I see the rear is recommended by Discount. This is a Kia Optima Front WD. Going to replace the fronts. The rears are 75%. The concern is hydroplaning. I think the fronts move the water for the rears. And in the dry the fronts do all the driving and most of the breaking. What am I missing?
New tires-front or rear?
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The general belief that understeer is better than oversteer for most drivers...but it's just a KIA - I doubt you're late braking the corners & trying to nail the apex....
Move the 75% tires up front, and put the new tires in the back
How old are the tires? If they are more than 5 years old or so, you may want to replace all 4
How old are the tires? If they are more than 5 years old or so, you may want to replace all 4
New in the back.
Originally Posted by rekit
I see the rear is recommended by Discount. This is a Kia Optima Front WD. Going to replace the fronts. The rears are 75%. The concern is hydroplaning. I think the fronts move the water for the rears. And in the dry the fronts do all the driving and most of the breaking. What am I missing?
SPINNING ... ! Maybe. Or not ...
The tires with the least amount of tread will usually lose traction first. Especially in the wet or on snow. If you drive off the road nose first, it's YOUR fault. If you spin and fly off the road backwards, it's still your fault, but the lawyers of the world will call it the tire shops fault ... they caused the " accident ... " by putting those new tires on the front. Very dangerous ... true if the back tires are VERY worn. And that is why they won't put the new tires on the front.
Realistically, if your rear tires ARE ACTUALLY at 75 %, putting the new tires on the front shouldn't be an issue. In rain / snow, I would rather have the tires with full tread depth up front, doing that kind of important stuff like stopping, turning and accelerating, and NOT hydroplaning.
I see the rear is recommended by Discount. This is a Kia Optima Front WD. Going to replace the fronts. The rears are 75%. The concern is hydroplaning. I think the fronts move the water for the rears. And in the dry the fronts do all the driving and most of the breaking. What am I missing?
SPINNING ... ! Maybe. Or not ...
The tires with the least amount of tread will usually lose traction first. Especially in the wet or on snow. If you drive off the road nose first, it's YOUR fault. If you spin and fly off the road backwards, it's still your fault, but the lawyers of the world will call it the tire shops fault ... they caused the " accident ... " by putting those new tires on the front. Very dangerous ... true if the back tires are VERY worn. And that is why they won't put the new tires on the front.
Realistically, if your rear tires ARE ACTUALLY at 75 %, putting the new tires on the front shouldn't be an issue. In rain / snow, I would rather have the tires with full tread depth up front, doing that kind of important stuff like stopping, turning and accelerating, and NOT hydroplaning.
The best tires should always go in the back, regardless of driven wheels.
This is recommended by tire manufacturers and retailers. Do some research and watch the youtube videos and you'll clearly see why.
This is recommended by tire manufacturers and retailers. Do some research and watch the youtube videos and you'll clearly see why.
Lots of installers insist on best in back but with 75 percent on the carry overs it probably makes little difference.
Plenty of people falling for the new player trap.
FWD car - better tyres always on the front. Front does at least 2/3rd of the braking, the steering and the power delivery. In a rain situation:
per Michelin, your rear generally tracks the front and benefits from the siping/clearing water already done.
FWD car - better tyres always on the front. Front does at least 2/3rd of the braking, the steering and the power delivery. In a rain situation:
per Michelin, your rear generally tracks the front and benefits from the siping/clearing water already done.
While I pretty much agree with everyone else, except DrDanger
if your other 2 tires are in very good shape and 8/32 or so
I'd put the new in front.. in 10000? miles they will match the rears.
If you put the old ones up front you will be buying another pair much sooner..
and you would be unable to rotate your tires until you wore out your old pair.
I'd rather buy in sets of 4.
This is of course using common sense..
We aren't talking about putting 2 winter tires on the front and 2 summer only tires on the rear of a fwd car in winter or anything close to that.
Realistically on a fwd even with 4 new tires, if you are lax on your tire rotations the front tires could be 25% more worn than the set on the other end of the car anyway.
if your other 2 tires are in very good shape and 8/32 or so
I'd put the new in front.. in 10000? miles they will match the rears.
If you put the old ones up front you will be buying another pair much sooner..
and you would be unable to rotate your tires until you wore out your old pair.
I'd rather buy in sets of 4.
This is of course using common sense..
We aren't talking about putting 2 winter tires on the front and 2 summer only tires on the rear of a fwd car in winter or anything close to that.
Realistically on a fwd even with 4 new tires, if you are lax on your tire rotations the front tires could be 25% more worn than the set on the other end of the car anyway.
Wow! Thanks for the responses. Still doesn't make sense but I've been wrong before...To the rear they go.
