Where should 2 new tires be mounted, front or rear?
(2012-01-07 15:20:10) 1. Says: The local large chain tire shop refused to mount my 2 new tires on the front where I have understood to be the best location of tires with best tread. He stated that he would be surprised if a reputable dealer would rotate them to the location I wanted. What is the current thought about this...why?2. Says: Those who study car accidents claim that the best place for new tires is on the rear!I can not trace down the exact safety council that declared this, but failure by tire shops to follow this recommendation has resulted in suits for personal injury that resulted from putting them on the rear.3. Says: Wow, you didn't get it at all did you? Mark F and a few others told you exactly why new tires on the rear is much safer complete with demonstrations. Why ask if you so clearly don't care about the truth and just want someone to agree with you? Putting new tires on the front CAUSES ACCIDENTS 4. Says: What you understood is wrong, what the store is doing is correct as one would expect from people who work with tires for a living. And they are correct, no REPUTABLE shop would do what you request.
"Conventional wisdom" used to be that when replacing 2 tires on a FWD car they should go on the front either because that is where the power goes (acceleration traction) or because the fronts wear faster. None of that however has anything to do with what has to be the most important factor for a tire retailer or manufacturer - safety.
Every tire manufacturer in the world, and every tire industry trade association such as the Rubber Manufacturers Association and Tire Industry Association as well as ALL major tire retail outlets all recommend that when replacing only 2 tires the new tires be installed on the rear axle to improve vehicle stability and control.
Tests have shown conclusively (and I have done some of these tests myself) that if the rear tires have less treaction (older, more worn tread) you are far more likely to suffer a loss of control and potentially a serious accident than if the newer tires are on the back axle.
Michelin Tire, the worlds largest tire manufacturer have gone to the trouble of producing a video which demonstrates why it is better to put the 2 new tires on the back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaXXrKFJctU&NR=1&feature=endscreen5. Says: I was at a tire shop, forget which one, but there was a poster claiming that tires, if bought in only a pair should be mounted in the rear. Something about the car being more stable if the rear tires had more tread. Since most cars have front mounted engines, the weight allows the front tires to have more surface area touching the road. Having less traction in the rear can destabilize the car in the rain, snow, windy roads, etc...6. Says: As long as you have a fwd (front wheel drive) vehicle, new tires are almost always best placed in the front, especially when you are buying two tires because then they will be much closer in wear together. It seems like the place you are at is screwing you unless there are other details not mentioned.7. Says: if it,s a front wheel drive you need the new tires on the front where the pulling power is at. if it,s a rear wheel drive you want them on the back. go someplace else because it looks like those people are afraid to work. on front wheel drive you always put your best tires on the front, like i said and rear wheel drive on the back.8. Says: I used to think same thing, but some very knowledgable people changed my thinking, and good thing they did. Its normal to assume that new tires should go on front axle due to front brakes doing most stopping, and especially if you have front wheel drive, but that's not right. New tires should ALWAYS be placed on rear because it provides better control on wet roads. Read this:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=529. Says: They are absolutely correct! Yes, most popular though would be to put them on the front. However, installers prefer to put the best tread on the rear to minimize hydroplaning. It's a fact!
http://blog.tirerack.com/blog/hot-seller/two-new-tires-on-the-front-or-rear10. Says: The front is the usual place, because of the steering & fact that a blow-out of a rear tire is less dangerous then of a front/steering tire.11. Says: I thought the front (front wheel drive) but my tire fitters said the rear. look at the link above "Old Man Dirt" reply. it is pretty conclusive that they must go on the rear Tag: Where should 2 new tires be mounted, front or rear?