To see what a rear looks like on the front, this morning I swapped passenger-side wheels and took some photos. The last two photos are of the front wheel on the rear.
I really liked the idea of a rear on the front, but the reality is that I think the rear wheel on the front pokes out too far. I think road debris is going to get flung up onto the side of the vehicle. I hope anybody who runs rears on the front will chime in with their experience with this potential issue.
However, I also noticed that the side-wall of the tire bulges out beyond the outermost side of the wheel by at least 1/2", probably more like 3/4". If that bulge were not there, it is possible that a rear on the front would be barely acceptable, but I'd have to be convinced before taking that chance.
Although some people find the notion of fronts on the rear of a Z objectionable, if I want to have 4 identical wheels and tires, they are going to have to be either four OEM fronts or, alternatively, aftermarket wheels that are somewhat wider than the OEM front and somewhat narrower than the OEM rear. But I haven't seen an aftermarket wheel that looks as beautiful as our present Rays on a Z. Aesthetically, they make a perfect marriage, IMO.
If I decide to go 4 OEM sport fronts, I'll most likely buy spacers for the rears that are thick enough to bring the outer edge of the wheel to where the OEM rear normally is.
There's a good chance that I'll leave things exactly as they are and when the OEM tires inevitably wear out, get two different sized Michelin Pilot A/S 3" tires and just rotate side to side.
Speaking of rotation, this morning I was surprised to notice the word "outside" on our vehicle's OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires. For some reason I had assumed that the OEM tires were directional, but I assume that "outside" means that these tires can be swapped side-to-side without removing tires from wheels, which is a very good thing. In the spring I'll be lifting the vehicle again to do a side-to-side swap of front and rear tires, so please tell me if they are indeed directional.
Thanks.
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