I had a recent problem with steering vibrations. It was mostly fixed by work on the anti-roll bar connectors (aparently!) but it never totally went away until we swapped the front wheels with the back ones (after a tip from this forum!)
Does anyone have any idea WHY this could have fixed it? It's a mystery to us! I would've thought a bad tyre/wheel on the back would be same on the front??
The current rear wheels (which used to be your front ones) might need alignment. The reason the car runs better because front wheels are more "important" when driving because it controls where the car goes. (any other reasons too). That is why the reason people always put worse wheels/tires in the back.
People do install worse tyres in the rear, but that is not a good philosophy. If your tyres are worn, simply replace them, if they are imbalanced, balance them. But leave your best tyres in the rear. That's what professionals do, and common sense advises. You see if you lose control on the front, you can adjust the steering and regain control, but with the rears worn, well, there's not much you can do, except adjust from the front with steering input. But once you start sliding, and over steering due to bad rears, you are done for. Besides with RWD, you need good rubber in the back.
Quote:
lnguyenh - 8/17/2004 10:02 AM
The current rear wheels (which used to be your front ones) might need alignment. The reason the car runs better because front wheels are more "important" when driving because it controls where the car goes. (any other reasons too). That is why the reason people always put worse wheels/tires in the back.
Replacing the tires ... of course ... who wouldn't want that? but some just doesn't have the money handy at the moment. What I've said was just for the "moment" only. I agree with what you said but I'd rather have my rear tires blown than the front ones.
I've sold tires for a living at several places when I was a young man. We always recommended that new tires go on the front of any car. The front wheels do 80% of the braking and all of the steering. A front blowout at 75mph can be a hairy experience, been there, done that...
If you moved tires/wheels to the rear and a shimmy goes away, it means that you have a wheel that is slightly bent or a tire that is out of round or cupped or has the internal belt shifted slightly. Balancing will not eliminate the shimmy in this case.
Moving the problem wheel/tire to the rear masks the shimmy since the rear wheels/suspension are much more solidly mounted to the car than the fronts. The vibration is still there but it's dampened by the rear suspension to a large extent.
The front wheels transmit any less-than-perfect condition through the steering linkage, tie rods etc, and control arms which allow the vibration to be felt thru the steering wheel or front floor.
__________________
Regards,
Dan C.
1975 450SL (sold)
1986 560SEL (sold)
1993 300SE (sold)
2002 C230 Coupe
1985 500SEC Convertible
More Proof that your Newest or Best Tyres must go on the rear. This comes from the tyre authority, and I hope that helps. You can also ask in the tyre and wheel forum.
I've sold tires for a living at several places when I was a young man. We always recommended that new tires go on the front of any car. The front wheels do 80% of the braking and all of the steering. A front blowout at 75mph can be a hairy experience, been there, done that...
If you moved tires/wheels to the rear and a shimmy goes away, it means that you have a wheel that is slightly bent or a tire that is out of round or cupped or has the internal belt shifted slightly. Balancing will not eliminate the shimmy in this case.
Moving the problem wheel/tire to the rear masks the shimmy since the rear wheels/suspension are much more solidly mounted to the car than the fronts. The vibration is still there but it's dampened by the rear suspension to a large extent.
The front wheels transmit any less-than-perfect condition through the steering linkage, tie rods etc, and control arms which allow the vibration to be felt thru the steering wheel or front floor.
With all due respect to the folks at the Tire Rack, I disagree.
It is true that in the rainy, hydroplane-inducing conditions under which they performed their test that the new tires on the rear performed better.
But I submit to you that in most climates in the U.S. those conditions are the exception, rather than the norm. Furthermore, driving in those conditions requires a reduced rate of speed. I have no interest in driving so fast in the rain that the car threatens to spin out on me at any time, regardless of the tire condition.
Since I drive at high speeds in dry weather most (95%) of the time, I prefer the braking/steering benefits that I get from having the better tires in front. And I prefer the reduced risk of a front blowout at high speed that a newer tire represents.
I am very content to slow down to an appropriate speed when driving in the rain, and I'm continually amazed at how fast other drivers feel it's safe to drive in rain (or snow).
I drive 30k miles per year and drove competitively for a while when I was younger. In my experience I prefer the newer rubber on the front...
Having said all that, I've found that by being diligent about rotating the tires, keeping them balanced and the wheels aligned, that they usually all wear out at the same time. That means I'm buying them in sets of 4 and the above discussion becomes moot...
Vehicle: SEC 600 COUPE (RHD) One of the chosen few.
Location: Leicester UK
Posts: 1,358
RE: Swapping Front Wheels to Back (Smooth Ride)
Rearb tyres wear flater and rounder because of the fixed axel.thats why I always put front to rears to start with , if wobble returns= somthing wrong with steering setup.
if not.. somthing wrong with tyre.
__________________
If you've GOT to have a extension,
Have a BIG one.
Linear Mode
