quattro Digest, Vol 2, Issue 51 - snow tires

[Larry C. Leung]

Hi Bob,

Pretty much as RM said, the deeper tread will probably stick 
better than the shallower in the snow or rain. If you want to have fun,
put the shallower on the back. If you have LONG drives in the snow
and don't want to fight, put the deeper in the back. This follows the 
most current tire recommendations from tire people, but if you want
to balance wear, the shallower end up in the back. I have found, (ex-
NYS snow belter) that with a car has heavy as my 200Q on 195's, 
it pretty much doesn't matter, the big pig understeers unless booting
it from a stop or late brake rotation, and even then the front tends
to wash a bit. Newer tires (in the back or front) just makes it stick
better, kinda even more boring. Reliable as rain (or snow) though.
Nowhere near as fun as my old 4KQ. 

LL - NY



> > Hi Y'all,
> >
> > I'm hoping not to get another "T*" thread started (Tors**, Torq**, 
> or
> > Tir**).  :-)
> >
> > Winter arrives today.  I am getting ready to install my winter 
> wheels with
> > their already mounted and balanced Nokian snow tires.  These tires 
> were
> > used last winter and two of them have a little less tread than the 
> other
> > two.  (The fronts wore more than the rears.)
> >
> > My question is: Should the tires with more tread be installed on 
> the front
> > or on the rear?  My inclination is to install them with the better 
> tires
> on
> > the front but...
> >
> > Your advice?  (Yes, I know.  Keep them on the side where they had 
> been
> > installed earlier.)  New tire$ would likely be a better choice and 
> they
> > will be needed a year from now but I'm de$irou$ of avoiding that 
> $tep ju$t
> yet.