Different front and rear tyres - bad?

[Marco]

I recently scored myself an '03 Vectra in very good order other than needing a service and two new tyres.

Problem is they no longer make the Bridgestone Turanza ER30 in the Vectra's size (215/55 R16) so I'll be forced to run different front and rear tyres.

There's two Bridgestone options (before I get into any other brands) - the Turanza ER300 (which looks more like a touring tyre) and the Adrenalin RE001 (which is a performance tyre). I have always, on other cars, run performance tyres no matter what the car was just for that extra bit of safety margin so I'd prefer the Adrenalin.

But - am I going to be causing myself trouble by having performance tyres on the front and ordinary tyres on the back (remembering that this is a FWD car)?

It's not a car that I will be driving hard by any means (it's my drive-to-work car) but I suppose in a scenario where I need to avoid something, I could find myself with a very grippy front and a less grippy rear. I suppose this is still better than having a less grippy front and rear?

Thoughts?

[Marco]

I might also add that this is a bugger of a size to buy tyres for, because most of the sorts of tyres that get a run in tyre tests aren't made in this size - so I have no idea what's good or bad in non-performance tyres :(

[HEKYEH]

Why not put the "performance" tyres on the front....and put the ordinary tyres on the rear?

Tyre/wheel rotation??

:confused:

[Marco]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying - performance tyres on the front, ordinary on the back. Sorry, didn't make that clear!

[defective]

wont make much difference either way imo.

[steve_t]

Yeah, you should be OK. Normally, it's nice to try and get a similar tread pattern if you can but I don't really even see why that is as the compound is probably more important that the pattern. If you had different left front and right front, for example, then it's a different kettle of fish

[feistl]

Should be fine on a FWD car. Its not really recommended to run different tyres on AWD.

Id put the quality tyres on the front.

[TIR33D]

Should be fine on a FWD car. Its not really recommended to run different tyres on AWD.

Id put the quality tyres on the front.

I concur...........But being FWD you will probably go thru 2 sets of fronts to one set of rears, If you put your news ones on the rear they won't wear much and you will get to your goal of having the same tyres all round sooner.

[VYBerlinaV8]

Stick the good tyres on the front. Personally I doubt you'll have any issues.

If it really does bother you, toss the rears and replace them with the same as what's on the front.

[XUV]

if the spares still new , match that up size wise and just buy one tyre .

you can have 2 different brands of tyres on a car .

Will it effect your car - No .

Put the newer ones on the front .

[MonoJoker]

Personally I've never worried as long as you have matched pairs at each end of the car. Mixing 2 different tyres on the front or rear on the other hand - I wouldn't - especially if you mixed a cheap and nasty with a quality one on the front for example. It just doesn't seem right and in theory under heavy braking or other extreme situation it may cause unexpected results...

But I often replace my tyres in pairs and make no effort to match the other 2 on the car.

[Marco]

Thanks guys. After talking to the Bridgestone people as well I decided to go with the Turanzas rather than the Adrenalin - should be more than good enough for the sort of driving the Vec will do. New ones will go on the front.

XUV: unfortunately the previous owner (my Dad!) pulled the spare trick last time it needed two new tyres :)

[GODSMACK]

Just change all 4...

[aj1au]

I have to say I found the ER300's rubbish after coming off the OEM ER30's. They are fine for dry conditions but around melbourne with the tram tracks and any drop of rain they break loose too easily. And thats with a V6 and not being heavy footted

Maybe I got a bad batch or old tires that had been hardened from sitting in the sun. Either way I wont be going with them again

[XUV]

XUV: unfortunately the previous owner (my Dad!) pulled the spare trick last time it needed two new tyres :)

at least someone did it :goodjob:

nothing worst than a 5 year old brand new spare , IMO

[HazzaHSV]

Seen this done on the track, but on a whole different level (much worse). Some guy at Wakefield had a Proton Satria GTi and decided to rock up with semi-slicks on the front and standard road tyres on the rear. I mean you only need grip on the front when hotlapping in a front wheel drive car right?

WRONG. Lost the rear coming around a sweeper and backed in it at 100km/h into a marshall's post. 6 grand later - lesson learnt. :eyes:

PS - Actually I still got the pic lol Lucky for the tyre bundles limiting damage. Pic (http://users.tpg.com.au/hazzahsv/crash2.jpg). I got his in car vid of it too somewhere.

[Marco]

I'm pretty sure that guy lives near me, if it's the car I'm thinking of!

[EgoFG]

IMHO:

Greater rolling resistance on the back will give better stability FWD or RWD.

Cornering is a different deal - you want the best lateral performance tyre on the front again FWD or RWD.

Water displacement is the same better on front than rear - you could argue that directional tyres give better braking when fitted backwards on the rear.

No matter what car you have best tyres on the front.

But it diving long distances is your game then all four the same is best for good placement of the spare (assuming you have non directional tyres)

[VTSSDUDE]

I concur...........But being FWD you will probably go thru 2 sets of fronts to one set of rears, If you put your news ones on the rear they won't wear much and you will get to your goal of having the same tyres all round sooner.

Very true. Unless you like to use hand brakes around corners all the time. :1peek: