Where do you want the tires with the most tread? The front or Rear of the vehicle?

Question

Do you want the tires with the most tread on the front for the steering or the rear for traction where you power is? I have a rear wheel drive vehicle.

Answer 1

Read the links below and and decide. I would always put the better tires on the back.
The amount of ignorance on this subject on Yahoo answers is overwhelming. My view is supported by Michelin as well as The largest tire retailer in N. America, and every reputable tire shop.
Better tires on Back:
In a low traction situation, rain, sleet, snow, ice, when the front loses traction you feel it in the steering and simply backing off the throttle will regain action, mashing the brakes you will stop straight ahead.
Better tires on Front:
Panic stop, the rear will try to spin around, going around corners the same thing, lifting on the throttle will make the spin worse, yes you can counter steer if you have the room and skill and are prepared for in. Most people can control under steer but unexpected over steer can be lethal.
If you need an analogy: the easiest to control shopping cart is one with fixed back wheels, the back wheels have to keep their position for the front to steer predictably. Now what happens when you put casters on the back also?
You never know where the thing is going, no big deal for a shopping cart, potentially very big deal for you if there is an oncoming tractor trailer.

Answer 2

You should have 4 tires with good tread. BUT! If you only have two good tires, they should be firstly on the wheels steering the vehicle (for most cars that's the front two), and secondly on the tires doing the traction (in this case also the fronts). However, if you have two bald tires in the back and you hit a patch of water - or worse yet, ice - and the two back wheels spin freely, you'll slide out your rear end and perform some really nice wheelies, and potentially roll over; depending on vehicle size and type. Remember, you have at least 3000+ pounds of steel, plastic and lives riding on a few inches of rubber. Tires are not that expensive as replacing a car, or potentially taking away a life.

Answer 3

Any car regardless if it is FWD or RWD or AWD, would need better traction in its front wheels.
1. Rear wheels normally just run parallel to the road as opposed to the front wheels that steer the car. Steering the car is crucial more so, in slippery road conditions.
2. Tires with less tread are more prone to be punctured by sharp road debris. When cruising at about 60 mph, you will have more chance to controlling your car with a punctured/exploded rear tires than a punctured/exploded front tires that often results in turn-turtling thus, serious injuries or death.
3. Notice how your front wheels wear the tread more? It is because it needed more traction there, ergo put traction where the vehicle needs it more.
4. Even if the car is powered by the rear wheels the traction that you would need from there is just to push the car forward while the traction that you would need from the front leads you where you need to go, avoiding accidents perhaps.
5. If you are racing then you wouldn't even bother to ask this question for all your wheels would need the best traction possible for controlling lateral inertia. Hence the best tread in all four tires.

Answer 4

I've always thought the better tires were best up front. My thought behind it is, if a tire is going to blow I would prefer it to be a rear tire. A front tire blow out is much harder to control the steering than a rear is in my opinion.

And what good is the power if you cannot control it? Steer clear.

On black ice you certainly want the better tires on the front. Steering into the slide without braking or accelerating is your only hope to recover control and avoid serious damage.

Answer 5

On FWD cars, the front tires are more critical as they perform all the steering, braking and traction. On RWD cars, the front and rear tires are equally important but front tires still do most of the braking and steering to avoid skidding. Living in Wisconsin winters teaches you that.

Answer 6

since you have a rear drive vehicle you need the best tires on the back for traction.

Answer 7

I would put the good treads in front for steering. The good tires in back may help you get going in snow better then the ones with less tread, but your steering capability will suffer with the poor tread in front.

Answer 8

you pretty much want them on the rear regardless if it's front or rear wheel drive because you don't want the car to oversteer...if you fishtail your front steering won't help you too much

Answer 9

If it is RWD, I would probably put it in the rear.