In the Formula Wheels online store you will find many models of tires with asymmetric or directional tread patterns. In no case should they be installed haphazardly: this will not lead to an immediate failure of the car, but the tires will lose their qualities. A particularly dangerous consequence of negligence can be a change in the length of the braking distance.
directional pattern
Tire manufacturers make sure that any person can install a tire without resorting to the help of professionals. Therefore, the tire is always supplied with the appropriate marking. So, on tires, for example, BF Goodrich with a directional tread pattern, the correct installation option is indicated by an arrow.That is, when installed on a car, the drawn arrow should indicate the direction of rotation of the wheel when the car moves forward. Sometimes it is supplemented with the inscription "Rotation". This is important, since most often the tread pattern is V-shaped and is designed to drain water and liquid dirt from the contact patch, preventing hydroplaning. If the picture is "expanded", this useful property is reduced to almost nothing.
Asymmetrical pattern
Here you need to find the inscription Outside on the sides of the tire (as an option - Side Facing Outwards). This side should be outside when installing the tire on the car. The inside will correspond to the pointer Inside (Side Facing Inwards).An example is the Nokian Hakka SUV summer tire.
Asymmetric directional tires
It's still more difficult here. The pattern will be both asymmetrical and directional. If the two previous models could be installed both on the right side of the car and on the left (by deploying it accordingly), then here such liberties are already unacceptable.Such tires are additionally marked with the words Left and Right - left and right sides, respectively. After buying a set of tires, you should have two left and two right tires. They must be installed accordingly: either carefully consider this if you are installing it yourself, or be sure to check the result of the work of the car service masters.
And the last. In addition to tube tires, there are also tubeless ones. It is better to mount them in a car service, and you can recognize such rubber by the Tubeless or TL inscriptions on the side.
The question “why did they bring me all four right (or left) asymmetric tires?” most attentive car owners ask when delivering tires.
We will answer right away: “right”, however, as well as “left” asymmetric tires are not currently available.
A few years ago, Nokian had Nokian asymmetric directional tires (model NRV) that were "left" and "right". But it turned out that such a decision caused a lot of inconvenience.
First, it complicates and increases the cost of production. Secondly, these inconveniences were associated with the fact that it often turned out that only left tires remained in one warehouse, and only right tires in another. Thirdly, it was not clear which spare wheel to buy, because no one knows which tire will fail or become unusable.
Imagine a situation where you bought 5 tires, two left and three right, logically believing that the shoulder is on the right and there are more holes and debris that can damage the tire. By the way, according to statistics, it is the right wheels that suffer more often than the left. But, by coincidence, it was the left tire that fell into disrepair! And having 4 tires of the same model (one left and three right), you still can't fit the car with tires.
It is for these reasons that manufacturers now do not produce left and right asymmetric car tires.
Then a reasonable question arises, it turns out that the asymmetric tires that are on the left “work” differently than on the right?
Yes exactly. When the same asymmetric tires are on the right, then part of the water is ejected, as it were, inward back, and if they are on the left, then they eject water inward forward.
How does it all work and does it interfere with driving in the rain? Numerous tests and studies by major tire manufacturers have shown that this tire design does not affect handling.
Asymmetric tread patterns come from motorsport. And they still remain the most efficient at high speeds, especially in terms of good directional stability in cornering and informative driving. It is asymmetric tires that are now conquering the car tire market. They have many advantages over symmetrical and directional tires.
- Excellent handling of the car, due to the fact that the outer sidewall of the tire (marked on the tire - outside), which is much more loaded in a turn, is made denser and with larger tread blocks. And the internal, on which the load is much less, on the contrary, is softer. Due to this, a good contact patch of the tire with the road and excellent handling of the car are obtained.
- Spare wheel versatility Unlike directional tires, asymmetric tires do not need to be remounted on the rim in the other direction, when mounting the wheel from right to left (or vice versa). After all, the outer side of an asymmetric tire put on a disc will always remain outer, both when installing the wheel on the left and on the right.
That is why asymmetric tires have become so popular and in demand, despite the fact that they remove water from the contact patch a little differently.
Large asymmetric tire companies (such as Michelin, Nokian, Goodyear, Continental) do a huge amount of research, developing and testing various tire designs, tread patterns and rubber compounds. Therefore, when buying tires from well-known manufacturers, you can safely trust them in this aspect.
The only thing is that after you have installed asymmetric tires on your car in a tire shop, it is advisable to check that they are installed correctly.
The inner side of the tire is designated INSIDE, and the outer side OUTSIDE. Therefore, if you see the inscription OUTSIDE on all tires (on the sidewalls), bypassing the car, then everything is installed correctly (you should not see the inscriptions INSIDE outside the car).
