tyres at costco

[andyleigh]

Been to costco new tyres are in friday, but they said it was there policy to put the new tyres on the rear, and move the rears to the front!!!!? is this normal?:dapprove:

 

[philmots]

errrr thats odd.. but you can always swap them back.

 

[andyleigh]

cant be arsed though mate, thought this was unusual

 

[V1NNY]

they always say new tryes at the rear

 

[andyleigh]

Never heard it before mate, worked at national tyres also when i left school they never did it!!

 

[V1NNY]

i've never come accross it at fitters etc, but lots of people say you should put new ones at the back

 

[Matbrown]

Yes, should be standard practice to stop the rear end overtaking the front.



Mat.

 

[browno]

They always say that at costco and it's damn annoying...

 

[andyleigh]

^^fairpoint, as the rears are in mint condition

 

[miltage2]

i have always used costco for my tyres and yes they do insist on putting the new ones to the front! I would guess that the backs will by slightly worn so i think it just means that the older set will be the next to wear! Well thats what i think anyway could be just bullshit!

 

[Leeshez]

Do they put them at the rear so they don,t have to balance them?

 

[miltage2]

no they always fully balance and re valve them

 

[V1NNY]

yup all tyres fitted or refitted need to be ballanced and new valves reccomended

 

[Djw John]

Yes, should be standard practice to stop the rear end overtaking the front.



Mat.

Yup, and it sounds like a very responsible atitude from them, nice to see instead of the usual thick fit crew

 

[speedynz]

Yes, should be standard practice to stop the rear end overtaking the front.



Mat.

So the end of the car carrying the most weight, driving the wheels, steering the car and wearing out tyres the quickest should have the most worn pair on?

Absolute Rubbish.

 

[Matty]

So the end of the car carrying the most weight, driving the wheels, steering the car and wearing out tyres the quickest should have the most worn pair on?

Absolute Rubbish.

No the rear, which has less weight i.e. no engine to keep it loaded needs most grip as it will break away when it loses traction, hence why you always put newest rubber on the back of a front wheel drive car.

Fifth Gear did a test a while back and showed the handling of a car with just new tyres on front and just new on back. Brittania Tyres also adopts this policy and think if you check most tyre manufacturers websites, they also back this up.

Here is Michelin's take on it:

http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/auto/auto_cons_bib_pqr_neuf.jsp

 

[speedynz]

No the rear, which has less weight i.e. no engine to keep it loaded needs most grip as it will break away when it loses traction, hence why you always put newest rubber on the back of a front wheel drive car.

Fifth Gear did a test a while back and showed the handling of a car with just new tyres on front and just new on back. Brittania Tyres also adopts this policy and think if you check most tyre manufacturers websites, they also back this up.

Here is Michelin's take on it:

http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/auto/auto_cons_bib_pqr_neuf.jsp

It's a fair point Matty and you've got the backing of Michelin which puts me a little behind the 8 ball................but I still don't agree.

Most car manufacturers build understeer into their cars as the the default setting for 'over the limit' chassis behaviour as this is more easily controlled by 'non enthusiast' drivers. Tyre companies that recommend putting newer tyres on the rear of a front wheel drive car do this for the same reason - to encourage understeer as the default behaviour.

Yes, in extremes it is safer to the layman but in every other situation, be it aquaplaning, steering feel, turn in behaviour, traction, straight line tracking and neutrality (offsetting a car's natural tendency to understeer) it would be advantageous to fit the new rubber on the front.

Tyre companies and fitters may well think that they are playing it safe by advising that the new tyres go on the rear but containing oversteer in an emergency situation does not convey the whole driving dynamics picture accurately. It merely covers one scenario to the detriment of all the others.

 

[Maz]

Yep Andy thats the norm

 

[@Spoonie]

I think Costco are exclusively Michelin and this is why they follow these guidelines.

 

[lewba]

my local tyre place adopt this procedure! they say its to stop the back sliding out and so they can stick better!

 

[Adam]

its michelins policy not costco's, but as they only do michelin tryes than thats just the way it is. but new tryes should always go on the back anyways. and yes that always re-balance and fit new tryes.

 

[andyleigh]

well you learn something new each day, cheers peeps

 

[Vish]

I requested the new tyres on my rear and rears put on the front...but they probably knew that and thought I was trying to be clever... lol

 

[Matty]

Brittania tyres also do this. From experience of having the back end go on me twice before when hitting diesel on the road, you cannot normally catch it which in principle is the reason why they always put most grip on the rear.

Probably worse fo rthose who run with stripped out interiors, no spare etc as they must help add some weight over the rear axle.

 

[Frasers Cup]

Well it will be worse for the first 500 odd miles until the tyres bed in.... Which will still mean it will be easy to wrap ur car around the nearest lampost in the wet!