When you only need two tires, the new tires should always be installed on the rear axle, and the partially worn tires should be moved to the front. Driving with new tires on the rear axle can help the vehicle to maintain control on wet roads because the tires with deeper treads are more likely to resist hydroplaning.
What is hydroplaning? Hydroplaning happens when the tread on your tires can't channel the water on the road fast enough and loses contact with the road, causing a loss of control. There are other factors, such as speed, vehicle weight, and tire pressure. But overall, hydroplaning comes down to tread depth and the amount of water encountered.
When front tires have less tread than the tires on the rear axle, the vehicle is usually easier to control, since sliding would likely be the result of an under steer (where the front of the vehicle starts to skid), which is easier for driver's to control by letting off the gas.
If worn tires are placed on the rear axle and a slide occurs, it’s likely the result of an over steer (where the rear of the vehicle starts to skid). Over steering is generally harder to recover from and letting off the gas may actually increase the over steer leading to a spin!
When you only need two new tires, put them on the rear axle.
It's one of the Ten Commandments of the tire business, a rule manufacturer and tire professionals can agree on - Watch this dated Michelin video demonstrating why you should always put two new tires on the rear axle.
Replacing only one tire? If replacing only one tire is unavoidable, the tires should be rotated so that the new tire is paired with the tire having the most tread depth of the other three and placed on the rear axle.
Replacing the tires on your All-Wheel Drive? I usually recommend replacing all four at once. It's tempting to replace only two at a time, mixing new and worn tires can create a size difference from front to back, which can damage to your all-wheel drive components.
At Kenwood Tire we're here to get you back on the road with a minimum of fuss -- We're an independent tire specialist with your best interests in mind.
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