Quote:
Originally Posted by 961
Me too!
It's probably true to say that if you have a RWD car such as BMW then there is no contest. New tyres on the back
But if you have a FWD car then I think the choice is different. If the rear tyres are well above legal limits and you don't go flying round the roads like a lunatic, I'd put new ones on the front, especially winter tyres or summer tyres on rural roads
Normal sensible driving, the rear end doesn't break away
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I saw a tyre test with different scenarios.
Test Car - Golf 4
summer tyres - 2 brand new and 2 6-year old, still legal, top brand ones.
test circuits - wet corner with steady pace and straight braking in dry and wet.
scenarios - new on front then new on back
Driver - Ex race driver, now car tester
New on front
Much shorter brake distance in dry and wet.
Car unstable round wet corner with sudden oversteer due to unstable rear and
spinning out of control due to aquaplanning at slightly raised speed - Cannot be controlled.
New on rear axle
Slightly longer braking distance in dry, longer braking distance in wet -
no instability.
More pronounced understeer in wet corner due to reduced front end grip but easily controllable by reducing speed.
No instability with spinning
induceable as the rear had better grip and toed the line truely.