2 pairs of tyres - which on front, which on back?

Frozennova · 9 Oct 2012 at 22:59

I will fully admit I was being a bit of a nob when I happened. I had new tyres a couple of days previous and had forgot. I was used to the front letting go and under steering well before the back stepped out, so I accelerated and turned in a little harder as I had the extra front grip.

Luckily the rear didn't let go too much and I corrected it easily.

Edit: the only other time I've had it happen was on a particular roundabout that gets notoriously greasy etc in the wet, I was doing 15mph, was off the throttle and had made very little steering input.

Jonny ///M · 9 Oct 2012 at 23:21

Craigus said:
I have never accidentally oversteer'd in a FWD car. You have to be driving like a *** or not taking account of the conditions for that to happen.

Best tyres on the front. That is where you will notice the benefit in grip and braking performance on a FWD.

If you are driving like enough of a Nob to dangerously oversteer on public roads then having slightly better tyres on the back won't help much.

That's how I've got mine set up. I felt a big difference going from T1Rs to Michelin PE2s on the front and with T1Rs on the back with really good tread I slid on a roundabout one day when she was doing my **** in and I went in a little fast. So that was my fault and that fact the roundabout has looks like carousel, or however you spell it, and was a little wet didn't help matters.

Stringy · 9 Oct 2012 at 23:23

Apparently one of the reasons for having the newest tyres on the rear is that it is easier to control a car with a punctured front tyre than rear, and as such the less likely tyres to puncture should be rearwards.
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/car-tyres.html

Despite all the sneering and 'you must drive like a baby murderer to invoke oversteer' comments, I'll stick with most of the official advice online and put the CSC5s on the back.

hurfdurf · 9 Oct 2012 at 23:26

5th gear did a test and showed time and time again, even on FWD vehicles, the back end coming out was the problem for cars, and so newer tyres should be on the back, as per all other professional advice I have ever seen. It was on auto trader iirc.

Hades · 9 Oct 2012 at 23:40

If you can afford to replace all four then I'd do that. I'm fussy about having good tyres all around and the difference it makes to the feel of the car is incfredible.

Jonnycoupe · 9 Oct 2012 at 23:48

My insight used to oversteer at low speed in the wet with a certainly amount of steering angle.... Caught me out on a roundabout once and could do nothing but wait for it to stop sliding facing the other way. Soon fixed when the Ceat Spyders were taken off!

You literally can do nothing, you don't really have steering effect and there's no power at the wheels. You just need mechanical grip and that's what the decent tyres will offer in wet conditions.

Afterall new tyres will offer less grip in the dry anyway so why would you want them at he front if they do 'most the braking and steering' work? Can't cope driving the car fast?

Stringy · 9 Oct 2012 at 23:56

I think the best thing to do is to hold off my wheel refurb, which is only for minor scuffs anyway, and if I don't like how the combination of tyres is working for me I'll get the fronts changed too with the money. From what I've read about the ZZ3s I anticipate the most I should have to worry about is some understeer if I do overreach (which is unlikely), they're not exactly linglong ditchfinders.

Bennie-Mac · 10 Oct 2012 at 11:32

I don't know how any of you are seemingly constantly battling with oversteer and understeer in normal driving conditions. Best tyres always go on the front. I would rather be able to stop in time to avoid accidents and death and mayhem than not because i was a bit worried about loosing the back end hooning it round maccy ds in front of the lads.

Jonnycoupe · 10 Oct 2012 at 11:42

If you're going from old to new rather the ***** tyres to good tyres im not sure why you are assuming new = better?

In the wet yes, probably. In the dry? Not so sure.

Janesy B · 10 Oct 2012 at 11:51

This is the assumption everyone seems to be making, that instantly fresh new tyres have more grip than a set with 5mm on which have been worn in just because there's more tread.

Jonnycoupe · 10 Oct 2012 at 11:56

Bennie-Mac said:
I don't know how any of you are seemingly constantly battling with oversteer and understeer in normal driving conditions. Best tyres always go on the front. I would rather be able to stop in time to avoid accidents and death and mayhem .

So what happens when you pull out the tyre shop, and have to stop fast within the next 500 miles with your compromised grip levels?

Conscript · 10 Oct 2012 at 12:03

Bennie-Mac said:
I don't know how any of you are seemingly constantly battling with oversteer and understeer in normal driving conditions. Best tyres always go on the front. I would rather be able to stop in time to avoid accidents and death and mayhem than not because i was a bit worried about loosing the back end hooning it round maccy ds in front of the lads.

It's nothing to do with hooning around. Just two posts above yours Johnnycoupe has explained that he has experienced oversteer in a normal everyday situation due to poor rear tyres. The Fifth Gear tests showed that even cornering at mundane speeds in the wet with poor tyres on the rear could induce difficult to correct oversteer.

Janesy B · 10 Oct 2012 at 12:16

Tesla · 10 Oct 2012 at 12:22

I stand corrected guys. Will always fit new to the rear axle in the future.

Bennie-Mac · 10 Oct 2012 at 13:56

Jonnycoupe said:
So what happens when you pull out the tyre shop, and have to stop fast within the next 500 miles with your compromised grip levels?

Well does that not mean that for the first 500 miles you will be at risk if oversteer in dry conditions if you fit them to the rear?

Conscript said:
It's nothing to do with hooning around. Just two posts above yours Johnnycoupe has explained that he has experienced oversteer in a normal everyday situation due to poor rear tyres. The Fifth Gear tests showed that even cornering at mundane speeds in the wet with poor tyres on the rear could induce difficult to correct oversteer.

Johnny did say he had budget tyres though. I understand the concept, I just feel that putting them on the front is more beneficial overall. I've never once had an oversteer moment in any car in normal day to day driving, wheras I've had incidents of lack of front end grip many times. Surely its better to correct the most problematic area?

Jonnycoupe · 10 Oct 2012 at 14:08

Bennie-Mac said:
Well does that not mean that for the first 500 miles you will be at risk if oversteer in dry conditions if you fit them to the rear?

Not really as its a significantly different traction mechanism, over steer in the dry would be an excess of power on a grunty RWD car thats easy to manage... ie dont press loud.

If you have lack of front end grip many times is that in anyway related to the new ness of the tyres though?

Conscript · 10 Oct 2012 at 15:42

Bennie-Mac said:
Johnny did say he had budget tyres though. I understand the concept, I just feel that putting them on the front is more beneficial overall. I've never once had an oversteer moment in any car in normal day to day driving, wheras I've had incidents of lack of front end grip many times. Surely its better to correct the most problematic area?

The front is probably more problematic area, but not the most dangerous. I think I'd rather ensure the rear wheels were planted with the most stability - you might risk a bit of skidding or a slightly increased braking distance sometimes but that's preferable to the back stepping out into an uncontrolled slide.