Changing tires: The better tread comes to the rear
Before winter, drivers should take a critical look at their tires. The wheels with the better profile belong on the rear axle so that the car remains controllable in borderline situations.
In the cold and wet season, good tyres are particularly important to keep the car safe on the road. Anyone who is about to switch from summer to winter tyres will be faced with the question of which axle the tyres with the better tread will go on. Experts agree: The better tread belongs on the rear axle.
Drive and brakes cause tires to wear out
In most passenger cars, only the front wheels are driven. This leads to higher wear compared to the rolling rear axle. The front wheels also carry the most load when braking. After around 15,000 kilometres, the tread depth at the front and rear therefore differs significantly.
If the car breaks out, danger threatens
In critical driving situations, a few millimetres of tread can decide whether the car remains controllable. If the car swerves from the rear, it can no longer be controlled by most drivers and skidding unsteered across the road. If, on the other hand, the front tires lose safe contact with the road in a curve, the car slides towards the outer curve and can be caught again with courageous braking.
Disadvantage outweighs advantage
If the better tires are on the front axle, this has advantages when Bremen and starting off. However, the higher risk of accidents threatens the sideways swerving of the vehicle.
Do not wear tires to the minimum
The law does not regulate on which axle the better tires are to be fitted. The registration regulations only stipulate that tires must have a tread depth of at least 1.6 millimeters. However, traffic experts such as the ADAC advise replacing summer tyres at a tread depth of 3 millimetres, winter or all-season tyres at 4 millimetres.
How old is the tire?
The age of car tires can be recognized by an embossing on the tire sidewall. There are several numbers and letters there. The decisive factor is a combination of four digits, usually in an oval and after the letters DOT. The first two digits indicate the week of production, the last ones the year. Example: 1020 stands for the 10th week of the year 2020.
source : Changing tires: The better tread comes to the rear | NDR.de - Guide - Consumers