Conventional "wisdom" on cage tires

[Special Ed]

I recently bought a pair of tires for my cage. It has been my habit to put the new tires on the front and the two best old tires on the back wheels. The shop foreman indicated that I really needed to put the new tires on the back, and the old ones on the front for safety. What? Really?! I thought I was going to have to sign a release of liability form in order to get 'er done the way I wanted it. Has anyone else run into this? Is this the new "conventional wisdom?"
Special Ed

[halfbreed]

well i hope its not the way it is now .i know i want the new one up front .I can see alot of riders down if that guy keeps that up

[CatatonicBug]

Never heard of that. In fact, the last time I got tires, the guy just assumed I wanted to keep the new tires on the front.

[DGXSER]

Never heard of that Ed. Reality is it is all a matter of how you look at it, and maybe weight distribution. But I have never had anyone flat out all but refuse to put the tires any way I wanted them.

[Elevener]

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTiresRear.dos

Manufacturers say new on rear

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Ed,

That shop foreman must not have been at the top of his class?

I, too, put the newest/best on the front, better to have a flat/blowout on the rears...harder to control if on the front. And now with most cars being front wheel drive, better traction tires on front for that as well!

T.C.

[Special Ed]

"Manufacturers say new on rear."

OK, I read the page, and thanks for that, but still... If I'm going to loose traction on two wheels, I had much rather it be on the back. As long as I have traction on the front I can at least keep the car headed in the right direction. Are all manufacturers bought into this?
Special Ed

[CaptonZap]

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTiresRear.dos

Manufacturers say new on rear

LOL, that is the biggest load I've seen in a long time!
Around here, it doesn't rain much, and the roads are crowned, so there aren't many puddles, and the metal pieces keep falling off the poorly maintained vehicles and landing in the ROW, or, the potholes in the poorly maintained ROW, so I think I'll put the best foot forward, so to speak, and sloow down to less than 55mph when it rains, to avoid hydroplaning. CZ

[fredintoon]

- - - Is this the new "conventional wisdom?" - - -

Hi Ed,
it's the new reality. For when folks can make money sueing others for their own stupidity.
Front wiping out first gives understeer. Back wiping out first gives oversteer. For some clown who can't drive well, understeer is safer so the tire salesman will always advise putting the 2 new tires on the rear just to keep his arse out of court.
If a person is too cheap to buy 4 new tires or too lazy to swap them around to even out the wear, where to put 2 new ones depends on if the car is front wheel drive or rear wheel drive and on your driving style.
And how about snow tires? Some of us need them, too.

[cywelchjr]

Hi Ed,
it's the new reality. For when folks can make money sueing others for their own stupidity.
Front wiping out first gives understeer. Back wiping out first gives oversteer. For some clown who can't drive well, understeer is safer so the tire salesman will always advise putting the 2 new tires on the rear just to keep his arse out of court.
If a person is too cheap to buy 4 new tires or too lazy to swap them around to even out the wear, where to put 2 new ones depends on if the car is front wheel drive or rear wheel drive and on your driving style.
And how about snow tires? Some of us need them, too.

Depends on which are the driven wheels, as snow tires typically go on the driven wheels if you only put them on two. Than again the last time I had snow tires on a vehicle is was 4wd but the vehicle I drove was 10wd (6 if you don't count the duals).

[fredintoon]

Need all 4 snows.

Depends on which are the driven wheels, as snow tires typically go on the driven wheels if you only put them on two. Than again the last time I had snow tires on a vehicle is was 4wd but the vehicle I drove was 10wd (6 if you don't count the duals).

Hi Cy,
most lack-of-tire-adhesion events occur when braking &/or cornering, not when accelerating. 4WD drivers who don't understand this end up in ditches a lot.
Here in Saskatchewan we drive on snow at least 4 months every year and most folks run snow tires on all 4 wheels in winter. Quebecers, who have similar winter driving conditions (not quite as cold but deeper snow) get tickets for not running snow tires in winter.
We have 4 snows on rims for the Buick, a simple swaparound twice a year is all it takes.
There can be problems though. Anyone need 4 Bridgestone Blizzaks on steel rims to fit the Chevy Malibu we no longer own?

[WMarshy]

Same deal in NY... last tme I went to get 2 snow tires they wanted to put them on the rear, they almost lost a sale because of it. I refuse to put the new tires on the rear especially on a FWD vehicle. I too spend about 4 months driving in the snow in my area. Many years I just had a good all-season tire on the rear and snows up front and never had any problems keeping the rear behind me. The only few times it ever kicked out I was able to gained control b/c I had good traction up front...

[slow mo]

i have slid out putting new tires on the front some years ago especially living in the north ,,new tires go on the rear,, might save your life ,,good lesson for me ,,ride safe slow mo

[cywelchjr]

Hi Cy,
most lack-of-tire-adhesion events occur when braking &/or cornering, not when accelerating. 4WD drivers who don't understand this end up in ditches a lot.
Here in Saskatchewan we drive on snow at least 4 months every year and most folks run snow tires on all 4 wheels in winter. Quebecers, who have similar winter driving conditions (not quite as cold but deeper snow) get tickets for not running snow tires in winter.
We have 4 snows on rims for the Buick, a simple swaparound twice a year is all it takes.
There can be problems though. Anyone need 4 Bridgestone Blizzaks on steel rims to fit the Chevy Malibu we no longer own?

Most idiots with 4wd think it means they can drive just as fast in bad conditions as good, when it really means you can drive just a slow as everybody else, but may not get stuck where someone else might. Then again I have known more than one person who could drive a Camaro places in the snow that the idiots couldn't go with a 4wd, then again they did have snow tires on the back of the Camaro, it's all about finesse and control.

[Special Ed]

My first car

was a Morris 850 Mini. Same as an Austin Mini. First time I drove it in the snow I learned: Wow, cool. I can go faster than any body! But Dayum! Ah caint stop any faster than anybody else! Sure was fun though!
Special Ed