Hi all, just after some advice really. Two of my tyres are getting pretty worn and need replacing soon, but the other two still have decent tread left. My mate reckons I should just do all four at once for balance and safety, but that feels like a big spend if the others are still okay. Is there a right or wrong answer here or does it depend on the car? Would love to hear what others have done in this situation
Is it worth getting a full set of tyres replaced at once
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03-04-26 00:39As long as the front tyres have the best tread and the rears second best you should be fine just change the ones with low tread.
Think about it, if you use a motorbike as an example, when a motorbike brakes the front forks compress and all the moving mass from the forward momentum forces the tyre onto the road surface, improving the grip. If the motorbike just uses the rear brake the rear shocks will extend and the tyre will have less grip on the road and will skid very easily (I still have scars from that fact)
A car has a proportioning valve which is designed to apply more hydraulic pressure to the front brakes than the rear for that very reason. -
03-04-26 06:20
The usual advice these days seems to be the exact opposite - put the better tyres at the back.
"It might sound counterintuitive, but Michelin recommends rotating your newest tyres to the back wheels. As the tests clearly highlight, this setup preserves your car’s inherent understeer balance and ensures safe, predictable handling in low-grip situations."
See https://www.blackcircles.com/tyres/p...caAiXcEALw_wcB -
04-04-26 14:13@danielcarter
Honestly your mate has a point but it's not always black and white. If the other two still have good tread and are wearing evenly, replacing just the two that need it is perfectly fine for most cars. Just make sure the new ones go on the rear axle for better stability that's the general advice most people go with. Only time I'd say do all four is if the remaining ones are close to the limit anyway, saves you the hassle of doing it again in a few months. What tyres are you looking at replacing them with?🤔? -
04-04-26 17:13Doesn't it depend on whether front wheel drive or rear wheel drive, combined with whether you're looking to maximise performance or safety?
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05-04-26 11:53
The average driver is comfortable with understeer (front wheels slipping when turning) few are happy with oversteer (rear wheels slipping when turning).
By putting the best tyres on the rear, we reduce the chances of oversteer.
Recovering from understeer is instinctive, just slow down.
The vehicle will do this anyway, because the front tyres are being pushed sideways scrubbing off speed, and the driver, when he/she notices the vehicle is not turning as expected automatically lifts off the gas a little, and adds more steering.
Sorting out oversteer is less instinctive, the driver finds the vehicle is turning more than asked for.
The solution is not instinctive, lifting off the gas will help but turning away from the apex feels very wrong, and as the rear starts to grip again the steering taken off now needs to be restored.
For the average driver there is very little they will find to be instinctive. -
06-04-26 15:10Personally, I put much better tyres on the front than the back. My preferred tyres on the front are Continentals, and I am quite happy with budget M&Ss on the rear. I have used this combination for years and have had no problems. In fact, I hit spilt diesel on the A40 on a roundabout near High Wycombe in the rain recently and had no problem controlling the slide. Similarly on the stretched roundabout on the A414 near London Colney.
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