Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

[oldjeep]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

You forgot...."or even better, replace all 4...."

I know, but I drive primarily 2wd pickups and only ever replace 2 tires at a time. Never been a fan of rotating tires on anything - just hides any alignment issues. Wifes car gets all 4 replaced at once, but that is because she only puts on about 8K a year so the tires never really wear out - they just get too old.

regular oil unless the mfg says otherwise and fiberglass

 

[rbh]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

The question was replace "Front or Rear" on a front wheel drive car not replace all 4.

Not only are the tires on a FWD car the drive tires, they are the steering tires and take up 70% of the braking duties+-.

You are being Pulled not pushed, so if the back does kick out you have a better chance of staying in control with FWD.

So replace the fronts, UGH

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

I would only replace 2 of the tires if I was going to be selling the car soon.

If you are replacing only 2 tires every time you are replacing tires, sounds like you are going to the tire dealer twice as often as you could be. Maybe its just me but I would prefer spending my time doing something else.

 

[jkust]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

Only Impala I ever drove was a rental car in Bozeman. All I remember about that POS is that you couldn't even get it moving in the snow most of the time. Perfect car for a trip to Big Sky

I'd like to see the same test but with cars that have stability control (not just traction control).

oldjeep where do you stay in Big Sky? We rent the Blue Moon Chalet every year but rent Suburbans.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

So replace the fronts, UGH

...and the REARS!!!

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

I would only replace 2 of the tires if I was going to be selling the car soon.

If you are replacing only 2 tires every time you are replacing tires, sounds like you are going to the tire dealer twice as often as you could be. Maybe its just me but I would prefer spending my time doing something else.

Or maybe its a matter of finances.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

I'd like to see the same test but with cars that have stability control (not just traction control).

oldjeep where do you stay in Big Sky? We rent the Blue Moon Chalet every year but rent Suburbans.

Only been there twice and stayed in Bozeman both times - holiday Inn Express. One of my kids used to got to school there, so that was the only reason for going to Big Sky. As I recall I was supposed to get a Grand Cherokee, I would never intentionally have rented an Impala - just happened to be all they had left.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

I would only replace 2 of the tires if I was going to be selling the car soon.

If you are replacing only 2 tires every time you are replacing tires, sounds like you are going to the tire dealer twice as often as you could be. Maybe its just me but I would prefer spending my time doing something else.

Depends. On my current pickup I got 40K from one pair and 60K from the other. Only takes 30 minutes to get a pair of tires replaced, so it is not exactly a life changing amount of time.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

Depends. On my current pickup I got 40K from one pair and 60K from the other. Only takes 30 minutes to get a pair of tires replaced, so it is not exactly a life changing amount of time.

So when you go in and replace the 40K worn out tires tires, your others have only 1/3 their tread left? Would be an easy decision for me....or rotate them once. I ALWAYS get a 4 wheel alignment done whenever I change tires so for me it takes more than 30 minutes.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

So when you go in and replace the 40K worn out tires tires, your others have only 1/3 their tread left? Would be an easy decision for me....or rotate them once. I ALWAYS get a 4 wheel alignment done whenever I change tires so for me it takes more than 30 minutes.

I replace the tires long before the wear bars hit since I live in snow country, so the tires still have quite a bit of tread left. Kind of hard to do 4 wheel alignments on a pickup If someone sold you one then you might want to ask how they are adjusting the solid axle

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

Or maybe its a matter of finances.

Sometimes...penny wise is pound foolish. I just replaced tires that were no where near legal limit to replace. Rainy season is here and wanted more tread for safety reasons. Sometimes it is prudent to spend a little more now than a ton later.

 

[rbh]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

So when you go in and replace the 40K worn out tires tires, your others have only 1/3 their tread left? Would be an easy decision for me....or rotate them once. I ALWAYS get a 4 wheel alignment done whenever I change tires so for me it takes more than 30 minutes.

Do they usually align a non steering rear diff??