Some manufacturers of asymmetric tires designate the outer side of the tire (Outside) as: This side facing outwards, Side facing outwards or External. And the inside of the tire (Inside): This side facing inwards or Side facing inwards.
Automotive rubber with an asymmetric tread was developed by the Finnish company Nokian. Improved traction is provided by the structural elements of the tire and the tread pattern.
On the inside of the asymmetric tire is a shoulder area for moisture removal. As for the outer side, there is a tread, which creates rigidity, maneuverability and stability during turns.
Asymmetric tire design
When it comes to an asymmetric tire, you need to understand that its tread pattern is different, both on the inside and on the outside. Let's analyze the features of asymmetric tires with a directional tread pattern:
1). Installation is carried out in the direction of the arrow. In some cases, markings in the form of the inscription "Rotation" are used on the side.
2). Models are divided into right-hand and left-hand, this is indicated by the markings R and L.
Difficulties when mounting directional tires
Note that the installation of two wheels with the indicated marking L or R was almost impossible to carry out, since tires with right-hand and left-hand designation were quite rare in car dealerships.
In addition, problems arose with the choice of tires for the spare wheel, since the driver could not know on which side the wheel would need to be replaced. There were also situations when motorists used the right asymmetric tire for the left wheel or vice versa.
As a result, the tread was deformed, and it began to wear out. This has led manufacturers to decide not to use a directional tread. It was decided to use a non-directional pattern.
How to distinguish a non-directional tread?
Unlike car tires with conventional tread, this tire has a softer inner part and a stiffer outer part. Thus, mechanical effects are balanced when entering a turn. In this case, the loads are distributed not on the inner zone, but on the surface of the tire.
The tread blocks located directly on the tire are somewhat larger than those located inside the rubber layer. This design ensures that moisture is removed from the stain where it comes into contact with the road. Thus, the risks of aquaplaning are reduced, and driving is facilitated.
Features of asymmetric tires:
- mounted on the left and right side;
- they are not marked on the inside and on the outside, so they can be distinguished from symmetrical rubber.
Advantages and disadvantages of using tires with asymmetric tread
Positive points:
- excellent grip on the road;
- independent location of the tire;
- directional stability of the car and handling;
- reduced braking distance on wet roads;
- uniform tire wear;
- thanks to the location of the tread blocks, safe driving on a snowy and icy track is ensured;
- the rubber layer of the tread is different on the inside and outside.
The disadvantages were typical for rubber with a directional tread pattern. However, it has been discontinued.
Fitting a car tire with a non-directional pattern
Installation is carried out according to the principle of the location of the outer and inner sides. The inscription marked on the sidewall indicates which side you need to put on the tire. On the side it says:
- external;
- outside;
- side facing forwards.
On the inside:
- inside;
- this side facing forwards.
As such, the direction of the tread does not matter, what matters is the position of the tire depending on the internal or external structure.
Fitting asymmetrical tires
There should be an Outside indicator on the side surface. Some manufacturers may indicate:
- side facing outwards;
- external;
- this side facing forwards.
At the same time, the inscription Inside is indicated on the inner zone of the tire. However, it is not visible, so its side is directed towards the car.
With the correct installation of the tire, the driver will see the inscription on the outside of the rubber - Outside. Otherwise, it will turn out that it is worn on the inside.
Installation of tires with a directional tread pattern
Directional tires are mounted in such a way that the rotation of the car wheel corresponds to the marking arrow indicated on the side of the rubber and the Rotation inscription.
Tires installed on the right and left sides of the car must match the markings on the tread when the wheel rotates forward: Left (left) and Right (right).
Fitting symmetrical tires
Symmetric tires do not have sides and given directions when the wheel rotates. Thus, their installation is carried out regardless of the location. It is also worth noting the fact that an illiterate installation of directional or asymmetric rubber will lead to a deterioration in road holding, aerodynamics, control and balancing when cornering. In addition, it will lead to wear and deformation of the car wheel.
When tires do not perform their intended function, the wheels lose their factory characteristics and properties. Therefore, forced driving on a car with incorrectly installed tires should be calm and even. That is, you can not turn sharply and accelerate over 80 km / h. In this case, it is also not recommended to perform sudden braking. And even better - do not take risks at all and put tires depending on the direction of rotation of the wheels.
Installing tires and wheels: we give competent advice
For an experienced car enthusiast, installing tires and wheels will take a few minutes, and for those people who do not feel confident in this area and do not have certain skills and abilities, it will be difficult. Most likely, they will have many questions and difficulties. Let's help them? Necessarily. Then let's figure out together how to install the tire correctly so that driving is fun and as safe as possible.
