[Mgs] Tires (or lack of same)

[Simon Matthews]

Max,

I think that the recommendation to put the good tires on the rear may
be due to the idea that, if you are going to hit something, you should
hit it head on. Cars are designed for frontal impact and, pre-ABS
brakes, were generally designed such that the front wheels would lock
up first, ensuring that any collisions under heavy braking are head-on
collisions.

I don't understand your comments about it being entertaining to drive
in dry weather with little tread -- I thought that tread actually
reduces the grip of tires in dry conditions. It's more likely just due
to age of the tires, which in my experience can have a significant
effect on the amount of grip.

Simon

On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 3:35 PM, Max Heim<max_heim at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> For the last few months the MG has been tootling about on rear tires with
> perhaps 1/32" tread depth (generous estimate). While in the rainy season
> this was a little dicey (wheelspin at every stoplight), now that the roads
> are dry and hot, it is actually pretty entertaining. Kind of like this
> drifting fad I keep reading about...
>
> I recently read in Click and Clack that you were supposed to put the good
> tires on the rear, but this made no sense to me. I guess that advice comes
> from irrational fear of oversteer (generally espoused by manufacturers). To
> me, it's more important to be able to stop and turn, than to keep the rear
> end in line under every conceivable circumstance, even if it involves
> plowing nose first into the obstacle.
>
> --
>
> Max Heim
> '66 MGB GHN3L76149
> If you're near Mountain View, CA,
> it's the primer red one with chrome wires
> [yes, I'll get some new tires; just not now]