Assymetric / Directional (sic) Tyres the wrong way round.

[Ducked]

GF's carhas ALL its directional tyres fitted the wrong way around. i.e. The "inside" marking is on the outside (and presumably vice versa, though I havn't actually looked inside.)

I think her tyres (Continentals) were sourced via her "uncle", so might have been from a "back street boy". Presumably, major tyre outlets are less likely to screw this up, but it might be worth y'all checking, if you havn't.

I've never had directional tyres, and don't know that much about them. My understanding is that this is only likely to result in a slight lowering in wet-weather (anti-aquaplaning) performance, and maybe slightly accelerated tread wear, and that it should be OK just to get them re-fitted correctly.

Edit : Actually, if its just the tread thats directional, it seems that swapping the wheels side to side would fix it (I did a quick back-of-the envelope sketch which seems to confirm that??) but the inside-outside labelling would still be wrong. I'm assuming here that its not more subtle, and that the tyres are bi-laterally symetrical, apart from the labelling.

I'd better have another look at it, and consider the tread pattern. Maybe its already been swapped over. ENDEDIT

One pair is low on tread and is about due for replacement anyway, the others have been on about 4 months.

[Ducked]

I had a look at the tread pattern and it is laterally assymetric, so you can't fix a miss-fitment just by swapping wheels side to side. I think there may however, be purely directional rotation tyres (marked with an arrow) where this would be possible.

We went to a Continental tyre outlet, bought a couple of replacement tyres and got them to reverse the other two on their rims.

(I don't have tyre irons here and wouldn't want to fit tyres on someone elses car anyway, though I've done it to mine in the UK)

4WIW the tyre guy said mis-fitment of directionals is very common here, (due, he thought, to the sidewall labelling being in English) so it might be worth y'all checking.

[tommy525]

Directional tires are not popular by and large because they must be mounted correctly. OTherwise, you get increased noise, reduced wear and generally less desirable ride and handling traits.

I would never have them mounted wrong. Just remount. Its cheap in taiwan , perhaps 100nt per tire.

Whereas in the USA mounting and balancing a tire costs about 20 bucks each at a tire shop.

[Ducked]

I would never have them mounted wrong. Just remount. Its cheap in taiwan , perhaps 100nt per tire.

Whereas in the USA mounting and balancing a tire costs about 20 bucks each at a tire shop.

I think they said 300NT each, though I daresay you could get it cheaper.

Since she was buying 2 new "premium" tyres they didn't charge her for remounting the other two.

They also do a free nitrogen fill for customers, but (although I'd mentioned it previously) I forgot to remind her to get her "spacesaver" spare filled. This'd be a lot more useful than N-filling her road tyres, since she'll wear them out pretty quick anyway.

She'll likely be keeping her spare for a long time, and since its supposed to be inflated to 60psi (though it was only at 30 before I put it on) its likely to benefit more from N filling.

[tommy525]

300nt eh, prices have crept up. Still cheap tho as that costs bout 22 bucks a tire here in CAlif.

Mounting directional tires the wrong way is roughly equivalent to you walking backwards. Aint gonna walk as well or as fast are ya?

Most manufacturers avoid directionals these days because the majority of people dont want to bother with an additional thing to worry about . IN fact many tires as mentioned prior should be mounted with the inside on the inside and outside on the outside. As they are optimized that way.

tread pattern is quite a science , its not just any ol tread will do.

On farm tractors and the such low speed vehicles thats the case but with ours doing freeway speeds, its best to with work what the tires are designed to do of course.

Often only high speed tires are directional these days.

Tire makers probably thought too much bother with few increased benefits.

[Ducked]

Only real disadvantage I can see is it limits your rotation/swapping options, though I'd guess that in the real world relatively few people bother to rotate tyres.

Shouldn't be too hard to ensure they are fitted correctly, provided (a) You know about it (b) are there when its done (c) can communicate with the fitter, though sign language should suffice in this context.

[pb]

The thread subject should refer to "asymmetrical" tires - they have "outside/inside" markings.
Directional tires have rotation direction marker.

I do not see any issues with rotation of asymmetrical tires (?)
Directional tires would have to be taken off the wheels to swap sides (left <-> right)

AFAIK directionality helps reduce water planning and asymmetry improves lateral grip.

BTW tire can be both directional and asymmetrical (it implies there will be two types of thread for this tire: right and left)
http://www.barrystiretech.com/direction ... tires.html

[Ducked]

Makes sense.

[urodacus]

directional, asymmetric tires with different widths front and rear: that's why I don't rotate my tires anymore.

but then my car sticks on the road far better than the old escort did, with five times as much power.

[Jonny Crisp]

directional, asymmetric tires with different widths front and rear: that's why I don't rotate my tires anymore.

but then my car sticks on the road far better than the old escort did, with five times as much power.

Could you still "rotate" front to back? As long as they were on the same side it should be ok.