Tires on front wheel drive car

[Toyarzee]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

Again, modern car have ABS & TC to reduce this issue... but food for thought.

Never thought about this that way. I guess this is my first car with electric windows and keyless entry, much less abs and tc... still learning something new err'day

[PMPB]

I want to further what ichi said.

A lot of people think that front brakes are made bigger than the rear brake because the front handles the bulk of the braking forces. This is partly true, however, I submit that the rear brake is made SMALLER than the front brake, so that in the event of a hard braking maneuver, the front tires are more likely to break traction before the rear tires. Combine that with ABS and the car is able to steer and maintain control even during braking maneuvers that would otherwise cause a spin.

[Summerwolf]

I guess I'd probably go with the tirerack consensus now.... :/

[Tcoat]

All those years I did it wrong (well not to many years with FWD and bad tires) still managed to never have over steer or spin out even in the worst condition and really bad tires.
I guess if your tires are that bad you just learn to drive more carefully. I do sometimes miss the sound of steel belts sticking out and creating that cool swish swish swish swish sound though.

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I do sometimes miss the sound of steel belts sticking out and creating that cool swish swish swish swish sound though.

I'm too chicken to drive a car w steel wires sticking out. I've always replaced my tires way before recommended time.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

I'm too chicken to drive a car w steel wires sticking out. I've always replaced my tires way before recommended time.

I was too poor not to at one point in time. Also even more fun when no two tires on the car are the same size.

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I was too poor not to at one point in time. Also even more fun when no two tires on the car are the same size.

Haha, I had no two tires on the car are the same size before. It was temporary thing (3 days), but done that.

Even I was poor, I made sure brakes, tires & fluids were good in the car... even shaving my food budget (which is a big deal for me lol)

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

Haha, I had no two tires on the car are the same size before. It was temporary thing (3 days), but done that.

Even I was poor, I made sure brakes, tires & fluids were good in the car... even shaving my food budget (which is a big deal for me lol)

Wife and two little kids. My car came a distant last. She had a car that was safe while I drove a shitbox just to get around.

[jawn]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

All those years I did it wrong (well not to many years with FWD and bad tires) still managed to never have over steer or spin out even in the worst condition and really bad tires.
I guess if your tires are that bad you just learn to drive more carefully. I do sometimes miss the sound of steel belts sticking out and creating that cool swish swish swish swish sound though.

Well, my last FWD car made just under 300 lb/ft of torque to the wheels, so it ate front tires at an alarming rate and needed all of the grip it could get.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by jawn

Well, my last FWD car made just under 300 lb/ft of torque to the wheels, so it ate front tires at an alarming rate and needed all of the grip it could get.

Pretty sure mine made 30. On a good day. With the right weather conditions.

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Wife and two little kids. My car came a distant last. She had a car that was safe while I drove a shitbox just to get around.

Well, I'm still a single man, so I don't have to worry bout wife or kid.

All my money is go into car parts & food lol

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by totopo

How do you plan on catching oversteer in a FWD car? You have to mash gas. What if you don't have space on the outside? what if you aren't expecting it? what if you aren't in a low gear? you are screwed.

If you're on the track in an understeering FWD car, there is no question you want your better tires up front. I've run my GTI like that plenty of times. Yes there is more lift throttle oversteer. Yes there is more grip on corner exit. Yes both are preferable qualities if we're talking about an understeering FWD car on the track. Put the better tires up front.

This is exactly why I said it depends on the circumstances. Would my response change for a driver who was not used to oversteer in a car with no traction control and it was snowing outside on the street? Probably.

[HunterGreene]

Originally Posted by Toyarzee

Forgetting inclement weather for a minute, if you're driving down the freeway and everyone comes to a sudden stop, would you not be more likely to stop safely if you have sufficient traction up front?

Pretty sure this has been answered already, but thanks to physics, your car does not have the same points of momentum front to back. In other words, if you "panic stop," the front tires bite sooner than the rear, and suddenly the front of the car is moving more slowly than the rear. At this point, the car will want to spin since the front is still connected to the rear. By having higher grip at the back, you reduce the likelihood of a spin occurring as there is more resistance to sideways movement in the fresher tires.

Grip is also increased in the front due to more weight usually being over the front axle because of the engine, hence why cornering would be easier with the more worn tires on the front.

[KR-S]

Really, really interesting thread. I feel this was a plot by @stugray.

In which case, I would love to hear his own answer to this as well.