I've got a full JCW MCS ('06), and due to an unfortunate run-in w/ a pothole, I had to replace a tire: gashed the sidewall of a 17" Michelin Pilot Exalto PE 2. I have about 5K on them, and not wanting to put new tread on just one corner, I bought a pair. I was going to ask for them to go on the front and rotate the slightly worn ones to the back, but the tire store manager recommended otherwise. He stated that Michelin was the first tire manufacturer to suggest the opposite, that a new pair should go on the back, reason being that turn-in could be increased, inviting oversteer. Is that really any kind of factor w/ front wheel drive, or should I put the new tread on the front and enjoy the possibility that the car might be more prone to need a bit of opposite lock on occasion?

 

I personally would put the new tires on the drive wheels (front) that way you have optimal grip for the coming winter weather, but thats just me.

 

This is good advice if there were a huge difference in tread on the tires. i.e a pair of brand new, and a pair with half or less of the usable tread left.

But in your situation with only 5k on the tire, it would be just like rotating the tires for the first time.

Steve

 

Michelin has done extensive testing that shows new tires should go on the rear, for safety reasons. Me? I'd put them on the front given the winter coming up

from michelin.com:

Where do I install new tires if I only buy two?
If you're replacing only two tires, be sure to have them installed on your vehicle's rear axle. New tires will provide better grip than your half-worn tires and when they are installed on the rear that helps reduce the potential for your vehicle to fishtail or hydroplane in wet conditions.

 

That's interesting. At first glance, it makes a lot of sense. I wonder if the extensive testing took DSC or other anti-spin controls into account.

Even on rear-wheel drive cars, I had heard that it's better to put the new tires on the front to help with car control.

I have to ask the OP: Do you have DSC or LSD (or neither or both?)

 

im probably going to replace my front pair next season.

 

I think Michelin is full of there own rubber. I would put the new tyres on the front, and worn ones on the rear, from the sounds of it, they are probably due for a rotating anyway.

Did the tyre dealer also tell you Michelin will require a chicane if you plan to do any high speed cornering?

 

This has been discussed at length in this forum, and there are pretty nasty pictures of what results when your better tires are on the front as opposed to the rear.

The bottom line is what you want to sacrifice.

If you want optimal straight line performance without tire spin, put the good tires on the front. But you sacrifice grip in the rear which is what keeps you planted during a curve. Without grip in the rear, the front stays planted while the rear rotates. This is called oversteer, and it is NOT what you want when you're not expecting (or trying for) it.

If you want to sacrifice the straight line grip and turn in, then do what is safest by putting your best tires in the rear. What you sacrifice in turn in also makes it easy to understeer through corners, but understeering (when the wheels turn, but the car doesn't) is a MUCH safer proposition in that it's easier to correct and doesn't lead a driver bass-ackwards off a road. Why do you think cars come from the factory with understeer dialed in? It's safer, and it keeps people who might not know how to control their cars out of ditches.

I watched a friend in a FWD civic mosey his way around a curve in the wet with good tires on the front. Snap oversteer, grass, sign, crash - in an instant.

The tire companies suggest putting them in the rear for safety reasons. Best thing to do is have 4 fresh tires and rotate accordingly as the miles pile up.

Do a search for tire rotation and you might find the threads that get into this in more detail, as well as the thread that has a nasty pic of a car with all seasons on the back and summer tires on the front. Not pretty.

mb

Edit - forgot to mention - what I wrote above applies when there's an appreciable difference in the tires (ie...wear the fronts a lot, buy two and swap). The original poster said he only has 5k on the tires, so it is definitely not an extreme circumstance to put those on the rear.

 

wet conditions yes, but dry conditions not really. if your
car's a daily driver you should probably put the new tires
on the rear.

my car only runs 99% on dry roads. the rear actually grips
better than the front when the fronts are new.

 

the reason tire manufacturers and tire shops recommend putting new tires on the rear?

LAWYERS!

Most people's gut reaction when they lose traction is to let off and to brake. If you are understeering and you do this, it is the right thing to do and it will regain traction for you. If you oversteer and do this, it will make you oversteer even worse. Hence, lawyers have told the tire companies and tire shops to say this to people so that they have fewer incidients where people crash due to difference in grip between front and rear.

HOWEVER, if you are one who knows what to do when your car oversteers, and would like the best overall grip you can have and much more even wear, put them on the front. Its a safety issue only if you don't know what to do when your car oversteers. Lawyers decided long ago that understeer is safer (b/c the way to stop it is more intuitive), this is why all cars sold in the US understeer from the factory. IMO though, putting new tires in the rear is just gonna wear out the already somehwat worn tires quicker, make your car understeer even worse, and you'll have to buy a new set of tires again sooner.

 

I caught the F1 reference, nice comment!