carmudgeons.com  

Go Back   carmudgeons.com > Automotive Forums > Car Talk > Perseverators Anonymous

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-16-2020, 12:34 PM   #1
Alan
Carmudgeon
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,646
Quick getting 2 new tires question

I'm replacing 2 tires on the 340 which is Xdrive, should the new tires go on the front or the rear ?


I always go to the dealer for tires and for some dumb reason when they replaced the other 2 tires they put them on the same side . You would think for the premium they charge they would at least make sure the tires with the same tread go in the front or rear.
Alan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 12:35 PM   #2
Nick M3
Relic
 
Nick M3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,438
The rule of thumb is that the best tires go in the rear.
__________________
2011 M3
2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison
2004 X5 3.0i 6MT
1995 M3 S50B32
1990 325is
1989 M3 S54B32

Hers:
1989 325iX
1996 911 Turbo


Nick M3 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 01:04 PM   #3
FC
Solving problems
 
FC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
Location: Metro Boston
Posts: 25,215
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
The rule of thumb is that the best tires go in the rear.
Agreed.
FC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 01:15 PM   #4
dan
redefined
 
dan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 14,884
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan View Post
I always go to the dealer for tires and for some dumb reason when they replaced the other 2 tires they put them on the same side . You would think for the premium they charge they would at least make sure the tires with the same tread go in the front or rear.
I'm really not understanding this whole statement.

They changed a front and a rear? The front and rear have different treads?
__________________
"There's a freedom you begin to feel the closer you get to Austin, Texas."
-Willie
dan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 01:38 PM   #5
kognito
older fart than ZBB
 
kognito's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: On the road again
Posts: 8,887
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
The rule of thumb is that the best tires go in the rear.
Sometimes this makes no sense. I had to replace two tires on my old Focus a few months ago. Dude insisted the new ones had to go on the rear.

Focus was FWD, Focus had rear drum brakes, front disc's. I wanted the new tread up front. Dude said he can't.

They put the new ones on the rear, I drove away right to Firestone (for alignment) told Firestone to rotate the tires and then align.
__________________
2017 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE
2020 Fusion Titanium
kognito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 01:40 PM   #6
kognito
older fart than ZBB
 
kognito's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: On the road again
Posts: 8,887
Quote:
Originally Posted by dan View Post
I'm really not understanding this whole statement.

They changed a front and a rear? The front and rear have different treads?
And is this Ok with Xdrive? Audi's Quattro this is a no-no
__________________
2017 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE
2020 Fusion Titanium
kognito is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 03:02 PM   #7
Alan
Carmudgeon
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,646
Quote:
Originally Posted by dan View Post
I'm really not understanding this whole statement.

They changed a front and a rear? The front and rear have different treads?
All the tires are the same exact brand, size etc.

I didn't want to bore anyone with the details but here is what has happened with this car, throughout it's 39k miles each tire gets replaced one at a time because either a tire has a bubble, hit a curb, has a leak that is not repairable etc. or should I say because the kid was 19 when I got him the car 3 yrs ago.

So fast forward to 2020 and the Driver's side had one tire replaced then shortly after had the other replaced. So basically 2 new tires on the driver's side which I didn't realize because I would have told the dealer put the newer ones on one axle and the older ones on the other axel.

The other day my son told me the car isn't good in the rain and he thinks it's the tires ... I checked the tires and the 2 passenger tires are at or below the wear bars.

This time around I decided I will go to the local shop instead of the dealer who btw are BMW owners and fanatics and will have them replace the 2 passenger side tires but have them switch it around so the brand new tires will go on the rear (thanks Nick)

Last edited by Alan; 07-17-2020 at 09:22 AM.
Alan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 04:04 PM   #8
ff
.
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 13,514
Quote:
Originally Posted by kognito View Post
Sometimes this makes no sense. I had to replace two tires on my old Focus a few months ago. Dude insisted the new ones had to go on the rear.

Focus was FWD, Focus had rear drum brakes, front disc's. I wanted the new tread up front. Dude said he can't.
That didn't make sense to me, but this link explains that it has to do with safety in regards to hydroplaning.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiret...20the%20front.
ff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2020, 04:26 PM   #9
Nick M3
Relic
 
Nick M3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,438
Basically, the rule of thumb is that cars should understeer. Better tires up front mean that the car is more likely to have grip induced oversteer. Since your average idiot driver isn't going to know what to do with that, they solve for that.

The Lemons Volvo that I race has 255 tires up front and 225s in the rear. The oversteer in braking and at corner entry is *hilarious*. But, you know, even though it's fun and easy to drive for us, your average driver would wreck it in short order.
__________________
2011 M3
2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison
2004 X5 3.0i 6MT
1995 M3 S50B32
1990 325is
1989 M3 S54B32

Hers:
1989 325iX
1996 911 Turbo


Nick M3 is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2020, 02:30 PM   #10
Pinecone
Carmudgeon
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,717
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick M3 View Post
Basically, the rule of thumb is that cars should understeer. Better tires up front mean that the car is more likely to have grip induced oversteer. Since your average idiot driver isn't going to know what to do with that, they solve for that.

The Lemons Volvo that I race has 255 tires up front and 225s in the rear. The oversteer in braking and at corner entry is *hilarious*. But, you know, even though it's fun and easy to drive for us, your average driver would wreck it in short order.
I bet that car is great fun trail braking into a downhill turn.
__________________
Terry Carraway
2002 Topaz E46 M3
2000 Dakar M Roadster
1995 Alpine E36 M3 LTW
1990 Red/White Spec Racer
Pinecone is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Hey Stuka quick question. Theo Car Talk 9 05-28-2008 07:03 PM
quick e36 question BahnBaum Technical Superiority 2 01-26-2006 08:48 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Forums © 2003-2008, 'Mudgeon Enterprises - Site hosting by AYN & Associates, LLC