RWD - on which axle do winter tyres go?

[Station]

I bought decent winter tyres ages ago. Need to put them on my BMW but unsure of which axle is best? I have Bridgestone tyres all round and the rears are now bald as buggery.

[Supernaut]

Winter tyres go on both axles, no matter the drivetrain.

[Bren]

Rear.The weight of the front of the vehicle will help the tyres grip. The rear needs all the help it can get - especially of the rear breaks free. Best tyres go on the back. Not sure about porsche 911's though.

[Formula Autos]

Neither. We get about four days of snow per year in England. Pull a sickie* and save the money winter tyres would have cost you.

 

 

* or, for the scrupulously honest, take leave.

[SiC]

Winter tyres go on both axles, no matter the drivetrain.

This. Otherwise you'll get a huge more grip on one axle than the other and end up arse about face pretty quickly due to the winters grabbing much better.

 

Also some insurance companies need to be notified. Check the ABI winter tyre insurer list.

[chaseracer]

Winter tyres are not just for snow.

[Formula Autos]

Winter tyres are not just for snow.

I've never bought any, and I live in Cumbria - almost Scotland. I just make sure I have properly inflated tyres with plenty of tread, and drive to the conditions.

 

Winter tyres are an extra safeguard, and maybe something that's necessary if you live in the Cairngorms, but does anyone really need them if they're, say, commuting in Dudley?

 

There's probably only a handful of days a year when you'd feel the benefit of them in that scenario, and a set of tyres ain't cheap.

 

What I probably should have said is that they're not worth the expenditure.

[Cheezey]

After the bad snow a few years ago the following year I put winter tyres on the back of my MX5. It was crazy how little grip there was. Great fun sometimes but always had to drive carefully.

It snowed a tiny bit that year. I took them off and never used them again.

[Tamworthbay]

And how many days a year do you need your seatbelt? But I will stick with my seatbelt I think. And winter tyres performance is superior below 8*C or so, so they are for, oddly enough, the winter months.

 

I use Michelin cross climates so have the nearly the best of both worlds.

[Split_Pin]

I had winter tyres on my Vectra in 2011 after OMGSnowmageddon 2010. Drove 3 feet after fitting, over a stone on the driveway and the tyre burst, massive hole and a write off. Had to buy another, then had a bit of snow and 1 occasion where a slightly tricky hill was achieved.

 

I only had them on the front but I agree, 4 are adviseable, otherwise some decent normal tyres and a spade/ some cardboard and a mobile are sufficient for the UK IMO.

[STUNO]

 

[overrun]

After the bad snow a few years ago the following year I put winter tyres on the back of my MX5. It was crazy how little grip there was. Great fun sometimes but always had to drive carefully.

It snowed a tiny bit that year. I took them off and never used them again.

 

In 2009 and 2010, it was horrific up here. Think the Souf may have had a light dusting...(where are you from btw?) and as with every other year, I never had winter tyres.

[For Fiats Sake]

Who says you can't drift a front wheel drive car?

 

I shall immediately remove the rear winters and go for a hoon!

 

That woman is very very annoying, takes patronising to a whole new level.  

[Lacquer Peel]

Silly videos

 

Having driven FWD and RWD cars with winter tyres on the driven axles only, the cars in those videos are driven for exaggerated effect.

 

I'd recommend all season tyres as a good compromise, I had a set of Goodyears on my last 405 that were excellent in all conditions.

[beko1987]

Driving home tonight I really wish I had my new tyres now, damn my skintness! Pottery driving for the next few days! A nice set of mud and snow would be lovely!

[derskine]

Put them on the front and have some fun.

[AMC Rebel]

Hmmm Tyre Supplier (with plenty of bad reviews online) makes video encouraging people to spend more money on tyres.  I'm not saying they are wrong, but they're hardly unbiased either.  Where was the  video showing them driving the Merc with all 4 winters?

[Cheezey]

In 2009 and 2010, it was horrific up here. Think the Souf may have had a light dusting...(where are you from btw?) and as with every other year, I never had winter tyres.

In 2009 I just about managed getting about in the MX5 but in 2010 I just left it and cleared the snow off the roof. My Mum couldn't drive at the time so I ended up with my Dad's Vectra to run about in.

 

I'm from Falkirk. You?

[AMC Rebel]

Put them on the front and have some fun.

Or one on front, one rear for maximum giggles

[Lacquer Peel]

A lot of people don't realise that deflating conventional tyres a bit helps a lot in the snow. I got around the central Highlands during snowmageddon using that trick.

[overrun]

In 2009 I just about managed getting about in the MX5 but in 2010 I just left it and cleared the snow off the roof. My Mum couldn't drive at the time so I ended up with my Dad's Vectra to run about in.

I'm from Falkirk. You?

N.E. England. I nearly drove over a huge pile of snow that had been there for months. I am glad I never, as when it thawed it turned out there was an NB MX-5 hiding underneath!

[Lacquer Peel]

If you nearly drove over a huge pile of snow, what were you driving at the time?

[forddeliveryboy]

One axle with snow tyres is ok if you pretend you've summer tyres on all round and crawl everywhere at 23mph in 9mm of suburban snow, allow yourself to be amazed as you set off up hills when 4x4 are slowly sliding backwards. Otoh if you think you're a demi-god then it's all gunnarend badly.

 

If you want to cover any distance at near-normal speeds in a few inches of fresh snow and without breaking a sweat, then a set of good winter tyres is a grand experience.

 

I reckon you could do it for no more overall outlay over a ten year period if you buy a set of secondhand steelies and fit winter 195-65-15s and have removed them by the time there are balmy Spring afternoons.

[M'coli]

I've got the winter tyres on the front end of the Pug 106, ie. the end with the heavy bits in it and the best brakes. If traction is so severely reduced that the back locks up before the front and I start reversing towards what I'm gonna hit, I still want the heavy end over the tyres with the best grip...

[dieselnutjob]

I think that winters on the back and summers on the front is still safer than four summers (when it's cold).

I can't think of any advantage of less grip on the back end of a car rather than more.

This is true whether FWD, RWD or 4x4.

 

Equally, winters on the front and summers on the back is a bad idea as shown by the video posted above.  I still did it one year though.

[Cheezey]

I could see how an MX5 might get buried.

[hpi_matrix]

Ive used them on the front only on fwd car, but I wouldn't try it on a rwd car, asking for trouble imo (or great drifting fun!!11! y0)

[martybabes]

If you are thinking about putting snow tyres on a BMW then I suggest they go on the rear and the car stays in the garage until April.  Then you can put the summer tyres back on and start using the car again.   Glad to help.

[M'coli]

Tayne seems to have no problems in his BMW with winter tyres on all wheels.

[Guest Hooli]

I've never had a problem in winter/snow with any RWD car, you just have to drive it differently to a FWD.