Any Tire Experts?

[Uncle Buck]

My takeaway from this thread is:

1. There are lots of reasons to consider putting your better tires on the front.
2. Hydroplaning is a good reason to consider putting your better tires in the back.
3. Tire sellers probably sell more tires by recommending #2 - simply because people won't live with worn tires on the front as long as they will live with worn tires on the back.

Obviously regular rotations is the best option - but most people don't take the time or effort to do that.

[MaryAnn]

Well, um, assuming they put the previously-rear tires on the front and the new tires on the back, what is to stop your friend from taking his car home and rotating the tires forthwith to be where he wants them?

Sheesh.

I understand the whole thing of "need more tread on the back to help prevent breaking loose under emergency stop conditions." Also think that reasonable tires on the front should grip "well enough," IF the person actually knows how to drive. Having my first vehicle with anti-lock braking, the damn thing just STOPS when I hit the brake pedal hard; I have found it impossible to break it loose except in sand or gravel (we do not have ice or snow here; they literally close the bridges if they even smell frost.) My previous vehicle, my RWD truck, well, I had to actually DRIVE the thing instead of just, as my mother used to say, push the pedals and aim it.

MA

[Dan Schultz]

... Obviously regular rotations is the best option - but most people don't take the time or effort to do that.

Some of the 'experts' are now saying that tire rotation is secondary to keeping the better tires on the back.

[Dan Schultz]

Well, um, assuming they put the previously-rear tires on the front and the new tires on the back, what is to stop your friend from taking his car home and rotating the tires forthwith to be where he wants them? ... Sheesh.

Where they put the new tires has little to do with anything other than the dealers covering their asses in view of a some statements made by the 'experts'. I can just see corporate attorneys spelling out company policies.

[Brown Mule]

A friend of mine called me a bit ago. He wants to have two new tires put on his RAV-4 because the ones on the front are about worn out. The guy at the tire agency told him it would be better to put the new tires on the back... said it was better for avoiding hydroplaning.

This doesn't make a lick of sense to me. I always try to keep my better tires on the front... even when I had rear-wheel drive cars.

Is the guy at the tire agency telling my friend that new tires hydroplane worse than worn tires?

Dan, where do you put the new good tires on a rear wheel drive BMW?? Will the front end then pass the rear end if I put new tires on front???????? I don't have these type problems when playing Tuba------------maybe the mouthpiece should be in the bell???????