Quote Originally Posted by dmeech
Quote Originally Posted by boxkiller
yeah i understand all that- ive been driving long enough to know that no matter how careful you are on the road, anything can happen. especially in areas that have crude weather conditions.
i was more stumped by the advice to put the studded tires on the rear (if i only get two), when my car is a front wheel drive........

I understand the rear tires will not have traction, but if i only get 2 studded tires, i would much rather have them on the front so my car can actually move, rather thatn on the back so i can give it some gas and just sit there with the rear tires staying put and the front just spinning.
does anyone see what im saying?
It may make sense at first to have them on the front but in reality it doesnt work out to be an advantage. You end up getting a pendulum effect. where as the vehicle is moving forward then turning, the rear end wants to keep moving in a forward direction, despite the fact the front wheels are pulling to whichever side. This is why you need better traction with the rear wheels.

this video demonstrates in extreme conditions the effect of poor traction in the rear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikhL7O092ZA
+1. I know it goes against your intuition, but physics say otherwise. Trust me though, get 4 tires. 2 is not worth it.