evalyn

The '01 Maxima SE that I bought this summer came with two older tires and two newer tires.

1st pair: Bridgestone Potenza RE92, 5/32" tread left
2nd pair: Michelin Pilot MXM4, 7/32" tread left

Which pair of tires should I put in front? Last night it was raining really hard on the interstate, and I felt my front tires (the 5/32" Potenzas) slipping and sliding a lot.

MrDicks95SE

iTrader: (23)

obviously the ones with the most tread or deepest/widest grooves...

evalyn

Well, I would have thought that too. It sounds like common sense, but the guy at Discount Tire says research shows that having your best tires in the back is the way to go. He may have been full of it, so that's why I came here looking for a 2nd opinion.

Mr. ****s, why do you think they should go in the front?

evalyn

Here's some research I just dug up:
"If you are only buying two new tires, they should ALWAYS go on the rear of the vehicle, and almost any tire shop will insist up on this.

The reason is that new tires are far less prone to skidding in adverse conditions than partially-worn tires.

Generally, it is far easier to regain control of a car when the front end slips (understeer). Most drivers instinctively slow down/brake, which shifts weight on to the front tires, helping them regain traction.

In contrast, if the rear tires slip first (oversteer), the car tends to swing sideways and most people have trouble regaining control. The car is also far more likely to flip if this happens."

And from the goodyear site: "When you select a pair of replacement tires in the same size and construction as those on the car, we recommend you put them on the rear axle."

MrDicks95SE

iTrader: (23)

IMO its your drive wheels AND your steering. for fwd cars, if you lose traction in the rear, point the wheels in the direction you want to go and gas it. you will most likely regain control. losing traction in the front isnt really the best thing to happen on fwd. think about it. if youre turning and you lose control of your steering AND your drive wheels, you're SOL unless you know what youre doing and can somehow regain control.

now driving a rwd car where steering and drive wheels are separate, thats a different story. thats what im thinking those statements are based on.

QNO_A32

iTrader: (7)

put the good ones on the front for now and when its time for tires do front to rear and new on the front.

Triple8Sol

iTrader: (29)

Your car is FWD. Put the tires with more tread on the front.

boondoxmax

iTrader: (1)

Put the new tires on the rear. It's a know fact.......

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

new tires on the rear.

crazy97

iTrader: (1)

New tires on the rear.

I got into an accident with my car on a clear but ice cold road because the fronts were great tires and the rear tires were crap. I don't care how good of a driver you are..Once you are hitting that corner and the rear end starts to swing around more than just a little bit you are SCREWED!

evalyn

Hearing your personal opinions is fine, but I'm confident there is a single, logical answer to this question. Anyone have a source they can cite as justification for their claim?

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

WTF! you have people providing you their experiences, you cited multi-billion dollar companies giving recommendations, you have people explaining the logic behind it. every piece of information is right within this thread!
Put the ****ing tires on the rear and shut the hell up.

MrDicks95SE

iTrader: (23)

first words of advice: drive slower and more cautiously in bad weather

i still stand by my words of deeper tread on in the front on FWD cars. doesnt make any sense to put crappy tires on your drive/steer wheels. this isnt a RWD setup so keep the fresher tires up front.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

lawls

Just because you can't drive, doesn't mean no one else can either.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

Says the guy with 8.5s in front and 10s in the rear...

maxima619

iTrader: (7)

New tires on the rear! here is why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxY8C1V8eFE&NR=1

MrDicks95SE

iTrader: (23)

i rarely lose rear end traction heheh.

throw me some rainy weather and same size tires all around and ill still drive like a champ.

crazy97

iTrader: (1)

There was no bad weather. No weather conditions but cold temps. It was around 10 degrees. The rear tires acted like they were slicked up with grease without warning.

z32drifter

I put the better tires on the front of my car. Granted when driven at the limit over standing water the rear will hydroplane and lose traction first. Under normal conditions having the crappy tires on the front reduce all the other levels of performance. Your front tires are doing alot more work when it comes to turning, braking, accelerating, the rears are just along for the ride.

MorpheusZero

iTrader: (10)

+1

In conclusion, in the rear if you're a retard, in the front if you know what you're doing.

If you have to ask you should probably put them in the rear.

mist max2000

iTrader: (16)

buy 2 more tires and stop being cheap tires cost less then crashing ur car if your that worried

PadawanKnight

iTrader: (1)

Using the philosophy of having the tires with the greatest tread depth in the rear, you should NEVER rotate tires on a FWD vehicle.

The fronts will always wear faster on FWD due to that being the drive axle. Therefore the greatest tread depth will always be on the rear tires.

The biggest problem with NOT rotating tires (on any vehicle) is that the tires on the non-drive axle will "cup" and wear unevenly causing a harsh ride with vibration and could eventually lead to tire failure.

While there is definite merit in what the manufacturers are saying about reducing the chance to fishtail, I say it is more a C.Y.A. move than what they really think you should do.

Since the Maxima is FWD, I say to put the tires with the larger amount of tread up front and take it easy in the elements.

crazy97

iTrader: (1)

When the rear end starts sliding out it usually happens with no warning and all of a sudden the vehicle is out of control and it's to late. some of the tires companies have performed various test and even the experts couldn't save the vehicle once the rear end spun out. Always put the new or the best tires on the rear.