As motorists are likely faced with some challenging weather and driving conditions in the next few months, the reality is that many of them will take those trips on only two good tires.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company recommends that for optimal handling, stability and traction, four new tires definitely are better than two. And in an emergency maneuver, they’re a must, particularly in areas where inclement weather is forecast.
Silvana Valencic, Goodyear brand manager, said if new tires are installed on the front of a vehicle, they also should be fitted on the rear. Goodyear research shows nearly a third of motorists still rely on just two new tires.
“Motorists figure a cost savings up front by buying just two tires,” Valencic said, “but in the long run, that can be an expensive proposition. In an emergency, it’s better to have a balanced vehicle with traction equalized at each corner.”
To optimize traction capabilities, never mix tread patterns of different types of tires.
For example, winter tire tread designs, regardless of construction, can produce different handling characteristics than all-season tread patterns. Those differences can affect the handling and traction of the vehicle.
Some tire buyers purchase only two tires and install them on the drive-wheel position to get the most traction; however, on a front-wheel-drive vehicle, they transfer most of the traction capabilities from the rear to the front and may make the vehicle susceptible to oversteer, according to Valencic.
