Changing tyres

[Car Freak]

The tyres on our Mazda 323 are getting worn out, and we've been advised to change them. Thing is though, where do we put the new tyres on?

 

Being a FWD car, the logical (at least to us) decision would be to change the front tyres. However, my mum received an email the other day stating that new tyres should be placed on the rear, to minimize chances of oversteer, particularly in wet conditions, especially since it is easier and more natural to correct understeer than oversteer.

 

That email made sense, but it does go against what we're normally used to. Advice?

[GTAMADDOG]

Depends, which tyres are worn? Front or rear or all of them?

 

If its the front ones then what quite a few members of my familly do is swap the rear wheels to the front because they usually have more tread (FWD cars obviously) and just put the more worn front tyres on the back. Doesn't make much difference to handling and it saves you a bit of money aswell.

 

If all the tyres are quite evenly worn then its pretty much worth while buying a whole new set.

 

To be honest I don't see why oversteer and understeer would need to be taken into consideration unless you're racing the car or taking it to the limits every time you use it. If understeer and oversteer are coming into play during normal driving then its usually a tell tale sign that either the front or rear tyres need replacing. To be fair, the Mazda 323 isn't the most spritely of cars, well the 1.6 16v which is currently sat on my driveway isn't and the width of the wheels don't really inspire the confidence to throw the car into corners.

 

Just replace the tyres that are worn most. Thats my 5 cents. I'm no-where near to being an expert at this either.

[kalniel]

The tyres on our Mazda 323 are getting worn out, and we've been advised to change them. Thing is though, where do we put the new tyres on?

 

Being a FWD car, the logical (at least to us) decision would be to change the front tyres. However, my mum received an email the other day stating that new tyres should be placed on the rear, to minimize chances of oversteer, particularly in wet conditions, especially since it is easier and more natural to correct understeer than oversteer.

 

That email made sense, but it does go against what we're normally used to. Advice?

The email is dead right. On a front wheel drive car you should always put new tyres on the rear and move the old rears to the front. There are two reasons for this:

 

1) Rubber degrades over time as well as with wear, but time-degradation is harder to spot. If you leave tyres on the rear hardly getting worn out then you are more likely to get a sudden problem without warning. However if you move them to the front and wear them out through normal use this won't happen.

 

2) The point about the wet is spot on - in dry conditions you'll not usually get near the limit of adhesion, but in the wet it can happen really easily, even in a straight line at moderate speeds. Tread depth is *vital* in wet conditions, and worn tyres will lose grip before new ones in such conditions. If front tyres lose grip then you just understeer a bit and instinctively will just turn into the corner a bit more and brake - which is the right thing to do. If rear tyres lose grip then bang, you've spun before you even know what is happening. Even if you had a car that gave you lots of feedback that you were about to spin (so not most road cars) there's little you can do to correct it - applying throttle around a tight corner is counter-intruitive, and you can forget about getting exactly the correct amount of opposite lock on and off again.

[TDU 505]

Dont replace them at all!

No harm having a lil highway dorifto once in a while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Content of this post should not be executed in real life for it is utter bull. :D

[Car Freak]

Shut up Mark... :p

 

Anyway to everyone else: the tires have already been rotated, so the wear is pretty much even

[kalniel]

Shut up Mark... :p

 

Anyway to everyone else: the tires have already been rotated, so the wear is pretty much even

So why are you only changing two tyres and not all of them? If the wear is even but you've been advised to change them then you must have been advised to change all of them.

[Car Freak]

hmmm good point. I'll ask my mum exactly what she was told

[AdamFraser]

Even wear - replace them all.

 

4mm of Tread is cutting it very fine, replace if the tread is <4.

 

From the swapping of tyres - just got to remember, just because there is effictively no power going to the "worn" tyres - there is still a load over them and there is contact with the road, so they will wear after a while. Work tyres can cause some serious damage.. I've seen it being done.

 

 

Sorry but Tyres are the one thing I personally think you just should not cut corners with, no matter what kind of car. After all, it is the only point of contact you have with the road...