New tyres best on rear wheels?

I will be getting two new tyres for my 2000 A3, as the front wheels treads
are wearing. A friend said that new tyres are best on the rear wheels (even
irrespective of whether FWD or RWD). Is this true or a myth?

Cheers

"Alex" > wrote in message ...
> I will be getting two new tyres for my 2000 A3, as the front wheels treads
> are wearing. A friend said that new tyres are best on the rear wheels (even
> irrespective of whether FWD or RWD). Is this true or a myth?
>
> Cheers
>
>

When I took my motor vehicle C&G 381 I was told that the best treat goes on the front for many reasons,
the most obvious would be they do the steering (& driving on most cars) & that you will more likely
aquaplane with lower tread front tyres. However, I can see the reason for the rears to have the better
tyres too for reason given. I ALWAYS have my best on the front.

"Nige" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Alex" > wrote in message
...
> > I will be getting two new tyres for my 2000 A3, as the front wheels
treads
> > are wearing. A friend said that new tyres are best on the rear wheels
(even
> > irrespective of whether FWD or RWD). Is this true or a myth?

> When I took my motor vehicle C&G 381 I was told that the best treat goes
on the front for many reasons,
> the most obvious would be they do the steering (& driving on most cars) &
that you will more likely
> aquaplane with lower tread front tyres. However, I can see the reason for
the rears to have the better
> tyres too for reason given. I ALWAYS have my best on the front.

Bad move, for the reasons supplied above.

Even *more* of a bad move if you "help" unsuspecting (and often less
skilled) drivers by swapping tyres for them (in your role as a mechanic).

As goes reasoning (and to supplement the above arguments) - aquaplaning
happens on all four wheels. Given the choice, would you prefer to:

a) Play "dodge the tree" with not-very-responsive steering, or
b) Hit the damn thing side on without slowing significantly (toss a coin to
see if you've just seriously injured/killed yourself or "merely" your
passenger(s))

The argument applies in all weather conditions - very wet weather just makes
it a "bit" more obvious.

H1K (Associate of C&G Institute, if that counts for anything ;o)

"Hairy One Kenobi" ]> wrote in message
...
> "Nige" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Alex" > wrote in message
> ...
> > > I will be getting two new tyres for my 2000 A3, as the front wheels
> treads
> > > are wearing. A friend said that new tyres are best on the rear wheels
> (even
> > > irrespective of whether FWD or RWD). Is this true or a myth?
>
> > When I took my motor vehicle C&G 381 I was told that the best treat goes
> on the front for many reasons,
> > the most obvious would be they do the steering (& driving on most cars)
&
> that you will more likely
> > aquaplane with lower tread front tyres. However, I can see the reason
for
> the rears to have the better
> > tyres too for reason given. I ALWAYS have my best on the front.
>
> Bad move, for the reasons supplied above.
>
> Even *more* of a bad move if you "help" unsuspecting (and often less
> skilled) drivers by swapping tyres for them (in your role as a mechanic).
>
> As goes reasoning (and to supplement the above arguments) - aquaplaning
> happens on all four wheels. Given the choice, would you prefer to:
>
> a) Play "dodge the tree" with not-very-responsive steering, or
> b) Hit the damn thing side on without slowing significantly (toss a coin
to
> see if you've just seriously injured/killed yourself or "merely" your
> passenger(s))
>
> The argument applies in all weather conditions - very wet weather just
makes
> it a "bit" more obvious.
>
> H1K (Associate of C&G Institute, if that counts for anything ;o)
>
>

New tyres should go on the rear - check out the tyre manufacturers'
websites.
--
Doug Ramage

[watch spam trap]

While I agree with most of what's been said, I always enjoy driving my A4
1.8TQ better with the newest tyres at the front. This way, the car is very
responsive, more precise and gains some precious oversteer that is precisely
what I want to get on the dry if I'm thinking of enjoyment. For those with
Audi AWD who still don't believe what I'm saying you can try launching the
car - on a circuit or equivalent wide area - in 1st gear flat out with your
steering turned to the one side where there is space allowing free play. Be
ready to countersteer. Of course you should know you're shortening your
clutch's life and don't hold me responsible for anything going wrong.

For the average driver, slight understeer is easier to handle, for better
drivers it's boring. Now, having said that, heavy understeer is worse than
heavy oversteer for obvious reasons, so if it's slippery and the road is
either narrow or busy I will drive easy, but again, it's still preferable to
have the newest ones at the front because the deeper thread will delay
aquaplanning a bit further. Of course you then need to be paying more
attention to the rear.

JP Roberts


"Doug Ramage" > escribió en el mensaje
...
>
> "Hairy One Kenobi" ]> wrote in message
> ...
> > "Nige" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > > "Alex" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > > I will be getting two new tyres for my 2000 A3, as the front wheels
> > treads
> > > > are wearing. A friend said that new tyres are best on the rear
wheels
> > (even
> > > > irrespective of whether FWD or RWD). Is this true or a myth?
> >
> > > When I took my motor vehicle C&G 381 I was told that the best treat
goes
> > on the front for many reasons,
> > > the most obvious would be they do the steering (& driving on most
cars)
> &
> > that you will more likely
> > > aquaplane with lower tread front tyres. However, I can see the reason
> for
> > the rears to have the better
> > > tyres too for reason given. I ALWAYS have my best on the front.
> >
> > Bad move, for the reasons supplied above.
> >
> > Even *more* of a bad move if you "help" unsuspecting (and often less
> > skilled) drivers by swapping tyres for them (in your role as a
mechanic).
> >
> > As goes reasoning (and to supplement the above arguments) - aquaplaning
> > happens on all four wheels. Given the choice, would you prefer to:
> >
> > a) Play "dodge the tree" with not-very-responsive steering, or
> > b) Hit the damn thing side on without slowing significantly (toss a coin
> to
> > see if you've just seriously injured/killed yourself or "merely" your
> > passenger(s))
> >
> > The argument applies in all weather conditions - very wet weather just
> makes
> > it a "bit" more obvious.
> >
> > H1K (Associate of C&G Institute, if that counts for anything ;o)
> >
> >
>
> New tyres should go on the rear - check out the tyre manufacturers'
> websites.
> --
> Doug Ramage
>
> [watch spam trap]
>
>

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 00:36:58 +0200, "JP Roberts" >
wrote:

>While I agree with most of what's been said, I always enjoy driving my A4
>1.8TQ better with the newest tyres at the front. This way, the car is very
>responsive, more precise and gains some precious oversteer that is precisely
>what I want to get on the dry
>...
> [wet/slippery] it is still preferable to
>have the newest ones at the front because the deeper thread will delay
>aquaplanning a bit further.

I have always believed the above to be true. However I now have a Audi
A4 3.0 Quattro sport manual tranny and have changed my mind.
I have been driving the last 3 months with new tires up front and 2/3
worn tires on the rear. When it does get wet the handling is very
twitchy and non-progressive on sweepers.

After a couple of close calls I have replaced the rears.
Note, I have no problem with oversteer, and am able to use it to my
advantage on wet/snowy roads, but the oversteer with worn tires on the
rear was just too unpredictable.

I still prefer the newer tires on the front for my front-wheel-drive
vehicles and have driven them that way in all sorts of conditions.

Scott