Which tires wear faster ? front or rear?
Which tires wear faster ? front or rear?
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From: Lac Ste. Marie, Quebec
2006 Alfa Romeo Brera, 2010 GLK350, 2018 BMW 640i GT, 1997 Subaru SVX, 2012 Moto Guzzi Norge GT8V
The 4matic system is slightly rear biased. In normal driving more drive is going to the rear tires. I would expect the front and rear to wear quite evenly unless you have a heavy foot on the gas pedal. Typically in North America where we drive on the right side of the road, the right front tire will wear the quickest. The car travels further turning left at intersections and loads the right front tire. Also,where possible, roads are designed with longer left hand curves. The opposite is true in the UK, Australia etc.
Last edited by Silver Shadow; Feb 17, 2023 at 08:36 AM.
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From: Blue Oval City, TN
2013 GLK 350
The 4matic system is slightly rear biased. In normal driving more drive is going to the rear tires. I would expect the front and rear to wear quite evenly unless you have a heavy foot on the gas pedal. Typically in North America where we drive on the right side of the road, the right front tire will wear the quickest. The car travels further turning left at intersections and loads the right front tire. Also,where possible, roads are designed with longer left hand curves. The opposite is true in the UK, Australia etc.
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From: Lac Ste. Marie, Quebec
2006 Alfa Romeo Brera, 2010 GLK350, 2018 BMW 640i GT, 1997 Subaru SVX, 2012 Moto Guzzi Norge GT8V
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I, for one, try to avoid turning left whenever possible because I don't like crossing in front of oncoming traffic. Which tires should I expect to wear faster?
But, if they wear evenly, then there's no need to rotate them, right? 
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2011 GLK 350 4Matic
I'd have to think that the effect of the crown built into (almost) every road would have a much bigger effect on the tire wear (since essentially, your car is kind of "crabbing" to the left to stay straight on a crowned road. Again, the effect has to be pretty minimal, but WAY bigger than any difference in the radius of left and right turns / curves!
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From: Blue Oval City, TN
2013 GLK 350
OH! So you’re one of those who just screams “Troll!!” When someone disagrees with you huh? Got it. I’ve been looking it up for 15 min and can find Nothing that says “roads in NA have longer left hand curves.” I Want my 15 min back..
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GLK 250
My statement was conditional: if A, then B.
In general when considering tire wear, there are many variables involved among which are weight distribution, tire pressure, tire compound, drivetrain (FWD vs RWD vs AWD vs 4x4, etc.), alignment, braking patterns, speed, miles run, steering axle (front only, rear added?) turning aggression and probably a few others I'm forgetting.
Since it's probably too complicated to weigh each of these variables against each other or combinations thereof to see which ones are causinguneven more tire wear, both auto and tire mfr's (as well as tire shops who sell/install/service them) have rotation and balancing schedules in place to help keep it simple. I say stick to that schedule or as close to it as possible. The only caveat is if you're running a staggered setup.
In general when considering tire wear, there are many variables involved among which are weight distribution, tire pressure, tire compound, drivetrain (FWD vs RWD vs AWD vs 4x4, etc.), alignment, braking patterns, speed, miles run, steering axle (front only, rear added?) turning aggression and probably a few others I'm forgetting.
Since it's probably too complicated to weigh each of these variables against each other or combinations thereof to see which ones are causing
Last edited by andreigbs; Feb 17, 2023 at 05:25 PM. Reason: Fixed to make John CC happy :)
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That's what I was trying to answer anyway... I guess the best answer would be "it depends."
Last edited by andreigbs; Feb 17, 2023 at 05:26 PM.
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From: Lac Ste. Marie, Quebec
2006 Alfa Romeo Brera, 2010 GLK350, 2018 BMW 640i GT, 1997 Subaru SVX, 2012 Moto Guzzi Norge GT8V
This explains in detail what I was talking about above. There is a lot of extra information concerning guard rails and other obstructions. The basic premise in highway design is SSD, stopping sight distance.
https://etrr.springeropen.com/articl...544-016-0208-6
https://etrr.springeropen.com/articl...544-016-0208-6
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From: New Hampsha
'17 GLS450, '14 GLK250, Grandpa's Roadster
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From: Blue Oval City, TN
2013 GLK 350
This explains in detail what I was talking about above. There is a lot of extra information concerning guard rails and other obstructions. The basic premise in highway design is SSD, stopping sight distance.
https://etrr.springeropen.com/articl...544-016-0208-6
https://etrr.springeropen.com/articl...544-016-0208-6
Front tires will wear more than rear tires on account of castor/camber effects/changes and constant Scrub Radius changes (Not to mention F alignment is often more difficult to achieve and maintain than R alignment). This is the Entire reason for tire rotations, to “share the love” among all tires so a person can buy them in sets instead of pairs like white trash..
