Costco tyre policy, crazy or some logic behind it
- Thread starter DazQ87
- Start date
Soldato
The main reason is that under heavy braking you *never* want your rear wheels locking before the fronts. This leads to a situation where the front of the car is slowing down significantly more than the back of the car resulting in the back overtaking the front before you know what's happened.
Soldato
Not to sound like a bore, but you could just swap the wheels around after if Costco pricing was particularly good for the tyre you wanted
Associate
A good friend of mine works in the tyre trade having been a depot manager for many years (seemed to carry that on after he emigrated!) and advised me - new tyres on the rear.
His explanation was that the rear of the car was like a trailer, where you only had limited control over it so that's where you'd want the better grip.
His explanation was that the rear of the car was like a trailer, where you only had limited control over it so that's where you'd want the better grip.
Soldato
Main real safety issue is aquaplaning. Hit standing water, fronts work as they are new and channel the water away. Rears don't thanks to less tread and lighter axle depth. Not only does the rear plan across the water but the drag of the fronts puts the car into a spin.
Soldato
Also by putting the old on the front it means you go through them quicker, which is a good thing (for FWD). Otherwise by the time the old rears are gone your fronts would probably need doing again.
I always ask event tyres to put new on the back for me.
I always ask event tyres to put new on the back for me.
I go through driven wheels 2-3 times as quickly as non driven. If I can I rotate them so that I can buy a set of 4 of whatever I'm after when I next go for tyres.
I can understand the aquaplaning issue as well as potential oversteer from the rear in poor conditions. Can't buy into the braking claim at all though, the rear brakes are sufficiently poorer than the front in a lot of cars ( that's not to say the bias isn't fairly equal) and it causes no issue. Maybe in extreme instances of braking mid corner during a downpour or the likes - but you've given up mashed the pedal and are a passenger then anyway
I can understand the aquaplaning issue as well as potential oversteer from the rear in poor conditions. Can't buy into the braking claim at all though, the rear brakes are sufficiently poorer than the front in a lot of cars ( that's not to say the bias isn't fairly equal) and it causes no issue. Maybe in extreme instances of braking mid corner during a downpour or the likes - but you've given up mashed the pedal and are a passenger then anyway
Associate
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- 27 Jan 2014
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'Most' bad crashes are caused by loss of control. A common cause being the S swerve to avoid some sudden change and then corrrecting back to the original path at which point violent roll and weight transfer and loss of rear end..
Soldato
Event tyres rebalanced my wheels which they moved from back to front, they were 18months old and tyres weren't changed.
Aapparently as tyres wear they can become unbalanced compared to when they were first done when brand new. Seems logical to me and he didn't charge me either so wasn't pulling a fast one.
Aapparently as tyres wear they can become unbalanced compared to when they were first done when brand new. Seems logical to me and he didn't charge me either so wasn't pulling a fast one.
Soldato
Contrary to what everyone appears to do I stick new tyres on the front of my focus and they get demoted to the rear when the rears need doing.
This way it works out at 2 new tyres every 18 months or so and not having to replace all four in 1 go.
This way it works out at 2 new tyres every 18 months or so and not having to replace all four in 1 go.
I dont rotate tyres.
if it comes to needing to replace all four in a short period of time ill do the fronts first, especially in bad weather.
i would want the superior water clearing ability of a new tyre at the front of the car rather than the rear.
if it comes to needing to replace all four in a short period of time ill do the fronts first, especially in bad weather.
i would want the superior water clearing ability of a new tyre at the front of the car rather than the rear.
Soldato
Understeer is boring, and you can't make it look cool
Oversteer is fun, and can make you look extra cool, especially if it's a FWD drive.
Always fit new tyres to the front
Oversteer is fun, and can make you look extra cool, especially if it's a FWD drive.
Always fit new tyres to the front
Associate
- Joined
- 27 Jan 2014
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- 892
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xzQ***5O84
If the from tyres are marginal and starting to slip, most drivers can easily correct the slip by lifting off or steering into the skid. If the rears start to step out such as in the wet on a sweeping bend, most drivers will realise late, lift off and then steer into the skid causing a violent spin in the opposite direction and the car then usually spins into the trees or oncoming traffic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__0DL8dE3Eo&spfreload=10
I have quattro these days and so buy 4 tyres and rotate half way through their life.
If the from tyres are marginal and starting to slip, most drivers can easily correct the slip by lifting off or steering into the skid. If the rears start to step out such as in the wet on a sweeping bend, most drivers will realise late, lift off and then steer into the skid causing a violent spin in the opposite direction and the car then usually spins into the trees or oncoming traffic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__0DL8dE3Eo&spfreload=10
I have quattro these days and so buy 4 tyres and rotate half way through their life.