Tire Rotation With Different Branded Tyres

[Hiran_j]

My car has following Tyre configuration.

Front : Left / Right Both

Bridgstone Potensa

185/60 R15

Back : Left -

Bridgstone Potensa

185/60 R15

Right -

Yokohama

185/60 R15

Since my front tyres are bit worn down; is it ok to rotate them with the front ones. However, guys at Pitstop said it's not recommended since the tyre brands are different and might lead to skidding, etc.

However, since the sizes are same; I would like an experts comment ; whether rotating different branded tyres of same size would cause problems.

Thanks!

[Watchman]

The pitstop guys have a point. Its possible that the two tires would wear out (and behave) unevenly. And when one day you need to slam on the brakes the less worn out tire will hold better and the car will swerve in that direction a bit. At the same time you might (very unlikely though) get different levels of grip when turning to the left and right. So I'd take pitstop's advice.

If you don't 'need to' rotate them run them as it is till you reach the point where you need to replace all 4 at the same time and keep the best tyre (or 2) in case you find yourself in a similar scenario later on.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Watchman

[CARBON B4]

Agree with Watchman, however your front tyres must be the best tyres.

So its better to have 2 good tyres in front ( eventhough different makes ) than having worn out ones. At least till you get new set.

Edited January 6, 2012 by CARBON B4

[Hiran_j]

Thanks a lot guys for the good explanation. Guess I have to replace them soon :speechless-smiley-004:

[varunatech]

Hi, you need to have same tyre pattern on all wheels, as different patterns has different grip and will lead you to uncontrollable situation.

By the way need to differ with what Carbon B4 said. Your good tyers has to be in the back wheels. Because back wheels are the wheels which loose grip first and gives you over steer. Over steer is far more difficult to cope than under steer. Hence the recommendation is for the good tyres to go back. Anyway in a given axle, the tread patterns and the worn off must be the same.

[whmsujith]

Hi, you need to have same tyre pattern on all wheels, as different patterns has different grip and will lead you to uncontrollable situation.

By the way need to differ with what Carbon B4 said. Your good tyers has to be in the back wheels. Because back wheels are the wheels which loose grip first and gives you over steer. Over steer is far more difficult to cope than under steer. Hence the recommendation is for the good tyres to go back. Anyway in a given axle, the tread patterns and the worn off must be the same.

Your argument may be correct, but local practise is otherway round. I have seen even in buses frony wheels B/N tyre are used and for rear rebuilt ones. Strange!

Edited January 6, 2012 by whmsujith

[varunatech]

Your argument may be correct, but local practise is otherway round. I have seen even in buses frony wheels B/N tyre are used and for rear rebuilt ones. Strange!

In buses majority of weight go for the rear, by default they have enough grip, this is considering they are loaded. If not loaded these heavy vehicles also loose grip in rear wheels very easily.

What I have mentioned will come into effect, when someone try to take a turn on a rainy day. The higher grip front tyres will hold the road and will act as a pivot, while the rear skids side ways.

By the way this does not men that you can put extremely worn tyres in front and the good ones in back. Actually no one should ride on worn tyres.......

[terrabytetango]

I had a similar dilemma when I bought my car. An unavoidable pot hole created sidewall bubbles in both tires on the left side, but the clincher was that the previous owner had used different brands in the front and rear. Since I was broke at the time, my only choice was to buy a new pair of tires for the front, and use the one remaining good tire from each brand in the rear. I didn't go above 60 till I was able to replace the remaining two tires.

[Sylvi]

Members,

Please log in to the following link this I got from the web.

http://www.tiresafety.com/maint/maint_content.asp

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[Sylvi]

Members.

I got this from the web.

Tire Replacement, Rotation and Alignment

Tire Air Pressure

Maximize your tires’ performance and durability by monitoring and maintaining correct air pressure.

Air is a gas, expanding when heated and contracting when cooled. For most of North America, fall and early winter are especially important times for checking tire pressure – as the ambient temperature falls, tire pressure goes down.

A good rule of thumb is that every 10 degrees Fahrenheit temperature change, tire pressure changes about 1 psi — higher as temperatures rise, lower as they fall. Also, check your vehicle’s owner manual for recommended tire pressure.

