Switch Tyres

Paul S ( snipped-for-privacy@anyone.plus.com(Paul S)) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

It'll make very little difference.

Until you have to brake hard, at which point the front tyres do the VAST majority of the work, and the TeflonFreds will lengthen your stopping distance.

With the crap tyres on the back, there's a possibility of the back end coming round on hard cornering, especially if you lift off suddenly. With the crap tyres on the front, there's a likelihood of strong understeer on hard cornering.

Thanks for all your replies.

The job's now been done.

Good points;

1. Fast, friendly.
2. Told me that the rears, being directional tyres, were on the wrong sides. Ok for reversing, but not for going forwards.
3. £64.16 for a 185/55x15H Conti SuperContact2 was very competitive, but best of all they didn't charge me for changing the spare onto a front alloy, and vice versa.
4. Fitted the weights on the inside.

Bad points;

1. Left excess lubricant on the tyre/wheel.
2. Put 36 & 37lbs pressure in, when it should be 26-28

And despite my previous post that's why I have my new tyres on the front!

I've had Nankangs on a few cars, including a Citroen XM, Crapi 2.8i and a Saab 900T16. They were actually not bad tyres, certainely better than the almost new Avon turbospeeds (front) and Goodyear Eagles (rear) that the Saab was wearing when I got it.

When I got the first XM, it was wearing "Woosung" (?) tyres. These won the award for the worst tyre I've ever, ever driven on. The only thing good about them was that I could get the car totally sideways and hold it in a lovely drift on a couple of roundabouts I used regularly.. in a diesel XM!.

Personally, I'd put the new ones on the front , and if the rears are worn, replace them too.

Mike P

I wonder how fast you have to be going to get uncontrollable lift off oversteer in a small car, with modern tyres and chassis technology? It is a serious question, cos I don't know. Obviously damp roads, different surfaces need to be taken into account. I've not driven a small car for ages. Last one I drove regularly was a 1999 Punto 1.2, which would just about oversteer if you were really rough with it.

I mean "normal" cars, that your mum or sister might buy, not a Clio V6 or something crazy :-)

Mike P

The safest place to fit crap tyres is the skip.

In the early seventies I used to rally a Mini Cooper S. I used lift-off oversteer as a technique, controlled with left foot braking.

In nine years of owning a Focus I've never been able to induce lift-off oversteer, despite trying at some really stupid speeds.

Of course, it goes round with the handbrake :-)

Chris

Mike P ("Mike P" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I've only ever once tried Woosung Dark Horse tyres. On the back of a Caterham 7 on an autotesting course. They'd been specifically chosen for their utter lack of grip. The front tyres were very, very sticky.

I think I went round one cone four times whilst trying to get the thing pointing in the right direction.

You never did answer the question about the BUDGET Falcon 912's did you, I could tell the answer now, but you can't educate pork so I won't bother.

It's a doddle in a Corsa. It's really really easy in a Transit.

Just a thought .. do I remember a time when switching tyres about wasn't considered good because of the increased tyre wear it caused?

The though being a tyre quickly beds itself into the role (f / r, os / ns etc) so the initial use wears the tyres quickly whilst that happens. Move the tyre to a different corner and the process starts again?

All the best ..

T i m

Only if you drive identically & continously in a circle.