Which tires go where?
 

I just bought a set of used wheels/tires for my truck. 2 tires are 10% worn, close to new, one is 20% worn, and one is 50% worn. I'm looking for a good used one to replace the 50% worn one and will probably end up with a matching 20% worn tire.

Given all the weight is over the front, which tires would you put up front? The 10% close to new or the 20%. Or does it matter at all?

Gotta love Craig's List, $120 for the set, wire brush grinding and a little paint.

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Did you happen to check the age of the tires?

I would put the two best tires up front (2 tires are 10% worn)

Or if you replace the two worst with new then those up front.

Since Trucks are light in the rear w/o a load, I would think about putting the tires with the most tread back there to keep it from hydroplaning.

Nope, this is exactly opposite of my thinking and experience, even in cars, but probably even more so in a truck.
Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. Not only is the back the lighter end, but it's also the end that's going to make things especially exciting if it hydroplanes. Spontaneous tail out action on the freeway at speed going in a straight line can be a major pucker moment at a minimum. Granted, the difference between 10% and 20% should be pretty small, but I'd put the better tires on the back.

Thanks, good to know. Got to rebalance them and get them on the truck.

Mike, they are all 2011 tires, good question.

Shaun the wheels on my Tundra look a lot like those you got. Man did you clean them up nicely! Could you run thru the process you used to make them so clean looking. Are you going to clear coat them, or wax or what to keep them so nice.
Just looked back at them , did you paint them?
Cheers Richard

Hi Richard, I had to strike a balance between time invested and end result value and I think the final result was worth the 4 hours. The wheel finish was destroyed by years of salt in winter driving. I wire brush grinded each wheel, about 30 minutes each. I think it was a 5 inch wheel, 6 would have been better. I pulled off the wheel weights and protected the valve stem with 1/2" ID PVC tubing. This also worked well so you didn't paint the valve stem. Anywhere the grinder couldn't get, I hand sanded but that was 5 minutes.

Wear a mask and eye protection. Those wire threads love to get you in the face.

Taped off the tire first with 1/4 masking tape, then 1 inch, then I spiraled 2 inch clear packing tape in a gun to cover the tire. Might have been easier to tape paper around after the initial 1/4 inch bead.

Then I painted them. 4 cans, 1 for each wheel with a quarter can left over of each. 3 coats painted vertically but then laid down flat to dry. No runs even with a heavy 3rd coat.

I will protect them further with a poly clear.

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Thanks Shaun for the detailed description, I'm inspirered and look forward to doing this myself.
They do look really good.
Happy New Year.

Thank you and a side benefit is you get a nice shoulder work out. :)

When I had the wheels balanced I had them put the weights only on the back side. cleaned those up with the wire brush too so the weights would stick.

Good luck with your wheels, Happy New Year to you as well!

Generally speaking, it's not about where the weight is. You put the deepest tread on the front, as the rears ride in the track of the front tires, more or less, and the water is already displaced. So, the rears have less work to do moving water.

JR

Newest/more tread tires in the front. It's easier to control oversteer vs understeer.

According to Michelin the best tires should always be on the rear. This advice applies to FWD and RWD cars.

When replacing two new tires instead of four, be sure that your new tires are the same size and tire type as your current tires, and that your dealer always installs the new tires on the rear axle of your vehicle.

Mixing Tires | Michelin Tires

http://www.michelinman.com/mediabin/Approved/Michelin/Visuals/Digital/Two_Tire_Poster_Michelin_042009.pdf

Some interesting information that conflicts. Might be moot, found a 12/32s tire for short $, but still good to know.

New Tires To The Rear - The Allstate Blog

10 Things to Know About HD Truck Tires - PickupTrucks.com News

Why New Front Tires on Your Back Wheels Are a Good Idea - Popular Mechanics

Tires 101 on Better Tires, Front or Rear? :: Souza's Tire Service

You could argue this for days but,

As long as you have 4 good tires on the best and drive sensibly you should be fine.

Years if it was about oil :):D:) 7 years and still going: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/367300-ultimate-motor-oil-thread-why-we-hate-cj4-sm-oils-51.html

I disagree from experience.
Once had a rear tire blow out at 95 mph, on a curve, then safety changed lanes and slowed down on the side of the road.
A front wheel blowout would probably have put the car into the median.

The missus turned a FWD econobox into a ballerina years ago going in a straight line on the freeway because I had new tires put on the front and had tires on the back with lower tread.

I'm not sure I'd agree, unless you're Ken Block. And even then, if the back end hydroplanes, there is NO control.

There was the time driving through the mountains south of Atlanta in a pouring rainstorm.
Going uphill at 15-20 deg, 50-55mph, the front tires caught-spun-caught-spun. Started going sideways.
I was able to keep'er pointed in the right general direction enough to slow down.

All these tires still have good tread. Moot point, unless you are running in AWD and need the tires to be the same rolling circumference.