But to stevejones-".but it's just a KIA - I doubt you're late braking the corners & trying to nail the apex...."--this car is a hoot to drive, and I do!! lol
But to stevejones-".but it's just a KIA - I doubt you're late braking the corners & trying to nail the apex...."--this car is a hoot to drive, and I do!! lol
Originally Posted by DrDanger
Plenty of people falling for the new player trap.
FWD car - better tyres always on the front. Front does at least 2/3rd of the braking, the steering and the power delivery. In a rain situation:
per Michelin, your rear generally tracks the front and benefits from the siping/clearing water already done.
Per Michelin ( and every other tire manufacturer), new tires always go in the back, regardless if FWD or not:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdSf0KJie_E&
Plenty of people falling for the new player trap.
FWD car - better tyres always on the front. Front does at least 2/3rd of the braking, the steering and the power delivery. In a rain situation:
per Michelin, your rear generally tracks the front and benefits from the siping/clearing water already done.
Per Michelin ( and every other tire manufacturer), new tires always go in the back, regardless if FWD or not:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdSf0KJie_E&
Originally Posted by stevejones
The general belief that understeer is better than oversteer for most drivers...but it's just a KIA - I doubt you're late braking the corners & trying to nail the apex....
rekit...................Ya but at 37.8MPH
The general belief that understeer is better than oversteer for most drivers...but it's just a KIA - I doubt you're late braking the corners & trying to nail the apex....
rekit...................Ya but at 37.8MPH
I put two new tires on the front. Front wheel drive like my car I want the better tires up front to cut through the water better... The rear tires just track through the path the front tires have opened up. And to get through the snow better in winter where the weight of the vehicle helps get one pulled up any inclines much better.
I have not had any issues at all doing it this way.
I will say it makes sense that having the better tires on the back may help make it easier to save if one gets out of shape going down the road. Ok.
But I have not had any issue with all my front wheel drive cars having the better tires up front. But I don't way over drive corners when raining so I am careful. And snow I get through it very well because I take my time and use the transmission to help control speed of the car.
I have not had any issues at all doing it this way.
I will say it makes sense that having the better tires on the back may help make it easier to save if one gets out of shape going down the road. Ok.
But I have not had any issue with all my front wheel drive cars having the better tires up front. But I don't way over drive corners when raining so I am careful. And snow I get through it very well because I take my time and use the transmission to help control speed of the car.
I was brought up in NE Pennsylvania. Everything was rear wheel drive. Snows on the back, best summer tires on the front. We survived and we got up the hill in the snow. Later I got a SAAB and put snows on the front (tire shop was very confused). I survived and got up the hill in the snow.
Originally Posted by bbhero
I put two new tires on the front. Front wheel drive like my car I want the better tires up front to cut through the water better... The rear tires just track through the path the front tires have opened up. And to get through the snow better in winter where the weight of the vehicle helps get one pulled up any inclines much better.
I have not had any issues at all doing it this way.
I will say it makes sense that having the better tires on the back may help make it easier to save if one gets out of shape going down the road. Ok.
But I have not had any issue with all my front wheel drive cars having the better tires up front. But I don't way over drive corners when raining so I am careful. And snow I get through it very well because I take my time and use the transmission to help control speed of the car.
In theory, that's correct. However if you're in a corner, the rear tires aren't following the same path as the front. That's where you're going to get understeer. But if you take it easy in the rain you should be ok.
I put two new tires on the front. Front wheel drive like my car I want the better tires up front to cut through the water better... The rear tires just track through the path the front tires have opened up. And to get through the snow better in winter where the weight of the vehicle helps get one pulled up any inclines much better.
I have not had any issues at all doing it this way.
I will say it makes sense that having the better tires on the back may help make it easier to save if one gets out of shape going down the road. Ok.
But I have not had any issue with all my front wheel drive cars having the better tires up front. But I don't way over drive corners when raining so I am careful. And snow I get through it very well because I take my time and use the transmission to help control speed of the car.
In theory, that's correct. However if you're in a corner, the rear tires aren't following the same path as the front. That's where you're going to get understeer. But if you take it easy in the rain you should be ok.
In regards to puting the best tires on the REAR, I believe that the tire companies, testers & other publications are talking about more extreme conditions, not just driving straight down the road on a sunny day in July.
Should we encounter a hard turn/swerve/avoidance maneuver, hard braking or sudden foul weather etc., that having the better(of the 4) tires on the rear is more optimal for those situations.
This doesn't necessarily mean having NEW tires on the Rear and tires with 3/32nds on the Front. I believe they're talking about a better balance of tread depth among all 4 tires. OR AM I WRONG?
Should we encounter a hard turn/swerve/avoidance maneuver, hard braking or sudden foul weather etc., that having the better(of the 4) tires on the rear is more optimal for those situations.
This doesn't necessarily mean having NEW tires on the Rear and tires with 3/32nds on the Front. I believe they're talking about a better balance of tread depth among all 4 tires. OR AM I WRONG?
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