Which tires for front and back?!

[slvrXI]

I recently got myself some snow tires and wheels. They were Blizzak WS50 (2) and Blizzak REVO1 (2)

I am curious which ones I should put on the front, and which on the rear. I have RWD stick E46. I've heard the WS50s get greater traction. So do I put them on the front for steering and braking? Or do I put them on the rear for acceleration.

[CirrusSR22]

That's a tough call as each tire has their own strengths. The Revo1 has better ice traction, better dry pavement performance, and probabaly a longer wear life. The WS-50 will be better in the snow.

I'd put the Revo1s on the back to optimize the tread life. On the downside, having the WS-50s on the front will give you less direct steering feel on the pavement.

[slvrXI]

front tires wear quicker... there for they would go in the front especially if they have better dry pavement performance.

[CirrusSR22]

Hmm, it seems that most people's rear tires wear faster on RWD BMWs. My tires have always worn faster on the rear and that seems pretty common all across the board.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=515187

[mryakan]

Hmm, it seems that most people's rear tires wear faster on RWD BMWs. My tires have always worn faster on the rear and that seems pretty common all across the board.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=515187
+1. Unless you have alignment issues, you will generally go through 2 sets of rear tires for each set of front unless you rotate. If you smoke em, then make that 4 or more.

As for which go where, I have heard convincing arguments on both sides of the fence, so to me it is highly inconclusive. I think it depends on the condition of the tires and the conditions that you drive in. I would not mix different tires in general, but especially not in snow conditions, the different traction characteristics will be magnified in the cold and snowy conditions to possibly dire consequences. Just my 2c.

[slvrXI]

Either way both of these tires will do much better than my bald potenzas in the snow. However, isn't more stress put under the front tires since they handle most of the turning? I always remeber in race simulators the front tires neede replacing a lot quicker than rears. Maybe that's just a game but it makes more sense to me. I don't go flooring it from every stop light but I do apex every street corner ;)

also I am concerned about the side wall construction, I want the stiffer ones in the front for dry driving. Both pairs have well over 85 percent tread left so maybe I will just switch them each season. I just wanted to know which set up was safer/more efficient for snow. I've driven awd all my life and just use AS tires, this is my first rwd vehicle so I'm pretty much noooooob.

Thanks for the tips guys keep em coming

Btw good read on e46fan, seems like I share the same confusion with a few. Damn so now what do I do?

[Dunbar]

No, not in a RWD car with 50/50 weight distribution, my front tires have at least twice as many miles as the rears (bought the car used so I'm not sure.) Also, that may be true on a race track but that type of wear does not apply on the street. I wouldn't really over analyze it, put the tires with the higher tread wear rating on the back since they will wear faster. You're only going to have the snow tires on for like 4 months a year so it's not going to make a huge difference in tire life either way.

[mryakan]

Either way both of these tires will do much better than my bald potenzas in the snow. However, isn't more stress put under the front tires since they handle most of the turning? I always remeber in race simulators the front tires neede replacing a lot quicker than rears. Maybe that's just a game but it makes more sense to me. I don't go flooring it from every stop light but I do apex every street corner ;)

That is just a game ;). Or maybe it is true when racing due to all the cornering, you should ask guys who track their cars. But having driven and owned RWD for the majority of the time since I learned how to drive (I`d say at least 20 years in total), I can tell you with certainty the rears go out faster no matter how you drive (unless you have front alignment problems as I said). The BMW alignment settings and unobtrusive traction control only accelerates the wear on the rears.

[slvrXI]

K so I still havent determined which tire will wear quicker.

[slvrXI]

soooo.

[mryakan]

Did you check on the tirerack to see what their tread rating is? That should give you some idea.

[slvrXI]

Did you check on the tirerack to see what their tread rating is? That should give you some idea.

No wasn't able to look at any ratings on the REVO1, just customer reviews.

[Dunbar]

Try looking on the side of the tire for "UTQG," that will tell you the manufacturer's tread wear rating.

[justaddwada]

Revo's in the front. Not being able to accelerate is not as big a deal as understeering into a curb or sliding into the car ahead of you.
Oversteer is EASY to control and avoid in slick conditions, but understeer can come on unexpectedly on ice or slushy snow.