tire question

[island guy]

I need to replace a front tire on my kids car. A side wall cut so it probably isn't repairable. His current tires probably have half tread life left. Can't really afford 4 new ones. Any problems keeping the old ones on the back and just putting new ones on the front? May sound like a dumb question but I'm not car smart.

[Jack Peterson]

Nope. Two new ones on the front will actually be good for the winter weather!

[caseymcq]

If you can wait to replace the tires (i.e. if you can run with the spare for a while) check out some of the tire dealers on the internet. I have saved some serious $$ by purchasing on line and having a shop mount and balance.

[Jack Peterson]

We give better deals on mounting and balancing if the tires are purchased from us. I think it is cheaper at our shop to buy our tires. We offer free balancing if the tires are bought from us.

[fishing tech]

Check a bone yard for tires. Sometimes you can find some pretty nice ones. Also if it is a front wheel drive the best tires should go on back. It helps keep the rear end from coming around. I myself put the good ones on front of my own but I understand how it effects the handling.

[Jack Peterson]

Best tires on the front for a fwd car.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Shouldn't be a problem. I once had a dealer pop one front tire on my Accord on their hydraulic lift. I was a bit leary about just replacing one tire, but it caused no issues, and truthfully, I would have never noticed if they hadn't told me.

[Jeremy airjer W]

The best tire location issue is debateable. If the tires are really bad whether front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, or all wheel drive, than the worst should go on the front. It is always easier to control a front blowout than a rear blow out. If you would like proof of this watch a NASCAR race!

When you buy new tires that the new tires should go on the wear axle. On a front wheel drive put them on the front, rear wheel drive on the rear. The only exception I would have to this is, once again, if the other two tires are really bad than they should be on the front, see above, or if there is less than 4 or 5/32" of tread left on the other tires. Since the new tires will take a long time to get that point they could be ruined prematurely do to lack of rotation. In this case I would put the new tires on the non wear axle, rear wheels on a front wheel drive, front wheels on a rear wheel drive. The old tires will be worn out in 6-10 thousand miles. When you purchase 2 more you will have essentially 4 new tires and you didn't have to deal with the sticker shock and up front cost four all four at the same time.

I was never sold on matching set of tires until I bought my Saturn used. Two different brands of tires and it is a hand full in the winter. If I put one set up front I have better traction but the rear end wants to come around. If I rotate them I have not traction to get going/steer but the rear end is planted.

[Jack Peterson]

The best tire location issue is debateable.

Basically what you feel comfortable driving with is what you should do. Unless the customer asks different, we'll always put the better tires on front in winter (on FWD cars). That way if you start getting pulled into some slush you might have enough traction to get out. The rear end might swing around every once in a while, but it's better than not being able to move because of no traction, in my opinion.

If you're in Minnesota and driving in winter with a smaller car, the best thing you can do is put some all season tires or snow gripper tires on the front. From my experience, they've pulled me fairly straight as long as I don't exceed the speed limits. If you hit a patch of ice, the back end is going to swing if you have new tires or if you have old tires. Again this is my opinion. You can drive in winter with almost any tires, if you drive slow.

Just yesterday I put two LT245/75R16 Firestone Transforce tires on the front of a guys truck instead of on the rear. The truck is a RWD, but he said wanted them on the front for steering which we often do. Like airjer stated, you can "trail" the new tires so they don't wear as fast, and then if you buy 2 more tires later, you'll end up with 4 new/fairly new tires come summer.

My opinion is still on the front for steering and traction.

[Jeremy airjer W]

You have to remember also that 99% of the people that drive cars have no idea or feel for what there car is doing. How often do you see vehicles drive in with 10psi in a tire and no complaint of pulling or feeling loose or unresponsive or squirrely?

I can tell when my tires are five pounds lows in the Saturn. The light comes on in the Tundra before 5psi. My Honda I could tell when it hit the 3 psi mark. I just know how my vehicles feel.

This winter pay attention to how many cars are in the ditch backwards and how many are in forwards. The ones that are in backwards had the back end come around almost every time. Most people won't notice the back end coming around until its to late then its over correct, over steer, and the brake firmly planted which only makes it worse. There's no way to know if they hand two different brands of tires or the condition of the tires but I'd almost guarantee you that they will feel the front of the car sliding a lot sooner than the rear of the car.

[Jack Peterson]

I hear ya! More often than not, people come in wanting an alignment on their vehicle.

The first thing I do is air up their front tires!

[LightningBG]

Personally I always put the best tires on the front, no matter if its front wheel drive or rear.

My feelings are I would rather be able to steer at all times. If my back end breaks loose I can try to work out of it. If my front end were to break loose, then what? I don't want my rear end (RWD) pushing around a unsteerable vehicle.