replace 2 tires 245

Need to replace 2 tires on 1985 245. should the new ones go the the front or
back on a RWD car?

Howard

 

Depends upon who you ask. Personally, I want the new ones on the front,
as that's where I control the car.

Some shops are insisting that the new ones go on the back based upon
some studies that nobody can seem to find a copy of.


Gary

 

I would also put the new ones on the front, and I've seen on TV the
"demonstration" (Michelin sponsored) where half worn tires were put on
the front and new tires were put on the rear of a Camry. The car was
then driven faster and faster around a water soaked skid pad until one
end lost control. Surprise, surprise, the rear lost grip first and the
car spun. So because of this, it is recommended by the "experts" to
always put the best tires on the rear no matter what. The fallacy of
this argument is that after 4 new tires are on a car for a period of
time, the fronts are always going to be more worn that the rear - so no
more rotating to even out wear. When buying 2 tires, I will personally
always put the new ones on the front.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

Well, the test was on a car with front wheel drive. Nevertheless, I have been told
that regardless of whether RWD or FWD, the best tires go on the rear wheels. If you
drive so fast in bad weather that you loose grip on your less good frontwheels, you
are more likely to still have grip with your better rear tires. If you put the new
tires in the front, youre most likely to have NO grip whatsoever once your front
weels start to skid.

/ Johan

 

Meaning, in a RWD car, you get pushed along with no control. Anyone
thinking this is a good idea is insane.

However, with the new tires on the front of a RWD, the rear wheels will
lose grip well before the fronts, and I'll have control over what forward
motion I have. I consider this a desirable situation.

Putting the new tires on the rear wheels of a RWD car is a bad idea, and
basing the decision on a single test using a situation not found in normal
driving and not on a RWD vehicle is foolish at best.

Most recommendations about how to deal with skids while driving (lock
down the brakes and wait until you hit something and stop) assume the
driver is a total idiot. I know how to steer into a skid and counter it
before it becomes a disaster.

On a FWD car with an idiot driving, having the newer tires on the back
may help protect them from themselves by acting as an anchor. I'm neither
an idiot nor driving a FWD car, and I'll have my newer tires on the front.

On your car, do as you wish.


Gary

 

"Meaning, in a RWD car, you get pushed along with no control. Anyone
thinking this is a good idea is insane."

You seem to assume that the driver continues to hold down the pedal when skidding.
Any good and experienced driver would let go of the throttle if front wheels start to
skid. If your frontwheels loose it, in this country, you're recommended to KEEP YOUR
FOOT AWAY FROM THE BRAKE. Just put your gear in neutral and let the speed drop until
you get a grip again, this of course assuming that you keep track and you're just
surfing so to say, and haven't started spinning or heading towards disaster. Any
experienced driver knows that.

Johan