hay all, basics i know but i have just bought and had fitted a pair of pirellis for the front of my type r, now when the nice chap at my local tyre fitters stuck them on he chirped up and said 'you do know you should change all 4 at once dont you'?

now my question is this what are the real advantages to changing all four of my tyres and do i really need to? OR is the tyre man trying to earn a few quid?

many thanks floppy dave :)

no ideas ?

Dave

Your tyreman is correct. If there is big difference in the amount of wear between back and front tyres, the centre diff will have to work hard to compensate.

I have always changed all 4 and swapped round back to front when the front tyres are about half worn.

In true purist fashion you should change all four tyres in a single sitting, this will allow you optimum performance from them.
changing just two could mean there is a difference in the limit (of handling) and could mean one end of the car loses traction before the other and it all gets messy.
some people do succesfully rotate front and rear half way to get full usage from a set, but check that they are all either directional tyres or all assimetric (non directional) tyres.
I wouldnt suggest rotating if your fronts are directional and your rears assimetric (as in my case).
just a thought.

Just to give an opposite sound .... It's no problem to only fit two new tyres, the central diff will cope with those minor changes in speed (what for do we have a central diff in the 1e place), although theoretically it's better to replace all tyre together, but hey, you paid for those tyres already fitted so why not use'm all the way.... What was the remaining depth btw ?

Something to think about: If the front tyres are worn out , while the rear ones have still some mm's ...you are already driving with a speed difference anyway !...Fitting new front ones will not change that as now front tyres are bigger. However, as the front tyres wear out quicker, the difference will slowly disappear . When you fit 4 new ones, there's no speed difference, however you are building up one ;) !!!!! So, just be sensible and try to keep the difference between front and rear tyre wear limited but most important...keep your hand on your wallet and spend it on other good things in life.

Such as ...... well U know.

Floppy Dave. I had the same dilema as you at the end of last year. I had Yokies all round. Front ones were barely legal when car had MOT. So I changed the fronts. Guy at the tyre place, when I rang them said, " What car". So I told him. He suggested to change all four as just two at the front might damage the transfer box. So I rang the local Scoob dealers, they said and I quote. "As long as the tyres are of equal size, then it won't make any difference". I have since changed the rears (same make as front)and had no problems whatsoever. I should also say replacement tyres are Dunlops.

Hope that helps.


SS

thanks all for your inputs i have been pondering carefully and have decided to stick with just the two and get all four changed when thay are worn equal to the rears.
the backs still ahve a good grip on them and to be honest i cant see a couple of mills causing a great deal of havoc with my diffs etc so.......

many thanks floppy dave