Under-inflated tires can cause:

o

Premature or irregular wear

o

Poor handling

o

Reduced fuel economy

Over-inflated tires can cause:

o

Unusual wear

o

Poor handling

o

Reduced fuel economy

Checking Air Pressure

Check your vehicle’s tires at least once a month when the tires are cold (let the vehicle sit for at least 3 hours). Look in your owner manual for the recommended tire inflation for your vehicle. Use a quality gauge. Don’t eyeball tires — radial tires can look fine even when they’re

under-inflated.

Be sure to look for objects that have become wedged in the tread — they can work themselves further into the tire and cause air loss.

And don’t forget to check the spare!

Since each tire performs different tasks (such as steering or front- versus rear-wheel drive), tires wear at different rates. Rotating your tires at recommended intervals extends their useful life and achieves more uniform tire wear.

It’s important to rotate your tires according to the correct tire rotation pattern. Front tires encounter different tasks than the rear tires. And a front-wheel-drive car’s tires perform different tasks than those on a rear-wheel-drive car. Your Owner Manual specifies which rotation pattern is right for your vehicle.

Your vehicle’s front and rear tires may also use different pressures — make sure to adjust individual tire pressure to the recommendation for each wheel position. See your owner manual for recommendations.

Wheel Rust or Dirt

Rust or dirt may not allow proper tightening of the lug nuts and a wheel may loosen over time. When you have your tires rotated, be sure to remove any rust or dirt from places where the wheel attaches to the vehicle and torque the wheel lug nuts to the specification in your owner manual. In an emergency, you can use a cloth or paper towel, but be sure to use a scraper or wire brush later to remove all rust or dirt and torque to specifications.

Also, remember that rotating your tires won’t correct wear problems caused by worn mechanical parts or incorrect inflation pressures.

Wheel Alignment & Tire Balance

Scheduled alignment and balancing are not needed, since your vehicle’s wheels were aligned and balanced at the factory. But if you notice unusual tire wear or that your vehicle pulls one way or the other, the wheel alignment may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle vibrating on a smooth road, your wheels may be out of balance.

A tire that is out of balance often affects ride quality and can shorten the life of tires, bearings, shocks, and other suspension components. A speed-dependent vibration — becoming noticeable around 45 mph and increasing as speed increases — is probably balance-related.

Tire Alignment

Alignment is critical for ensuring that you get maximum wear and performance from your tires. Poor alignment results from your car's suspension and steering system becoming out of adjustment with each other. The biggest indicators of your vehicle being out of alignment are pulling one way or the other as you drive or unusual tire wear. Improper tire inflation can also cause unusual tire wear.

Your vehicle may have both front and rear wheel alignment specifications. Your dealer can recommend the alignment type that's right for your vehicle.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[whmsujith]

Members,

Please log in to the following link this I got from the web.

http://www.tiresafet...int_content.asp

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

Silvy, thanks for you link.

I have small query; in tire rotation..say when right rear going to be left front; do we have to remove the tyre from rim and fix into other side so that tyre rotation direction before and after would be same?

[Sylvi]

Silvy, thanks for you link.

I have small query; in tire rotation..say when right rear going to be left front; do we have to remove the tyre from rim and fix into other side so that tyre rotation direction before and after would be same?

'whmsujith',

You only remove the entire wheel with the rim and tire change accordingly as for the link.

It is better get your wheels balanced before you do the change, then the tire balancing station will do the rotation accordingly.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[KMG]

In buses majority of weight go for the rear, by default they have enough grip, this is considering they are loaded. If not loaded these heavy vehicles also loose grip in rear wheels very easily.

What I have mentioned will come into effect, when someone try to take a turn on a rainy day. The higher grip front tyres will hold the road and will act as a pivot, while the rear skids side ways.

By the way this does not men that you can put extremely worn tyres in front and the good ones in back. Actually no one should ride on worn tyres.......

yes, i have seen a video demonstration at u tube regarding various traction/transmission systems, it nicely show this pivoting action. if i found it again will post link here.

[KMG]

here it is

[miniace]

'whmsujith',

It is better get your wheels balanced before you do the change, then the tire balancing station will do the rotation accordingly.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

No..you do the balancing after the rotation.

MINIACE

[Watchman]

'whmsujith',

You only remove the entire wheel with the rim and tire change accordingly as for the link.

It is better get your wheels balanced before you do the change, then the tire balancing station will do the rotation accordingly.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

I disagree on this.

As I have learnt the tyre even after rotation should still be rolling in the same direction. This is applicable mostly for cross-ply tyes than radials because when the rolling direction changes there's extra force put on the tire in the other direction. This could lead to the wire plies coming loose and spoiling the tyre.

