Tire debate

wbjones wrote: that (among other reasons ) is why I usually just take the rims in, not the car biggest gripe is the over torquing of the lugs by most tire places ( even by the tuner shop that I had do the oil cooler ... for some reason they had one of the rims off ) my cordless impact wrench wouldn't budge the lugs .. had to drop the jack and get a breaker bar

This is what I try to do too, if I can get them to the store. Or I use some shop equipment at the dealership I used to work at...

I just had this problem with the front of wife's Av to do the brakes. I got the song and dance of all the wheels are torqued to spec, sure they are torqued to spec with a worthless torque stick stuck on a impact set on kill. Then go go back over the tightening with a clicker wrench is a waste of time if they are overtorqued. Still going to click away like nothing is wrong..... Morons.

The REAR. Always the REAR.

Youth and indiscretion:

Worst accident I've ever been in was when I was a young punk too cheap to buy new tires. Best tires were on the front. Rears weren't showing cord, but I wouldn't drive on them today. It was pouring down rain, and I was taking it REALLY easy; 65mph on highway 75 headed North out of Atlanta.

Approaching hwy 575, I stuck my slow ass in the fast lane, because I knew from experience driving home from autocrosses in the race car that the right lane would puddle up something fierce. There is a pretty severe (for a 4 lane highway anyway) left turn right before hwy 575.

The back end came loose. I cranked the wheel right and pounded the throttle to no avail. Car went 180 degrees...then 360, at which point I was smiling and screaming HOLY E36 M3, I GOT THIS!!! Pointed the wheels straight, nailed the gas, no dice.

This time, when the car hit that 180 degree spot, I was hit head-on by a U-haul truck. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, and the car was still driveable. If you've never been stuck in the fast lane on a blind curve with the car pointed the wrong way, I can't say I recommend it.

Anyway, that's my personal experience. YMMV.

Assuming "50% tread" in the original post means "The tires still have 20-30,000 miles left on them," then of course put the new tires on the front and try to get them to wear evenly. If we're talking slicks, then don't be a berkeleying idiot; buy new tires, or at least PUT THE SH*T TIRES ON THE FRONT. It's easy to ride the proverbial "jet ski" in the rain. It's berkeleying impossible to power out of a 65 mph death spin...at least in a 90hp honda, in my experience.

In reply to poopshovel:

I'm with Mr. Shovel on this one. Good tires in the back first.

I agree with some of what he said and disagree with some of what he said ...

put um on the front ... but if they're so bad that they shouldn't be on the back then PLEASE PLEASE buy 4 ... then you don't have to drive with tires that are not safe for you and for those around you

so if they are so bad you have to put them on the front ... then DON'T