(old jeep beat me to it)

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

If someone sold you one then you might want to ask how they are adjusting the solid axle

Independent rear suspension on my car(Lexus GS)...and yes they align a rear non steering suspension on vehicles that have that capability.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

I replace the tires long before the wear bars hit since I live in snow country, so the tires still have quite a bit of tread left. Kind of hard to do 4 wheel alignments on a pickup If someone sold you one then you might want to ask how they are adjusting the solid axle

Obviouslly your vehicle doesn't need a 4 wheel alignment. So does 30 minutes include any alignment? My suggestion to you would be to get an alignment and rotate your tires once or twice.

On my Pick Ups, I always rotate the tires every 20K.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

It would be both a matter of finances, and the thought of making unneeded waste for me. If I have a car with 2 worn out tires, and 2 tires that are at 5-6/32 or better, I'm not gunna toss 2 perfectly serviceable tires just to say I have 4 fresh ones. I'm gunna get my money's worth out of the still good tires. The only instance I would consider all 4 with two decent tires remaining is if my car was AWD. Chances are if I'm doing regular rotations, I would need all 4 anyway.

 

[rbh]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

Most of the time the 4 wheel alighnment is just using the rear axle/wheels to make sure the front alighnment is true to it.

(no crabbing while going down the road)

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

The question was replace "Front or Rear" on a front wheel drive car not replace all 4.

Not only are the tires on a FWD car the drive tires, they are the steering tires and take up 70% of the braking duties+-.

You are being Pulled not pushed, so if the back does kick out you have a better chance of staying in control with FWD.

So replace the fronts, UGH

If you actually read the thread, that's not correct at all.
OP presents HIS answer to the the question...doesn't really ask it.

That answer is different from yours...and I happen to agree with it. I'd put them on the back on a FWD drive car. (although probably would change all 4)
You can put yours where you want....both on the driver's side if you like.

But probably more important, you should not be so definitive when dispensing incorrect info....especially in this case where it is not only wrong, but also potentially dangerous!
Fact is that the CORRECT decision if only changing 2 is to put them on the back....whether front WD...Four WD, RWD, etc.,

The tires with the most tread go on the back...period.

That is what all the VERIFIABLE/PROFESSIONAL sources that I have checked say....my mechanic....a 30 year pro, the tire shop that I use, the tire shop where I worked summers for 5 years, Popular Mechanics....etc. The common denominator is the there is an inherent accountability.

Internet forum opinions that propagate myths are worth exactly what you paid for them. (or how much you paid to post them)
...and have zero accountability.

The discussion by the OP turned to safety....and that's where the advice was to change all 4....hard to disagree with that.

Don't know the "UGH" acronym....unless it's just an expression of annoyance that anyone could be so ill-informed as not to agree with you.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

Most of the time the 4 wheel alighnment is just using the rear axle/wheels to make sure the front alighnment is true to it.

(no crabbing while going down the road)

They adjust both toe and camber on my car. On my car there is large adjustment for camber. I know because I forgot to mark it when I changed my struts and had to take it in right after to get it set properly.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

Obviouslly your vehicle doesn't need a 4 wheel alignment. So does 30 minutes include any alignment? My suggestion to you would be to get an alignment and rotate your tires once or twice.

On my Pick Ups, I always rotate the tires every 20K.

Nope, if there is no odd tire wear then no alignment. I don't ever rotate the tires except when I get a new pair, then the older ones go to the front. Truck currently has 76K on it and has only had the toe in touched - which was because Dodge recalled the tie rod ends.

There is no point in wasting money on services you don't need, pretty easy to see if you have an alignment issue by just looking at the tires.

 

[rbh]

Re: Two new tires - front or rear? (front wheel drive)

Tim, what do those words in red above my quote say?

UGH is the text equivalent to the hand over face. (or it does for me anyways)

And why would anyone want to run their worst tires ("based on the original thread title") on the axle that does most of the work?