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2021 GLB250 FWD, 2023 GLA250 FWD, 2013 C250, 2015 GLK350, 2005 ML350SE, 2003 E320
Here is a tangent that ought to get some opinions:
If the car/SUV is driven hard enough for the stability system to see evidence of impending oversteer (i.e., rear end swinging out), it will apply the inside rear wheel brake to pull the rear end back in. Since right hand corners are sharper than left hand ones, the right brake will be used harder and more often. This will result in more wear on the right rear tire.
But then again, none of us are hitting corners hard in our little square K boxes, trying to keep up with the 911s. Are we?
If the car/SUV is driven hard enough for the stability system to see evidence of impending oversteer (i.e., rear end swinging out), it will apply the inside rear wheel brake to pull the rear end back in. Since right hand corners are sharper than left hand ones, the right brake will be used harder and more often. This will result in more wear on the right rear tire.
But then again, none of us are hitting corners hard in our little square K boxes, trying to keep up with the 911s. Are we?
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front tires do more turning and scrubbing and wear faster. No rocket science here.
RWD bias is a bit of non-sense. There is a hard connection to the front wheels and clutches for the rear so it's really a FWD car with some power going to the back especially when needed.
RWD bias is a bit of non-sense. There is a hard connection to the front wheels and clutches for the rear so it's really a FWD car with some power going to the back especially when needed.
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GLK 350 / Porsche 993
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2015 Mercedes Benz GLK350
Unless You Drive A Base
My '15 GLK350 Base had four new tires put on sometime in the past. I don't know the service history, but when I picked it up it was obvious that the tires hadn't been rotated. In the year I have driven it (Approx 8,000 miles) I admit I have pressed the "S" button at traffic lights many times to show millennials in their Rice Rockets or loud pickups that an old man in a Benz isn't necessarily slow. And the rears do spin, squeel and if wet, pull a little to the side. But I am doing this for fun and because the fronts still look new. I want more wear on the rears to just buy a pair and then begin a rotation schedule.
Just another opinion about tire wear.
Just another opinion about tire wear.
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Not so! If the rear tires loose traction from too much torque, braking, or turning forces, the car tends to switch ends (oversteer). If the front tires loose traction it tends to go straight (understeer). Most drivers can handle a little understeer. Most can't handle any oversteer.
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....the whole equation changes when you add adjustability !
Background is ex factory there is only Toe “directional” adjustment. New car industry’s best kept secret. All to do with cost cutting and ever increasing speed of new car assembly lines.
There is no longer front or rear Camber (or Caster) allowing to adjust tire contact angles - spread load more evenly to resolve costly, premature, excessive edge wear.
Encountered in day to day commuting - high cambered roads with excess passenger side edge wear. Wheel squat through load carrying or lowering. Fitting wide profile tires. Or just having once again as per the 90’s - ongoing adjustability for curb knocks.
We saw the need and manufacture both Front and Rear adjustment to fix it right the 1st time.
AUDI to VOLVO - K-MAC Experience Of Resolving OEM Suspension Shortcomings Since 1964 !
Background is ex factory there is only Toe “directional” adjustment. New car industry’s best kept secret. All to do with cost cutting and ever increasing speed of new car assembly lines.
There is no longer front or rear Camber (or Caster) allowing to adjust tire contact angles - spread load more evenly to resolve costly, premature, excessive edge wear.
Encountered in day to day commuting - high cambered roads with excess passenger side edge wear. Wheel squat through load carrying or lowering. Fitting wide profile tires. Or just having once again as per the 90’s - ongoing adjustability for curb knocks.
We saw the need and manufacture both Front and Rear adjustment to fix it right the 1st time.
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AUDI to VOLVO - K-MAC Experience Of Resolving OEM Suspension Shortcomings Since 1964 !
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Not so! If the rear tires loose traction from too much torque, braking, or turning forces, the car tends to switch ends (oversteer). If the front tires loose traction it tends to go straight (understeer). Most drivers can handle a little understeer. Most can't handle any oversteer.
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2013 glk 350
Putting new tires on the rear was always correct. But now today with antilock brakes , AWD, and Stability systems , that should negate most of the reasons for this. New tires on front won’t hydroplane as quick , stop better and handle more snow. So what is best?
