I bought a used set of Yokohama snow tires. I don't plan on using them more than one season that's why I bought them for cheap used. The thing about them is that some have more or less tread than the others.

The first tire looks like 90% evenly worn.
The second and third are at about 60% evenly worn.
The fourth one though looks to be 60%, but it looks like it was ran overinflated and has much less tread at the middle than the outside. It's not bald at the center, but it's nearing the treadbars.

How should I mount these tires?

I was thinking this way:

FL: 1st tire FR: 4th tire
RL: 2nd tire RR: 3rd tire

 

There are pluses and minuses to where you mount tires. Mounting tires with more tread on the drive wheels (front wheels for FWD car, rear wheels for RWD car) evens out the treadwear. Mounting them on the front gives you better ability to accelerate, brake, and turn. However, it also means less understeer and more oversteer (understeer is when the car plows ahead when you try to turn; oversteer is when the back end comes around on you). The latter reason is why the Tire Rack recommends putting tires with more tread on the rear of the car, because understeer is supposed to be safer than oversteer. I put mine on the front though, for the first few reasons.

So the Tire Rack's advice would be to put the 3rd and 4th tires on the front, but if it were my car, I would be putting the 1st and 2nd tires on the front.

 

Would it make sense to put the tires with the most tread on the driver side since I make right turns harder than I do left turns and the weight would be shifting to the driver side thus requiring more traction?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EK k kay &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Would it make sense to put the tires with the most tread on the driver side since I make right turns harder than I do left turns and the weight would be shifting to the driver side thus requiring more traction?</TD></TR></TABLE>

No.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EK k kay &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Would it make sense to put the tires with the most tread on the driver side since I make right turns harder than I do left turns and the weight would be shifting to the driver side thus requiring more traction?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Wow.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

No.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

X2

 

Well gee it didn't sound like a retarded question to me. I guess it doesn't make a difference tread-wise where to place tires left to right, only front to back.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EK k kay &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I guess it doesn't make a difference tread-wise where to place tires left to right, only front to back.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

The latter reason is why the Tire Rack recommends putting tires with more tread on the rear of the car, because understeer is supposed to be safer than oversteer.


That is why it is recommended for the best tires on the car to be on the rear whether it be front wheel drive or rear wheel drive. Whether they are snow tires or all season tires. Some manufactures are being sued over this issue with there customers how sad is that