Tires should be rotated every six months or 6,000 to 8,000 miles. Many MTB tires are marked with a “FRONT” and a “REAR” arrow. This prohibits a crossing pattern for tire rotations, and also can result in faster tire wear. Proper tire rotation is important. Uni-directional tires are meant to spin in one direction for maximum traction. If you notice irregular or uneven tread wear, the tires should be rotated to alleviate the problem. To rotate non-directional tires, use the cross pattern. The reason why I was concerned is because some tires have a pattern that is designed for one side of the vehicle, i.e. As a general rule, directional tires will have an "arrowhead-like" tread pattern - it seems to point in the direction of travel. Rotation is important because each tire on a car carries a different amount of weight, making them wear at different rates. Something has to give. To rotate directional tires, just switch the front right tire for the back right tire, and the front left tire for the back left tire, like this: How to Rotate Non-directional Tires. Asymmetric tires can rotate in either direction, but have an "outside" and an "inside". The first rotation is the most important. Directional Tires. Tires should be rotated every six months or 6,000 to 8,000 miles. A unidirectional tire is also referred to as a directional tire. Determine if your tires are unidirectional or multidirectional Many of the radial tires sold today are unidirectional, meaning they should only roll in one direction. The benefits are even wear and long tread life since there are multiple front-to-back, side-to-side or diagonal rotation options to keep all four tires wearing at the same rate. RotationThe purpose of regularly rotating tires is to achieve more uniform wear for all tires on a vehicle. These tires have lateral grooves that form a V shape with an arrow on the sidewall pointing in the direction the tire should travel. You should follow the rotation recommendation of the vehicle manufacturer first and the tire manufacturer’s recommendation as … They have to be kept on the same side of the vehicle and not rotated to the other side. …NOTE: If directional tires are accidentally installed backwards during initial installation or following tire rotation; the driver should simply reduce speeds in the rain and have the tires installed correctly at the first opportunity. Follow your vehicle owner's manual for tire rotation intervals. Directional tires also offer better stability when driving in a specific direction. Today's performance tire and wheel trends have provided the need for two additional tire rotation patterns. Remember: it is important to check your tires and wheels for signs of possible damage, and check your vehicle for any mechanical problems and correct if necessary. When to Rotate Your Tires. A vibration when driving could be an indication there Directional tires must always spin in one direction. Asymmetrical tires , where the inner and outer halves of the tire have different tread patterns, should be rotated from front to back on the same side of the car, but not from one side to the Directional tires must always rotate the same direction due to their tread pattern, and therefore once mounted on the wheels, have to stay on one side of the car. Running directional tires backwards for a brief… ... During rotation, each tire and wheel is removed from your vehicle and moved to a different position to ensure that all tires wear evenly and last longer. Uni-Directional (Tread Faces One Way) For more information, read below. The only option is to have the tires dismounted and remounted on the opposite side of the vehicle. This means that the tread pattern of the tire is formed to rotate on the vehicle in only one direction. The back tires get rotated straight to the front. Inspect the sidewall of any of your tires for a symbol referring to the direction. Older tires have the marking “DRIVE”, but it has the same meaning. It does not affect wear, pull, dry traction, ride, or any other characteristics. If you mount a directional tire backwards - so that it is rotating the wrong direction - the only problem caused is wet (or snow) traction. Proper Mounting of Asymmetrical Tires These tires feature certain road-holding characteristics and wet traction technology in very specific areas of the tire, such as in … If there are directional markings, you know that the tire is directional. the tire is directional. First of all, when a tire is engineered with a directional tread pattern, it is strictly for water evacuation. Bi-directional tires can spin in either direction. Non-Directional Tires. Directional tires have a tread pattern that is designed to rotate in one direction. Here are some of the more common: The word “ROTATION” next to what looks like a slope to a point. Rotate. The tires on the front get moved straight to the back. These markings come in various styles. If you have any unusual tire wear, performance, or ride quality, please take your car to a professional mechanic or retailer. This pattern is … Uni-directional tires usually have an arrow embossed on the rubber, indicating the correct direction of travel. With this specific group, the best rotation pattern would be the rearward cross pattern. They should be rotated every 6,000 - 8,000 miles. For additional details regarding tire rotation, please reference the Tire Rotation & Replacement section on page 14 of the Michelin Owner's Manual. Unless they're dismounted and remounted on their wheels to accommodate use on the other side of the vehicle, directional tires are to be installed on one side of the vehicle and are intended to be rotated from the front axle to the rear axle. You should follow the rotation recommendation of the vehicle manufacturer first and the tire manufacturer’s recommendation as a secondary option. If no rotation period or pattern is specified, you should consider rotating your tires, front to back, every 8,000km. Also, some vehicles may have different sized tires mounted on the front and rear axles, and these different sized tires have rotation restrictions. The directionality (may not be a word) of the tire may be so that the grooves on the tire push water a certain direction (or importantly out, towards the outside of the tire) and you want them mounted on the correct side. To change tire position to the other position ensure even wear and long life of tire. This is to help ensure that the tires are mounted and rotated correctly. When in use, the tire should run in the direction of the arrow. For example, the left front tire may only be rotated to the left rear. In the end, directional tires impose a significant restriction that is at odds with both tire rotation and full-size spares. Each tire is removed from your vehicle and moved to a different position to ensure that all tires wear evenly and last longer. This is due to the whole idea behind them; these tires are specifically designed to rotate in one direction, and they therefore offer great stability when they do travel in this direction.. The tread pattern on non-directional tires is designed in such a way that the tire can be mounted on the wheel for any direction of rotation. Goodyear considers regular tire rotations as basic tire maintenance and recommends you get your tires rotated every 10,000–12,000 km (6,000–8,000 mi). If you want directional tires, I'd either get 6 (and accept that the spare isn't ideal) or get 4 (and use a directional full-size spare or the doughnut, no rotation … Rotational direction refers to the tire’s rolling direction, where the tire is designed to rotate (roll) in one direction only. Rotate the front left tire with the back left tire. The tread pattern on non-directional tires is designed so that they can be mounted on any wheel. A common one for front-wheel drive vehicles involves moving the tires in a crisscross fashion, with the left front tire trading places with the right rear, and right front trading with the left rear.