So if you do a rear right to front left swap with the rim the tire will now roll in the reverse direction.

[Kavvz]

No..you do the balancing after the rotation. MINIACE

+1 on that.

[You don't have to balance your tires if they are not coming off the rims. And really you shouldn't have to as you're just swapping the wheels around, if your tires were properly balanced when they were put on the rims and your car is in good alignment they should stay in balance. But if you DO have to balance the wheels then it gets balanced AFTER it goes back on the rim not before it gets taken off...]

And:

1. You shouldn't put miss matched tires on the front. The tires on the front axle need to be at the same wear level and of the same tread pattern. If you do have mismatched tread patterns or uneven wear on the two front tires the steering will likely vibrate excessively and will pull to a side at speed. As mentioned by'Watchman' miss-matched tires on the front axle will probably make the car will be unstable under heavy braking as well. I'd play it safe and keep the mismatched tires on the back axle.

2. When rotating directionals you don't swap sides, you just swap the back ones with the front set, keeping them on the same side.

Edited January 7, 2012 by Kavvz

[Kavvz]

Edited January 7, 2012 by Kavvz

[Kavvz]

I'd inspect the tires during the rotation process as well:

Edited January 7, 2012 by Kavvz

[whmsujith]

I disagree on this.

As I have learnt the tyre even after rotation should still be rolling in the same direction. This is applicable mostly for cross-ply tyes than radials because when the rolling direction changes there's extra force put on the tire in the other direction. This could lead to the wire plies coming loose and spoiling the tyre.

So if you do a rear right to front left swap with the rim the tire will now roll in the reverse direction.

That's right, I have heard the same. If we do a forward cross rotation, front and rear tyres would have opposite tyre patterns after rotation, as the pattern of tyres shown in KAWZ's video. I think best thing is to maintain rolling direction same before and after rotation.

[CARBON B4]

By the way need to differ with what Carbon B4 said. Your good tyers has to be in the back wheels. Because back wheels are the wheels which loose grip first and gives you over steer. Over steer is far more difficult to cope than under steer. Hence the recommendation is for the good tyres to go back.

Although this may be a argument when cornering, in most situations when we need to immediately apply the breaks is when the car is in a straight line ( someone jumping across the road or the vehicle in front suddenly stops ). Also most of the cars here are FWD. In a sudden stop most of the vehicle mass is on the front tyres, and this is when you need the best grip. This is also the reason why disk breaks are most often in front.

With regard to the rotation, the 1st viedo posted by KavvZ shows that you dont need to remove the tyres from the rims, and its like a DIY job. But I think the tyres need to be taken out of the rims and fixed when rotating. The reason I say this is most vehicles will set a slightly negative camber setting as the factory setting. Which means there will be a slightly higher wear from the inside, right ? So if you are to balance out the thread wear without changing the rotating direction the rim needs to be changed. This is the only way you can get the insides of the tyre to the outside..

Please correct me if I am wrong...

[varunatech]

Hi Carbon,

Thanks for your thought and indeed a very good point.

First let me explain that as I mentioned both tyres should be in good condition, but the rear tyres should be relatively new (in case you have two different wear on the two sets).

The grip or in Physics the "F" is equal to the product of R and u (friction coefficient). When a vehicle apply break and when take turns two kinds of friction applies which is kinetic friction and rolling friction.

However all above mentioned is dependent of the exerted force or "R" or in other words the weight of the vehicle as well.

As you mentioned the weight of the vehicle shifts forward when braking and the front tyres get extra dose of "R". The rear wheels lose some amount of "R". Higher R means higher grip and yes the front wheels will stick, but the poor rear wheels with less R and less tread will loose grip altogether. The vehicle rear may lift a bit, manageable as long as the suspension absorbs the energy. But in case of a simple lateral movement, the front wheels will act as a pivot and the rear end will move sideways freely, which is highly undesirable. Also note that the front wheels should have ABS, so the excessive grip might not convert to a slip.

All in all every one should have good tyres. By any chance if the wear is different, it is advantageous to use them in the rear. Also please note many parameters come into play and using new tyres in back adds a bit to the formula,

Why we do not see these things in much effect is............in our roads the average driving speeds are slow. Hence these things has minimum effect. At high speeds I have seen these come into play, but the victims or the onlookers does not identify and say road is slippery or just bad luck.