New front tyres - swap or not?

andygb

Having new boots fitted to the front tomorrow and I am wondering whether or not to have them swapped to the rear. The rears have loads of tread left, but I am not sure whether the best tyres should be on the front or rear.
The car is FWD, puts out around 200BHP and has good handling.

AdrianC

All decent brand? That's going to make more of a difference than "new" vs "loads of tread left".

The generalised recommendation is better-on-back because oversteer is harder to catch than understeer. But if you understand what that means and implies, then on something powerful and FWD, I'd go for better on the front, unless it's got a particularly lively rear end.

daveyjp

If the rears have 'loads' of tread left what is the point?

Measure the depth on the rear and be mindful that some tyre companies have reduced the new tyre depth from 8mm to 6mm.

Mutton_Geoff

andygb wrote: »

Having new boots fitted to the front tomorrow and I am wondering whether or not to have them swapped to the rear. The rears have loads of tread left, but I am not sure whether the best tyres should be on the front or rear.
The car is FWD, puts out around 200BHP and has good handling.

How old are the rears (date code stamp on tyre)? If they are 6/7 years old, it may be worth considering a new set all round as old tyres lose their pliability even though there may be loads of tread left.

coffeehound

From the point of view of turning over tyres, moving the older ones to the front will get them replaced next

AdrianC

coffeehound wrote: »

From the point of view of turning over tyres, moving the older ones to the front will get them replaced next

Tyres wear at a rate relative to how hard they're being worked. If one end's not being worked hard enough to wear, then the good tyres are wasted there.

If all four wear relatively evenly, on a powerful FWD car, that's a good sign that the rears need to be good to avoid reversing into the scenery.

hollie.weimeraner

I always put new tyres on the back (as per Adrian C) and also if you have a front wheel drive car the rear tyres take years to wear and if you're not careful will perish and the sidewalls crack before they actually wear out. (I get mine done at Costco and they insist on putting new on the back if only replacing 2)

andygb

The set is around 4 years old, they are Goodyear Eagle F1 225/40/ Y 18, and the replacement fronts are the same.
Definitely the best, most grippy tyres I have ever used in all conditions.

rdr

Since I went to Costco and they insisted, I now always put the new tyres on the back, three reasons:

• Safety, loosing grip at the back is more dangerous than loosing it at the front.
• Cash flow, the front tyres will wear out predictably and you will only ever need to change two at a time.
• Getting full use from all the tyres, tyres used solely on the back of a FWD will probably have to be thrown out before they are worn out due to cracking and ageing.

DoaM

rdr wrote: »

Since I went to Costco and they insisted, I now always put the new tyres on the front, three reasons:

• Safety, loosing grip at the back is more dangerous than loosing it at the front.
• Cash flow, the front tyres will wear out predictably and you will only ever need to change two at a time.
• Getting full use from all the tyres, tyres used solely on the back of a FWD will probably have to be thrown out before they are worn out due to cracking and ageing.

Typo, and you meant back? i.e. you cycle the rear tyres to the front and put the new tyres on the back?

rdr

DoaM wrote: »

Typo, and you meant back? i.e. you cycle the rear tyres to the front and put the new tyres on the back?

You are correct, edited