[snuggles1]

My Elise has about 10K miles now and the rear tires are almost bald. Front tires seem ok.

Any reason to buy a new set of 4 vs. just 2 new rears?

this is very typical.

2 reasons come to mind: 1) potential understeer and 2) convenience.

 

[Brennon]

I replace the rears probably twice as often as the front. I don't bother with all four corners. A048s lasted about 8k on the rears...15k on the fronts and still plenty of tread left.

 

[delise]

Had to replace the rears at 15,000 miles the fronts are still totally fine at a 19,600 miles !
It is because of the weight balance of the car being rear heavy, I think it is 60 /40 ? when cornering hard most all of the pressure is going on the big fat rears that are supplying the power where as the fronts are more of a guide rudder. I am not even seeing the wear bars on the fronts and fully expect them to hit + 20,000 miles

It also depends on if you have the AD07 (which i have )or the A048s which don't last very long at all

That said you will also notice that your front brakes/pads wear much quicker than the rears for exactly the same reasons, when you are braking hard, all the pressure goes to the fronts, I had to get new front pads at 15,000 miles and the rears are still fine at 19,600

 

[SweetDaddyD]

This will be an oft repeated scenario. lol. You are good to go on just 2 rears if sticking with the same tire, unless you just want to change compound, then better to do all 4 at the same time but I'd wait till next time when you need fronts to do that. It will come soon.

 

[QuadCamSix]

Im actually about to go with my 4th set of rears with the OEM fronts! Im considering replacing the fronts just due to the number of heat cycles the tires have been through. The car does have a bit more under steer than it used to so I guess the compound has hardened up a bit.

 

[mjf]

This will be an oft repeated scenario. lol. You are good to go on just 2 rears if sticking with the same tire, unless you just want to change compound, then better to do all 4 at the same time but I'd wait till next time when you need fronts to do that. It will come soon.

So what tires can you get for rear if you're keeping front AO48s? Would a switch to R888 for just the rears until you're ready to do all 4 be viable, or would you have to get AO48s again?

 

[saudio]

I'm halfway through my third set of rear tires, with the original fronts. 17,500 miles.

 

[proskills]

So what tires can you get for rear if you're keeping front AO48s? Would a switch to R888 for just the rears until you're ready to do all 4 be viable, or would you have to get AO48s again?

R888's are so sticky that you could get a little more understeer, but unless you're tracking or autocrossing, I don't think you're going to be able to notice. I have the 'worst' set up ever, ad07 front and r888 rears, and it still doesn't have severe understeer problems for street driving like everyone says it would.

 

[qu1Z]

I have Toyo T1R's in the rear and the normal ad04's in the front. Haven't been able to drive the car in 6 months because it won't stop snowing - otherwise I'd post a review.