Tyre Position

WHY SHOULD I FIT THE NEW TYRES TO THE REAR?

When replacing car tyres the ideal situation would be to replace all four together. However as vehicles wear their front and rear tyres at different rates, this cannot always be done. In this case it is recommended to fit the new tyres to the rear and move the part worn tyres to the front.

The main reason for this is to ensure that vehicle stability is maintained in extreme conditions of emergency braking or hard cornering. This is especially critical on wet or slippery roads. Most modern vehicles being front wheel drive, the front tyres wear faster than the rears. The driver is therefore used to having less grip on the front of the vehicle. By fitting the new tyres to the rear and repositioning the more worn tyres to the front, the conditions the driver has become used to is retained after the tyre change.

IF YOU FIT NEW TYRES TO THE FRONT:

The vehicle�s handling characteristics will change and the driver could be taken by surprise. Where previously there was a tendency to understeer, the initial loss of grip will be on the rear axle leading to oversteer which tests have shown to be more difficult to control especially on slippery roads.

IF YOU FIT NEW TYRES TO THE REAR:

The handling characteristics will be similar to those which the driver is accustomed. There will also be maximum grip on the rear axle � which is a safer and more stable condition. If the vehicle was to have sudden loss of grip the vehicle is more likely to have understeer, which is easier to control.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• 4 Wheel drive vehicles are recommended to replace in identical sets of four. However please consult your manufacturers recommendations.
• If all four tyres are quite worn, consider replacing the full set
• When moving tyres from one axle to another, pressures should be adjusted to suit the new position.
• The advice given applies to both front and rear wheel drive cars.
• In the case of different front and rear sizes. The advice on moving tyres from one axle to another cannot be followed.