Where Do You Mount 2 New Tires; Front or Rear?

[Joe Marconi]

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[xrac]

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[gravysuckinpig]

common sense would say install them on the drive wheels for traction......another thought would be always in the front for steering control, especially in the winter months.

[CARMandP]

I always place the new ones on the front because I wouldn't want to hear about a customer blowing out a worn front tire and loosing control and wrecking the vehicle. Its easier to control a flat rear tire than a flat front tire in my experience.

[GobblesAuto]

New tires should always go on the rear. I was skeptical until I got to try it out on a test track at the Michelin Plant. Makes a big difference when driving in the rain. To protect you and your customer always put the new tires on the rear.

Watch this video it is true!

[DewayneP]

I read that article too, and several others. They all said to put the tires with the most tread on the rear. The article I read even referenced a lawsuit from a woman's family in Texas that is suing because thew tire place should have known to put the new tires on the rear.

[xrac]

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[CARMandP]

So who can post the link to the actual law so we have the "correct" (today) ruling on where they should go?

[DewayneP]

Here's the link to the Texas lawsuit article: Tire lawsuit And here's the article supporting installing new tires on the rear: Always install 2 new tires on rear axle

[xrac]

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[Gary A]

Here's another piece of info from Cooper.....

 

Cooper Tire Service Bulletin113.pdf

[Joe Marconi]

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[Jeff]

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[blown3qtr]

WOW! I had heard new tires on the rear, but I was always of the opinion if it were my car i would want the best tires on the front in case of a blowout until now. Then again I understand the importance of having good tires in the first place.

 

When my customers ask me about used tires I tell them used tires are tires that someone else threw away.

[TheTrustedMechanic]

I always place the new ones on the front because I wouldn't want to hear about a customer blowing out a worn front tire and loosing control and wrecking the vehicle. Its easier to control a flat rear tire than a flat front tire in my experience.

 

If your customer has two worn out tires after you replace two, why do you only replace two? And don't play the "They don't have the money card."

[TheTrustedMechanic]

This is exactly what I am talking about. I think that the best tires should go on the front because in the event of a blow out on the rear the car can still be steered but we are opening ourselves up to lawsuits if we do that.

 

How can this be exactly what you are talking about? You are talking about a blow out. The basis of the whole discussion is driving in general, a world of difference between the two. Watch the video they explain EXACTLY why you mount the worst tires on the front. If the worst tires are bald, cords showing, in bad enough condition to worry about a blow out, then they are UNSAFE and you should call it out because of that. Otherwise a blow out could happen on any tire at anytime, not just when the best tires are on the rear.

[xrac]

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[TheTrustedMechanic]

Maybe we should be selling all 4 tires, unless the other 2 are in "like new" condition? There are too many legal issues these days. We all want to do the right thing and respect the customer’s financial position, but do we compromise our business when the customer states they cannot go for all 4 tires, and we settle on selling them only 2?

The customer will only buy two tires and you are held responsible for their vehicle being involved in a crash, what's next? You're liable when they buy the cheapest round-and-black they can get and then crash because they didn't have good enough traction to make it up that hill in the winter and slid backwards into a crash? Well you were willing to sell them the cheapo tires weren't you? Might as well close up shop right now because you just can't fix stupid, no matter how hard you try. The customer is too cheap to listen to you and your experience, the ambulance chasers don't care about anything but their BMW payment, I mean contingency fee, and the courts are too stupid to see the real condition. After all you are a business so that means you're rich, right? You just can't fix stupid.

 

And by the way, no I do not have that dismal an outlook as to close up shop, but the scenario is all too true.

[TheTrustedMechanic]

When my customers ask me about used tires I tell them used tires are tires that someone else threw away.

 

I like that. I don't sell tires but I get plenty of questions about them, and about used tires. So I will have to remember your pearl of wisdom.

[az mike]

why not make the customer choose and record it on the w/o.? we always go new on the front for steering and drivability, worn tires often cause a "pull" even on a properly aligned f.e., mike