Replacing Front tires only?

[NCBee]

Is AWD really that hard on fronts or do you have an alignment issue?

I'm RWD but I'm on my third set of rears and the original fronts still have plenty of tread.

I don't think it's alignment. Tracks perfectly straight.

 

[Brandondrums]

I don't think it's alignment. Tracks perfectly straight.

We can track straight and have wear issues - the main thing that causes pull is net camber angle, the car will pull to the side that's most positive.

Toe can be out of wack - either too far out or too far in...AND you can even have one side towed in/out more than the other and depending on suspension geometry the car still may track neutral. BUT toe-in causes wear on the outer edge of the tires, toe out causes inner wear generally speaking.

So I assume my car has toe-in causing the uneven front wear but it's just darn strange that I'd have that issue on essentially a 1 year old car. Furthermore, the wear happened extremely quick over the course of a 4 day trip through the mountains with some wet conditions and really curvy roads. Makes me wonder if the AWD system became more active and just started directing tons of torque to the front outer tire through turns to chew them up.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Any insight to the cause?

Donuts are to the right. The outer edge of the FL tire wore down significantly faster than the middle, which still had c. 5mm of depth. I got c. 18K miles out of those front tires.

 

[NCBee]

We can track straight and have wear issues - the main thing that causes pull is net camber angle, the car will pull to the side that's most positive.

Toe can be out of wack - either too far out or too far in...AND you can even have one side towed in/out more than the other and depending on suspension geometry the car still may track neutral. BUT toe-in causes wear on the outer edge of the tires, toe out causes inner wear generally speaking.

So I assume my car has toe-in causing the uneven front wear but it's just darn strange that I'd have that issue on essentially a 1 year old car. Furthermore, the wear happened extremely quick over the course of a 4 day trip through the mountains with some wet conditions and really curvy roads. Makes me wonder if the AWD system became more active and just started directing tons of torque to the front outer tire through turns to chew them up.

That's what I'm saying - it's a combination of AWD, tighter corners (in my case, my driveway), and soft rubber. A little excess rub becomes exaggerated. We all have the same problem

 

[7Andrei7]

I have a slightly different question. I have a RDW with staggered 19" and my rears are basically done (after 2 summers). From what I know, putting new tires on the rears is always ok so I was thinking of changing my rears only since the fronts still have at least one season left.
But what happens next spring when the rears will be at 50% wear and the fronts will be done? Can I put new fronts with 50% worn rears? Doesn't that go agains the "new tires should always be at the rear" rule?

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

I have a slightly different question. I have a RDW with staggered 19" and my rears are basically done (after 2 summers). From what I know, putting new tires on the rears is always ok so I was thinking of changing my rears only since the fronts still have at least one season left.
But what happens next spring when the rears will be at 50% wear and the fronts will be done? Can I put new fronts with 50% worn rears? Doesn't that go agains the "new tires should always be at the rear" rule?

I am curious about this too...

I have a RWD GT as well with the 19inch staggered set up and summer tires... I am told that both the front and rear are halfway worn out after only a year of driving and putting on about 6000 miles. Very shocking how quickly these tires wear out. I am counting my blessings though that I am making it through the crazy winter with summer tires (I get to work from home when it snows too much, thank God!) currently...

 

[NCBee]

I am curious about this too...

I have a RWD GT as well with the 19inch staggered set up and summer tires... I am told that both the front and rear are halfway worn out after only a year of driving and putting on about 6000 miles. Very shocking how quickly these tires wear out. I am counting my blessings though that I am making it through the crazy winter with summer tires (I get to work from home when it snows too much, thank God!) currently...

Noticed your username... We went from a WRX to the Stinger GT as well

These Michelins were designed for maximum grip and performance, which unfortunately comes at the cost of longevity. Our AWD has 19k miles now, original set. I'm going to try for 22-23k. Last service, the Kia techs told me I needed to replace the rears, but I declined. They still have some tread.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I have a slightly different question. I have a RDW with staggered 19" and my rears are basically done (after 2 summers). From what I know, putting new tires on the rears is always ok so I was thinking of changing my rears only since the fronts still have at least one season left.
But what happens next spring when the rears will be at 50% wear and the fronts will be done? Can I put new fronts with 50% worn rears? Doesn't that go agains the "new tires should always be at the rear" rule?

I am curious about this too...

I have a RWD GT as well with the 19inch staggered set up and summer tires... I am told that both the front and rear are halfway worn out after only a year of driving and putting on about 6000 miles. Very shocking how quickly these tires wear out. I am counting my blessings though that I am making it through the crazy winter with summer tires (I get to work from home when it snows too much, thank God!) currently...

By putting new front tires on, while the rears are 50% or more gone, you tend to reduce oversteer (taller front tires is one of the many corrections for oversteer). Other than that: nothing aside from reduced grip in back as the rears wear down to the bars. None of this comes into play unless you really push the car in curves.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Ah ok! Thank you both! Very inciteful indeed!

I plan to replace my tires once they are completely worn out with all seasons (that can be used in winter/snow) that can last at least a solid 2+ years of good driving...

I don't throw my car around too hard but I do like to sometimes gun it when the light turns green... I don't do crazy speeds though...

 

[NCBee]

Ah ok! Thank you both! Very inciteful indeed!

I plan to replace my tires once they are completely worn out with all seasons (that can be used in winter/snow) that can last at least a solid 2+ years of good driving...

I don't throw my car around too hard but I do like to sometimes gun it when the light turns green... I don't do crazy speeds though...

Same with me. That's my plan too.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Same with me. That's my plan too.

Great minds think alike!

 

[Regs120]

Yes, my front tires worn down hella quick on the outer edges. They were in the secondary rubber around 35k. I would recommend getting an alignment done with the two new front tires from a reputable shop that keeps their software up to date and have them print out the report of the toe-in angles. They're likely set too aggressively. My toe-in angles were pretty off from recommended spec.

Like NCBee and WRXtoStinger I ended up switching to All-Seasons with the funky weather in NJ. You lose some performance turning, but unless you drive like you're a track star, you won't see much of a difference.