Originally Posted by
Basic
This is one of those questions I hate as a tire "expert" (I don't know if there is such a thing either)
The real answer is whichever one YOU feel the most comfortable with...
The reason the rear is the tire industry answer is that unfortunately the majority of the driving public really doesn't know how to drive. If the rear end starts to slip, the majority of folks are spinning, thus any extra chance of preventing that means the better tires on the rear. Plain and simple, easy peasy.
However, if you grew up on snow or on dirt or gravel roads or are a car "enthusiast" chances are you have a better ability to control your car in a limited traction incident. Those folks probably prefer to have the traction up front in a FWD car to improve takeoff and hill climbing as stated above.
Very interesting subject to debate. I was hoping Basic would have some input being a tire engineer. And, I'm impressed that his opinion is so inline with my own. I'm also impressed he didn't give the standard hardline statement that either front or rear is better. I too think it depends. And I whole heartedly agree with, "most people don't know how to drive" statement.
Yes, I think the skinny tires make a substantial difference in traction (in slick conditions). As P = F / A. The smaller the Area, the higher the Pressure. In the case of our Mirages, my opinion is that the better tires should go up front for all drivers (for winter use).
Because I believe the first place one is going to run into traction problems is in the front of the vehicle. Stopping, starting and turning. Most likely turning. More specifically turning while accelerating or just plain going too fast. If you spin tires will accelerating and turning, it is simple enough to let off and the tires should grip again. But if one is going too fast turning, and the car slides, I think one may be in for trouble no matter where the good tires are. The chances of one "oversteering" in the winter in slick conditions is really low. Unless one is really a dumbass and just being stupid. Speaking of that, let me give you a real world example.
My wife. While she is the kind of driver that rarely has any problems driving, she is not a "driver" at all. She's just not a risk taker. She just follows the instructions from the law, and from a vehicle maker, and that's the limit of her skill. And as such, she rarely has any issue. However, there was this one particular instance when we lived in Michigan. Over a winter, I forget why, but I believe she was giving me a ride to work one morning. In her 1990 Toyota Celica ST. 1.6L (memory) and a 5 speed. She can drive a manual pretty well and, it is SEXY. But on the way to work was a clover leaf entrance to the interstate. I have to keep my mouth shut when she drives because she doesn't like me "bossing" her. But as we approached the entrance to this clover leaf I told her something to the effect, this clover leaf is slick, you should go slower. That miffed her, and the ----- sped up! As we went around this clover leaf (to the right) I couldn't speak, and the seat fabric was up my butt-crack. The back end was completely sliding / drifting. It wasn't big, but I'd say it stepped out 6" to a foot. But thank God this clover leaf was sloped really well all the way around, and the front end tracked perfectly. OMG, I just knew we were going to go nose first into a barrier. But when she straightened up at the end of the clover leaf, the back end started following the front like magic. The saving grace was she held her (too fast) speed constant, and wasn't herky-jerky with the steering wheel. She counter-steered, but never knew it. She just naturally steered it so that the front of the car went where she intended. In her case, from rear of where her butt sits, a car doesn't even exist. Only from her and forward of her does a car even exist. This is true for many drivers and is why rear wheels get so much curb rash.
I told her that she just about crashed us that we were sliding (and we were). But she said, "no we weren't, you're just trying to act like you were right." OMG, I still feel the panic I felt at that time, when I think about that incident. She never knew how close we were from crashing. If it weren't for proper alignment setup and the slope on that clover leaf, a crash would have happened. None of those 4 tires were all that great, and is why I suggested she slow down. I can't remember things well, but I remember that like it just happened.
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View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.5 L/100 km ... 51.0 mpg (Imp)