Re: best tyres up front or in the rear? (was '89 200q ?s)

[Sargent Schutt <foundation1@earthlink.net>]

Igor sez:
Well, at the tender age of 18 I've learned an easy lesson not to to put
my
best tyres on the rear (although I drove RWD cars in my rather snowy
neck of
the woods at that time). Once I saw how a neighbour slooowly drifted on
mirror-sleek ice under a standing truck @5km/h with all his weight on
the
brakes and the eyes sized like silver half dollars. He, naturally, had
better
tyres in the back for better pulling snow traction and they
were_rolling,
unaffected by brakes(!) while the bold front tyres were the only ones
that
did the braking, but they were helplessly sliding in a lock-up. That
incident
cost him a hood and a windshield.
-----<snip>----------

>>>Anyone running bald tires ought to know better. If they don't they soon
will. In regards to my prior post, though, it *is* advisable, if you
have two
tires with greater wear, that they be in the back for *wet* conditions 
(reference the original post, owner having squirrley handling,
especially 
when braking in the wet - not snow/ice). I considered it implied that 
completely bald tires are unacceptable in any circumstance (can you say 
high-speed blowout) on the front or rear. My other assumption is that 
brakes are working properly in the first place (proportioning valve,
etc.), 
in which case, yes the fronts have more power, but are responsible for
more 
load. This being the case, the front tires recieve more downforce and
are relatively
less susceptible to hydroplaning under braking. The rears, being more 
susceptible to hydroplaning (eg they lose ground contact before the
fronts 
because they have less downforce on them) need more tread depth than the 
fronts to help disperse the water. The fronts have more 
wieght on them, which helps keep them on the ground. In the wet, it is 
better to compensate with the deeper tread in the rear to keep the back
from 
hydroplaning and subsequently swinging around and passing you. Caveat:
Never run
bald tires front or rear. Buy some slightly used cheapies if you must.

Igor is correct, though, in regards to icy/ packed snow conditions.
Hydroplaning 
isn't the issue on snow/ice. Tread depth/pattern/rubber compound is.
That's 
definitely a different story. There I take no exception to his
admonitions.

Sarge
86 5ktq - four good tires and brakes