Flip and Rotate Tires?
#1
Flip and Rotate Tires?
The factory alignment on previous car (Lexus IS350) typically wore the inside of the front tires long before the center and outside edges even reached 50% wear. The tires were directional and staggered just like the F-Type. I had an IS250 before that car which did the same thing.
To mitigate the premature wear, I would pull the front tires off the wheels, flip them over, rebalance and swap the wheels left-right. This ensured the tires were mounted in the direction of rotation, but shifted the wear from one edge to the other - prolonging the life of the tires.
I dont know yet how my car (16 R AWD) will wear its tires assuming the alignment stays in spec. Does anyone know how the tires typically wear and has anyone done this to improve tire life?
To mitigate the premature wear, I would pull the front tires off the wheels, flip them over, rebalance and swap the wheels left-right. This ensured the tires were mounted in the direction of rotation, but shifted the wear from one edge to the other - prolonging the life of the tires.
I dont know yet how my car (16 R AWD) will wear its tires assuming the alignment stays in spec. Does anyone know how the tires typically wear and has anyone done this to improve tire life?
#3
Hmmm, a puzzle about which I have wondered. Had my annual service last week, and the Service Advisor at Jaguar said they don't recommend any rotation. Tires seem to be wearing evenly at 7k miles to date.
I'll follow this thread, as I have always rotated in the past, though these are the first tires of differing size, and directional as well.
I'll follow this thread, as I have always rotated in the past, though these are the first tires of differing size, and directional as well.
#4
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All OEM F-Type tyres that I know of are staggered, asymmetric and directional, and they all have an "inside" and "outside" marked on them.
Which means that in theory the only rotation you can do is to swap sides on the same axle, but you are not supposed to flip the tyre on the wheel otherwise it ends up "inside out". Swapping sides however won't swap the excess wear from one edge to the other, the inside edge will still be the inside edge.
That said I had really bad wear on the inside edges of the rear tyres on my old XFS and XFR (the XFS was lowered), so I got the shop to turn the tyres on the rims (so Inside became Outside and vice versa) in an attempt to eke a few more miles out of them. Bridgestone Potenza S04 "Pole Position". The shop said this shouldn't effect ride, handling, grip or noise in any way, and that proved to be the case. But I only did about 1,000 miles on them afterwards, the excessive wear on the (now outer) edges was just too bad and they had to go.
Point is, although you are not meant to flip directional/asymmetric/"inside/outside" tyres, you can possibly get away with it with some tyres but not others. Case in point - the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S has a different tread compound side to side so very likely will not work properly if flipped on the rim.
Which means that in theory the only rotation you can do is to swap sides on the same axle, but you are not supposed to flip the tyre on the wheel otherwise it ends up "inside out". Swapping sides however won't swap the excess wear from one edge to the other, the inside edge will still be the inside edge.
That said I had really bad wear on the inside edges of the rear tyres on my old XFS and XFR (the XFS was lowered), so I got the shop to turn the tyres on the rims (so Inside became Outside and vice versa) in an attempt to eke a few more miles out of them. Bridgestone Potenza S04 "Pole Position". The shop said this shouldn't effect ride, handling, grip or noise in any way, and that proved to be the case. But I only did about 1,000 miles on them afterwards, the excessive wear on the (now outer) edges was just too bad and they had to go.
Point is, although you are not meant to flip directional/asymmetric/"inside/outside" tyres, you can possibly get away with it with some tyres but not others. Case in point - the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S has a different tread compound side to side so very likely will not work properly if flipped on the rim.
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bristimjet
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12-09-2013 02:32 PM
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