Mixing tires
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Mixing tires
I currently have nitto invos on my car that have a tread ware rating of 260, my rear tires need to be replaced but my fronts still have a good amount of tread on them. Would the car feel off in the corners if I put Bridgestone re71-r tires on the rear that have a tread ware of 200? I feel like the difference isn’t very big but I am still worried there could be understeer as a result, especially if I track it with them. If anyone has had a similar experience please let me know.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 635
From: St. Louis
Not a good idea to mix tires like that. At least you would have the tires with the most traction in the rear so it would be safer than having the most traction in the front. RE71Rs will have better grip in wet and dry conditions than the Nittos. You should expect significant understeer if you drive it hard enough to get the sliding, which you really should not do on the street. The Nittos might have better grip in standing water than the RE71Rs depending on tread depths of each tire.
The biggest problem is the car will be unpredictable. At cold temps (under say about 45 degF) the rears might have less grip than the fronts which can be tricky to handle. On warm days the fronts will have less grip. In wet, when warm the fronts will have less grip unless there is standing water. You see there are so many conditions that will cause the car to change its handling. Th idea of mixing tires is considered a really bad thing for good reasons.
The biggest problem is the car will be unpredictable. At cold temps (under say about 45 degF) the rears might have less grip than the fronts which can be tricky to handle. On warm days the fronts will have less grip. In wet, when warm the fronts will have less grip unless there is standing water. You see there are so many conditions that will cause the car to change its handling. Th idea of mixing tires is considered a really bad thing for good reasons.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Not a good idea to mix tires like that. At least you would have the tires with the most traction in the rear so it would be safer than having the most traction in the front. RE71Rs will have better grip in wet and dry conditions than the Nittos. You should expect significant understeer if you drive it hard enough to get the sliding, which you really should not do on the street. The Nittos might have better grip in standing water than the RE71Rs depending on tread depths of each tire.
The biggest problem is the car will be unpredictable. At cold temps (under say about 45 degF) the rears might have less grip than the fronts which can be tricky to handle. On warm days the fronts will have less grip. In wet, when warm the fronts will have less grip unless there is standing water. You see there are so many conditions that will cause the car to change its handling. Th idea of mixing tires is considered a really bad thing for good reasons.
The biggest problem is the car will be unpredictable. At cold temps (under say about 45 degF) the rears might have less grip than the fronts which can be tricky to handle. On warm days the fronts will have less grip. In wet, when warm the fronts will have less grip unless there is standing water. You see there are so many conditions that will cause the car to change its handling. Th idea of mixing tires is considered a really bad thing for good reasons.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,667
I currently have nitto invos on my car that have a tread ware rating of 260, my rear tires need to be replaced but my fronts still have a good amount of tread on them. Would the car feel off in the corners if I put Bridgestone re71-r tires on the rear that have a tread ware of 200? I feel like the difference isn’t very big but I am still worried there could be understeer as a result, especially if I track it with them. If anyone has had a similar experience please let me know.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
I wouldn’t be racing but I may do one or two track days next summer. I go to have fun though, not set records as I’m still on a budget. Day to day the car is never at its limit, which is why I think you’d be right. If I can’t find a decent price on a full set of tires I may still go this route.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Thanks for the reply, I’m going to keep my eyes open for deals on full sets of tires to replace the invos. I’ll definitely be going to the track but it’ll be casual track days.
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