New Tires Mounted Where?

[Olas]

Outside of BITOG'ers and petrol heads, the theory goes that most people are more capable of controlling understeer by letting off.

If that non-gearhead is caught unaware by the back coming round there's a good chance they'll panic, and very possibly end up having a worse crash than if the front pushed a bit wide.

(so I was told when I was in college training as a mechanic)

Ultimately I think it's a liability issue..imagine all the soccer moms and grandparents taking their tyre fitter to court claiming
"they put unsafe tyres on my car that made me spin round and crash"

 

[hpb]

I understand the point of view about new tyres going to the rear, but I don't agree. I'd prefer the front end to grip, particularly on a front drive vehicle.

Besides, when doing a front to rear tyre rotation, say the first one on a car with 10,000km, you're putting the most worn tyres, the front ones, onto the rear, thus creating a situation where the best tyres are now on the front. So what's the difference?

 

[supton]

After 10,000km (6,200miles) I would expect little difference between front and rear tires. If there is a marked difference, and it is not from an alignment issue, then more frequent rotations are required.