Let's make a reservation right away that this article is more designed for beginners, so people who are “in the know” may not find anything new in it, but I would very much like you to read it too, express your opinion on this issue and give a couple recommendations. Thank you in advance!
One interesting note
When tires are replaced in pairs, it is better to install new tires with an unworn tread pattern on the rear axle, and leave the old ones on the front axle. This helps the driver maintain better control of the car on wet roads, because new tires tend to resist hydroplaning on the rear axle more effectively.
About the features of tread patterns
And now we will talk about the types of tread design, because the way the tire is mounted depends on it.
Regular non-directional pattern
Rubber with a regular non-directional pattern is very easy to install. Her can be mounted in any position. There is no need to look for any identification patterns on the outer and inner side of the tire. In general, everything is extremely simple and clear.
Directional tread pattern
There are already certain rules. These tires should be installed strictly in the direction of rotation. It will be indicated by an arrow on the sidewall of the tire. If you neglect this rule, then the protector will lose the much-needed self-cleaning capability. On the contrary, it will become a "vacuum cleaner", that is, it will attract all the water and dirt to itself. What awaits you as a result? Severe deterioration of grip properties.
Asymmetrical directional pattern
Here you need to be even more careful. It is necessary to install the tires so that the marks on the inside and outside of the tire, as well as the direction of rotation, coincide on each of the wheels. In order to achieve this, two pairs of rubber are needed. Four identical tires will not fit.. You need exactly two "right" and two "left". By the way, due to a number of inconveniences in operation, the production of such tires is significantly limited.
Asymmetrical non-directional pattern
Here you need to be careful look at the markings on the sides. This will allow you to distinguish which of the sidewalls is the outer one. Typically, tire manufacturers label the inside with words such as "Side facing in" and "Inside". In turn, the outer one is designated as "Outside" and "Side facing out". In general, when installing, take your time and strictly follow these designations so that the installation of asymmetric tires is correct.
So, we figured it out, and now we go directly to the tips on the installation process.
Beginning of installation
The best place to find the correct tire removal/installation procedure for your specific car model is, of course, its owner's manual. It contains many useful tips and tricks.
Step #1
To remove your old wheels and tires, you need to unscrew the nuts. We recommend that you use only hand tools as this will be safer. An impact wrench is good, but if you do not know how to use it, then you should not do it. It is better to learn under the supervision of a person who knows how to handle it. In general, the “good old” or special car key is quite suitable for the unscrewing procedure. Do not unscrew the nuts completely. You just need to loosen them up.
Step #2
Raise the car with a jack. Be sure to only do this on a level surface. Now you can completely unscrew the nuts and remove the wheels.
Step No. 3
Position the new tires opposite the old ones. Let each tire take its final position so that you do not get confused in the future. Whether you did it correctly can be checked by re-reading a piece of our article about the features of tread patterns.
Attention! Do not be lazy and check the condition of the wheel nuts. Loosen and tighten them. If you feel strong resistance or see roughness, then this should be corrected before installing the wheel. Many stores sell special thread restoration kits. They will be useful to you.
Step #4
Carefully remove all rust and dirt from the surfaces of the brake discs and drums.
Step #5
Check the fit of the wheel on the hub of the machine. Even the slightest deviation of the center of the hub directly from the center of the disc will cause wheel runout. This is usually accompanied by a vibration in the steering wheel. You will definitely feel it. In the worst case, the reliability of the wheel fastening will be compromised.
Step #6
To make sure that your car bolts (studs) and nuts match the thread sizes, you need to install them without wheels. You should not feel any resistance. How to understand it? They must be turned by hand, that is, without the use of a wrench. If it doesn't, then something is wrong.
Refer to the diagram to determine the approximate number of threads for wheel bolts and studs, according to their size.
| Bolt or stud size | Number of turns |
| 14 x 1.5mm | 7,5 |
| 12 x 1.5mm | 6,5 |
| 12 x 1.25mm | 8 |
| 1/2“ | 8 |
| 7/16“ | 8 |
Step #7
Be sure to treat the wheel bolts and disc seats against corrosion. A wax spray or some other tool is perfect for this.
Step #8
If everything went smoothly, then you can safely install the wheels.
Step #9
Now the so-called stage of "post-installation checks" has come. Run your hand over each wheel, making sure that the outer edge of the rim does not touch the inside of the rim.
That's all! Thank you for your attention!
Even at the dawn of the automotive industry, when car tires were made of natural rubber, which melted in the sun and hardened from frost, designers and manufacturers thought about something more perfect. After all, such tires are not far removed from the wheel on a horse-drawn cart. As a result, technologies have evolved, oil processing methods have improved, times have changed.
