tread direction?
09-20-2007, 09:30 AM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ewing, NJ
Posts: 740
tread direction?
hi guys
i have a confession to make - the treads on my rear tires are not facing the "correct" direction; in other words, the tires should be swapped so that the v-shape points forward to better facilitate water displacement. though i feel foolish, i must admit i didn't notice this until today when it was pointed out to me [8D]. the more i thought about it though, the more i wondered if this really matters much. besides, if i don't suffer "backwards" rear tires from time to time, i'll never be able to rotate my tires at all since the fronts are a different size. so.... should i switch the tires asap?
i have a confession to make - the treads on my rear tires are not facing the "correct" direction; in other words, the tires should be swapped so that the v-shape points forward to better facilitate water displacement. though i feel foolish, i must admit i didn't notice this until today when it was pointed out to me [8D]. the more i thought about it though, the more i wondered if this really matters much. besides, if i don't suffer "backwards" rear tires from time to time, i'll never be able to rotate my tires at all since the fronts are a different size. so.... should i switch the tires asap?
09-20-2007, 09:33 AM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,401
RE: tread direction?
The direction helps with water dispersal, nothing more. If it's wet there will be a noted difference in performance but otherwise I can't see a problem, other than being the victim of finger pointing and ridicule.
but i'm glad that my instinct was correct: it shouldn't make much of a difference.
09-20-2007, 09:59 AM
#5
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ewing, NJ
Posts: 740
RE: tread direction?
yeah, i know i don't have to remount, i was just wondering about the necessity of swapping them. if it doesn't make much of a difference, i thought about just leaving them. i'm gonna want to rotate my tires eventually, so they would have to be "backwards" if i did. the fronts are not the same size, so i can't doa diagonal switch.
09-20-2007, 10:08 AM
#7
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: California
Posts: 567
RE: tread direction?
Rotating side to side is pointless as well, usually this is only done if you have a radial pull and you need to correct that. Because of your staggered fitment you cant rotate at all. Just wear out the tires and be done with it. Buy a new set at that time...
09-20-2007, 10:40 AM
#10
Cut & Paste Expert
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 13,322
RE: tread direction?
ORIGINAL: frodaddi
If it was me I would swap them. Easy to do and better safe than sorry. Our cars are tail-happy enough in wet conditions even under the best of circumstances.
$0.02,
Kevin.
If it was me I would swap them. Easy to do and better safe than sorry. Our cars are tail-happy enough in wet conditions even under the best of circumstances.
$0.02,
Kevin.
Water dipersal is the key here.
Backwards could actuall pull water
into the tire contact patch at high speeds
and heavy rain.[:@]