?

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Old 13-May-2005 | 10:22 PM
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Better tires to the front or back of the car?

So I had this conversation with my boss today. He says since the front of the car is heavier than the rear (except the rear engine case), the better tires should be put to the rear, so it loweres the chances of understeer. He says the oversteer is more correctable and so isnt as dangerous.

But from what I have experienced, front tires wear out MUCH quicker than the rears, due to all the braking and steering and acceleration they have to do. So I say better tires go the front.

But then I suppose it really depends on your tire budget and driving style.... So I was wondering what others think about this.....
Old 13-May-2005 | 11:23 PM
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i think it really depends on what kind of driver you are. if u are some mom or grandma that is driving around nice and slowly all the time then i think it would be best to put the good tires on the rear. This is because they arent doing heavy braking and steering so they dont really need that extra traction, yet they would probably freak out with a bit of oversteer and lose control or slam the brakes or something.

If u are someone that is a fairly good driver that does alot of heavy accelerating and stuff, then the good tires should be up front because you know how to control your oversteer and u will be using the front tires more so anyways.

so all in all, depends on the driver, bothw ays can be right ways.
Old 14-May-2005 | 12:23 PM
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I'd always put the most tread tires on the front. So meaning best tires on the front. If u get 2 new tires u normally put them on the rear even though the front tires are almost toast because u don't want the tire to have a tire pull. Sometimes u can get tire pull from new tires that's why they put them on the rear first and spin them for a while and then rotate it. I accelerate really hard everytime so i put on my Michelin tires on the front.
Old 14-May-2005 | 12:53 PM
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I would say the better tires go on the front regardless of your budget, driving style, whatever.

In the Civic's case, the front wheels provide power, stopping and steering and carry the most weight so you would want the most control and traction there. Civics naturaly understeer and will always do so unless the suspension as been modified by stiffening the rear.

Tell your boss to try this experiment and se how well a Civic will perform. Put the best tires he can find on the rear and a set of the skinny spares on the front.
Old 14-May-2005 | 12:58 PM
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front wheel drive so i'll say front
Old 14-May-2005 | 06:30 PM
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I say follow the standard tire rotation every 10,000k and simply wear your tires as evenly as possible
Old 14-May-2005 | 07:58 PM
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your boss is correct. Better tires on the rear if the case should arrise to avoid spinouts in the winter anyway, summer time doesnt really matter... You should always have balanced tread regardless...with proper rotation there should never be a "better tire".
Old 14-May-2005 | 08:04 PM
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put 1 good one on the front and 1 good one on the back...compromise!
Old 14-May-2005 | 08:26 PM
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Originally posted by CyniKal.Mindset
put 1 good one on the front and 1 good one on the back...compromise!

you'll practically be a nascar racer !
Old 14-May-2005 | 08:36 PM
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nascar is cool....if u have a mullet!
Old 14-May-2005 | 08:50 PM
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Originally posted by CyniKal.Mindset
nascar is cool....if u have a mullet!
mullets are awesome
Old 15-May-2005 | 12:31 AM
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at the front u have traction and control as well
Old 15-May-2005 | 03:16 PM
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Originally posted by winner007
If u get 2 new tires u normally put them on the rear even though the front tires are almost toast because u don't want the tire to have a tire pull.
The only correct statement so far. If you guys do your research, you will realize its the back tires that should be the better tires on the car.

btw, I always thought it was the front should be better, but its really the other way around.
Old 15-May-2005 | 04:08 PM
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Originally posted by phuviano


The only correct statement so far. If you guys do your research, you will realize its the back tires that should be the better tires on the car.

btw, I always thought it was the front should be better, but its really the other way around.
Care to enlighten the rest of us.

The front does the steering, braking and powers the wheels. I still think the better tires go on the front on a front wheel drive car.

*ninja edit*
Nevermind. I just read on Tire Rack that you should replace the bald rear tires before the front (new better tires on rear). Something about the rear resisting hydroplaning better and with better tires the rear will stay in control on a wet road.

Still desn't make sense to because the front does all the work. You keep bald tires on the front and your acceleration/deceleration is gone because there is not enough traction.
Old 16-May-2005 | 09:43 AM
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Good info.
Old 16-May-2005 | 10:01 AM
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hm...i always used to put the newer ones on front..

ok here's a question that this brought up, if you're buying only TWO snow tires for the winter, where would you put them?

front or rear...
Old 16-May-2005 | 10:04 AM
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my guess is the rear after all that info...
Old 16-May-2005 | 10:05 AM
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but then your braking, accelerating and steering will not be good at all in the snow and that seems more important.... who knows this?lol
Old 16-May-2005 | 10:39 AM
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I thinks that's why when you buy snow tires, it shoul dbe done in a set. Front for traction and braking, rear for control.
Old 16-May-2005 | 10:44 AM
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yeah yeah i know, i get them in sets also, but my first car i didn't have enough money so i only bought two and put them on the front, i'm just curious as to if someone was to get only TWO, then what should you do, i'd thikn front cuz steering / acceleration without snows i feel the front sliding and slipping way more than the rear in snowy conditions


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