When replacing tires, the ideal situation is to replace all four tires at once. In some cases, however, you may run over a nail or some other type of road debris and ruin an otherwise good tire before its time. In these cases, it can make sense and be more affordable to replace tires in pairs.

A common misconception when replacing two tires is that the two newest tires should be mounted in the front of the vehicle. But in reality, however, the newest tires should always go in the rear of the vehicle, even if it is front wheel drive.

No matter what type of car you have, your two new tires should go in the back because the driving stability that allows you to control your steering and braking is provided by the rear tires. Installing the tires with the best tread in the back will help you maintain better control on wet roads and avoid the dangers of hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning occurs when tires lose contact with the road due to the tire’s inability to channel water through tread patterns. As front tires hydroplane, the vehicle tends to under steer and remain straight. But when rear tire hydroplaning happens, the vehicle tends to oversteer, or spin. Under steering can be can be controlled to a large degree by releasing the gas pedal and slowing down. In the case of over steering, it is a lot harder to resume control. This is why it is important to have the better tread on your vehicle’s rear tires.

Once you have your new tires installed, it is important to stay on schedule with regular rotation and alignment checks, and always keep them properly inflated.

Do you need help selecting new tires for your vehicle? We are here to help with the area’s best selection of tires from the industry’s leading tire brands. Stop in or contact us today!