In 1927, among other things, the Soviet scientist Sergei Vasilievich Lebedev, synthetic rubber was obtained, which became the progenitor of the material of modern tires. But such a material did not become a panacea, in addition to the rubber itself providing high performance properties for tires, the shape and profiles of the tire were also important. Subsequently, the tire treads became flat, in order to provide a large area with the road, which means stability on the road. In addition, they have a protector. At the same time, in some cases, the tire tread required a certain installation of tires, according to their rotation. It is about these very installation cases, as well as what will happen if the tires are installed incorrectly, that we will describe in our article.
Tire rotation direction or tire tread types
If you pay attention to the treads of tires that drive around your city, then most attentive people will surely see that tires are different. In one case, the tread pattern is like a checkerboard, just squares, in the other there is a strict direction, relative to the transverse axis of the wheel, and symmetrical. And, in the end, the orientation relative to this axis is asymmetric. That is, we can say about the banal, very well-known fact that tire treads are: directional and non-directional. Moreover, the welded tire tread can be symmetrical or asymmetric.
(Classification of tire type based on tread type)
So why do manufacturers bother to perform this pattern, what role does it play when using tires? After all, all this is clearly not only for the sake of beauty.
Installing tires relative to the tread on the tire
We will start with the case when the protector is non-directional. In this case, there is no need to talk about the correct installation of the tire, regarding where it should rotate. One way or the other, it doesn't matter. Another thing is when the protector is directional.
For a car enthusiast - an average person who does not want to delve into the essence of the matter, everything is simple. Look at the marking on the rim "ROTATION", which translates from English as rotation, and put the tire on the car in accordance with the rotation of the wheel in the direction of the car moving forward.
Or marking "outside" (outer side) ...
For those who want to know why the tire should be stopped in this way and not otherwise, and what may be affected by incorrect installation of the tire, we will tell the following.
The direction of the tread on the tire is designed to remove liquid, dirt, snow porridge from under it, that is, everything that has a low viscosity. At the same time, this withdrawal is necessary in order to avoid the so-called hydroplaning effect. That is, to prevent the loss of contact between the road and the rubber. Why this very contact is needed, we will not explain. Let's talk about how the directional tread removes all this from under the contact patch of the tire with the road.
How a Properly Installed Directional Tire Reduces Hydroplaning
Here you can talk and explain for a long time. But it is better, as they say, to see once. We made a gif especially for you. Take a look.
Essentially, the tread works like the vanes on a centrifugal pump when it pumps water, except that the driving force here is not centrifugal force, but the force from squeezing water into the grooves of the tread. The force is generated each time the tire hits the fluid it is supposed to expel. So water, dirt, wet snow is squeezed out into the groove and discharged out. The wheel rotates further, and new water is again squeezed out into the groove in the direction of the car. Due to the removal of this "grease", the contact between the tire and the road is improved, which entails a safer ride. It's all so simple and logical. Here I want to talk about the direction of the drawing. As we have already said, you can pay attention to the ROTATION marking, or you can look at the picture.
(tire installed correctly)
So, the tread grooves should always move away from the contact patch of the tire with the road towards the back of the car, if you look at the wheels from above on the left. And the opposite situation for the wheels on the right. In this case, you can not look for the markings on the rim. I looked at the tread pattern and put a tire on the car according to the pattern.
What happens if the directional tire is installed in the wrong direction
Here everything is according to the logic of what is happening, but in reverse order. If everything under our wheels (dirt, sleet, water) is more difficult to squeeze out, since the grooves will be directed to the intake of all this environment, then in fact it will turn out that excess pressure will form in the center of the tire, in the contact patch. It will try to raise the tire, which contributes to the deterioration of rubber grip. By itself, this is not safe.
However, if we talk about a dry road, when there is no water on the street, or it is frosty and just snowing, then the presence of such grooves that drain water, slurry, in fact, does not oblige to anything. Also, such grooves will not affect the situation with limited speed, about 5-20 km/h.
Summing up about the correct and incorrect installation of directional tires on the machine
So, the direction of the tread grooves on the tire was invented not just for beauty. If they are, then it is better to use them. The directional grooves of the tread contribute to the removal of the liquid medium from under the wheel and thereby improve the contact between the rubber and the road. Therefore, pay attention to the correct installation of the tire. When installing a tire, you need to pay attention to its tread. At the same time, such a statement applies not only to the one who puts an already wrapped wheel on the car, but also to the mechanics who install the tire on the rim. After all, the car must have two wheels on the left side and two on the right. Nothing else!
Well, about the case when everything is operated with incorrectly installed tires. If it's dry outside, it won't make any difference. If it’s not slushy outside, it’s raining, then be extremely careful. It will be very difficult to get the car out of hydroplaning, and you can not talk about the sad results. You yourself know all about it without us.
