Swap tyres front to rear?

[jimmy]

Just picked up the new E-Class estate at the weekend, the rear tyres are showing a bit of wear, probably 3-4mm left, the fronts are much less worn. They are huge 245/45 17's both front and rear, would it be best to swap them front to back so that the better tyres are on the rear for grip and then hoping they will all need replacing together in a few months? Obviously they are directional so I will keep them on the same side.

 

[Shude]

I'm not sure!

I'm considering something similar myself, my winter tyres have worn slightly strangely in the rear, fronts are 5-5-5, 5-5-5 mm depth, rears are 6-2-6, 6-2-6mm! They aren't over-pressured, in fact they're usually 1-2psi down in the rear to prevent the very thing that happened.

I'm probably going to swap front to rear, I can't see how it could cause any problems and if I have to choose between understeer and oversteer I'm going to go for understeer, the grip in the rear is where it counts. Hopefully the tyres will wear slightly more evenly and I'll end up with a complete set of worn tyres prior to replacement...

 

[Benzowner]

I read somewhere thet the tyres with the best tread should be on the back. I would change them, as you say, it may equalise the tyre wear so they are changed at roughly the same time next time.

 

[jonm]

A friend who works for Michelin advises me that I should always, always, always (regardless of which ones drive) have the best tyres on the rear. Can't remember why though.....

 

[jimmy]

I read somewhere thet the tyres with the best tread should be on the back.

This is what I thought for a RWD car and the better tyres on the front for a FWD car, but I am sure the manual says not to rotate the tyres front to back.

 

[MangoMan]

I read somewhere thet the tyres with the best tread should be on the back. I would change them, as you say, it may equalise the tyre wear so they are changed at roughly the same time next time.

100% Correct.

 

[Rory]

A friend who works for Michelin advises me that I should always, always, always (regardless of which ones drive) have the best tyres on the rear. Can't remember why though.....

The theory is that a rear wheel skid is likely to have more serious implications and be harder to correct than a front wheel slide.
They demo'd this on one of the TV motoring programs a few yrs ago, and it doen't make any difference if the car's FWD or RWD.

 

[Rory]

I'm not sure!

I'm considering something similar myself, my winter tyres have worn slightly strangely in the rear, fronts are 5-5-5, 5-5-5 mm depth, rears are 6-2-6, 6-2-6mm! They aren't over-pressured, in fact they're usually 1-2psi down in the rear to prevent the very thing that happened.

My summer tyres have done this too - and I too keep the pressures on the low side.
I can't swap mine - they're different sizes

 

[Shude]

My summer tyres have done this too - and I too keep the pressures on the low side.
I can't swap mine - they're different sizes

I'm glad I went for the same size F/R, but I'm still mystified about the tyre wear. The centres are 4mm more worn than the shoulders, in fact at 6mm the shoulders look brand new!

Hopefully even though the centres are 2mm the artificial dip in the tread will mean they wear evenly down to 3-4mm across the whole tyre then I can replace them. I'm dreaming aren't I, they will wear just as fast as the shoulders I bet

 

[MangoMan]

Wear in the centre usually reflects over-inflation, on the outside, under-inflation.

Also another thing that can cause this in a tyre too wide for the rim, making the tyre 'balloon'.

 

[Shude]

Wear in the centre usually reflects over-inflation, on the outside, under-inflation.

Also another thing that can cause this in a tyre too wide for the rim, making the tyre 'balloon'.

I considered both of those rules but in this case the tyre is 205/55/16 which is the original size as supplied with the car and the tyres are usually 1-2 lbs DOWN on the spec, not up! My car is usually no more than 20% occupied (driver only ) with little luggage.

 

[MangoMan]

Check the guage you use, that's all I can think of really. But as you say, 'Strange' ???

 

[Shude]

Check the guage you use, that's all I can think of really. But as you say, 'Strange' ???

Mercedes gauge

The pressure is fine, they were checked at the MOT last week and someone has put them back up to 30/33 again!

 

[Satch]

Ah Jimmy,

the joys of owning a high torque RWD vehicle. Rears worn in the centre? Fronts worn at the sides? That is what they do, almost irrespective of tyre pressure.

I now rotate mine front to back every 3000 miles.


Satch

 

[Shude]

Tyres now rotated!

 

[996jimbo]

Hopefully even though the centres are 2mm the artificial dip in the tread will mean they wear evenly down to 3-4mm across the whole tyre then I can replace them. I'm dreaming aren't I, they will wear just as fast as the shoulders I bet

Fantastic display of optimism - I bet you are not merely a "half full" but an "only two thirds off being full" person.


Personally I wouldn't rotate the tyres front to back because

a. I would rather buy 2 tyres at a go than 4
and
b. my tyres are a different size f/r so it's academic.

That said they seem to wear evenly front and back and last time round I had to buy 4 anyway. Bugger.

 

[davidH]

I too have always thought that the new tyres should go on the back of a rear wheel drive car but the Owners manual for the E Class (W211) page 292 under operation-tyres and wheels- states amongst other things "Fit new tyres on the front wheels first if tyres of the same size are required on the front and rear wheels). There is nothing in the manual that I can find that explains why and it is contrary to everything I believed. I will mention it when I go in next month for my MOT and post the answer.

 

[Birdman]

Also another thing that can cause this in a tyre too wide for the rim, making the tyre 'balloon'.

Or dragging off with wheels on fire!:bannana:

 

[Dieselman]

Somewhere in the owners manual it will say to rotate the tyres every 10,000km iirc.

As noted the rears will always wear in the centre and the fronts on the edges.

Especially on wider tyres be very careful of turning the steering while stationary or at slow speed.