Has anyone here ever had snow or winter tires only on the front wheels of a FWD car? I've heard you shouldn't do it and I've heard it doesn't matter. Anyone with some experience with it?

 

Don't do it. If you can only afford to replace two of your winter tires always put the new rubber on the back of the car.

 

The way I understand his question is that he wants to put new snow/winter tires on the front of his fwd car and leave the normal all seasons on the back. I have wondered the same thing,should have went with winters this year on my fwd daily driver car as much snow as we have had,but I can buy a lot of gas in my gas hog 4x4 f150 for the price of a set of tires,so maybe I will spring for winter tires next winter.

 

I have done that for years with wife's car. Studded snow tires. No problems here. CB

 

incorrect. the new tires always go on the front. what is the point of putting the new tires on the back? all they will be doing is holding the car off the road.
the fronts are both steering and traction tires, so you want the new ones up there.

 

I have driven a fwd cars with snow tires on the front only without a problem. Both studded and not studded.

Snow tire all the way around might help with braking.

 

Always put your new tires on the rear of the car. This is to keep the car from fishtailing. If your rear wheels start to slide while you're in a turn the car will spin out of control.


The front wheels are much easier to control. If your front wheels lose grip the car continues to travel in a straight line and you can regain control.



Best is to have a full set of winter tires. Winter tires are made of a different kind of rubber. Regular tires can get hard at very cold temperatures and lose their grip. When the front tires start to wear out replace them with the rear tires and put new tires on the back.

 

All the FWD cars and minivans I have had over the years only got snow tires up front. I always left the all-season treads on the rear. I may have been doing it wrong, but I apparently lived to tell the tale...

 

at most all reputable tire shops here if you buy new tires, they MUST go on the drive axle, which on a front wheel drive vehicle is the front axle.
this is an insurance mandate, so the people can not sue the shop if they loose control because the new tires were not put on the front.

 

All the tire shops here know better.

 

Tom, every tire shop down here recommends that on a two tire change, the new tires go on the rear no matter which axle drives it. Of course they can't mandate or force the issue but keeping the rear of the vehicle firmly planted is vital.

 

is that for front wheel drive or rear wheel drive?
here in Jersey, new tire have to go on the drive axle.

 

Both. I grew up in Maine and the rule of thumb was new tires on back. My daughter live in Illinois, she needed four tires but could only afford two, the tire shop mounted them on back. She called me all upset as she was driving a 2006 Fusion at the time. I had to explain it to her.

 

Funny what you learn on forums like this. I have been buying tires for 28 years and I have never had this discussion before now.

 

so if you can only afford two tires, the new ones go on the back and the bald ones stay on the front on a front wheel drive car?

that makes about as much sense as giving a downing person a glass of water.