markc123

I just noticed the rotational arrow on my left front tire is pointing in the wrong direction. The front tires have approx 20K miles on them.. Should I be concerned?

Chris W. - '96 Targa

I would be. (or at least your wife should be, if it's her car... )

20k miles on them, installed as they are now? Were the tires perhaps rotated side-to-side? That would have them pointing the wrong way. Is the passenger side also pointing the wrong way? If not, then the wrong tire was ordered/installed on the left front (i.e., they ordered a right front for *both* fronts).

-Chris

markc123

I think the one tire was mounted incorrectly on the wheel. I dont think they make a left tire and a right tire (correct me if im wrong)..Is the arrow there so you dont rotate the tires from side to side or is a tire designed to go in one direction only?

Mark in Baltimore

Mark,

Your tire is unidirectional, meaning it's supposed to rotate in one direction only. Take the car back to the shop or dealer that mounted them and have a little chat.

Chris W. - '96 Targa

You're right, they didn't make a left/right tire (I'm still waking up and the coffee is just now kicking in ). The tires are designed to be mounted with the arrow pointing in the direction of rotation. On the left side of the car, the "left"side of the tire is out. On the right side of the car, the "right" side is out.

And as Mark in Baltimore suggests, you should have the tire remounted.



-Chris

mike cap

Mark,

The question I have for you is how you managed to get 20k out of the tires, even on the front?

graham_mitchell

I completely agree with what Mark in Baltimore said. Depending on the tire it could be very unsafe mounted that way!

Matt Romanowski

I would have them fix it, but most of the time in a radial tire the arrows are for the tread pattern, not the carcass of the tire. If you look at your tire, I'm sure you'll find that all the swipes and grooves are going in the wrong direction. You'll have horrible wet weather traction. Bias ply tires are another story all together.....

Matt

tsjoel

Another thing that is interesting is that the turbo twist wheels are not designated as left or right until you put your unidirectional wheels on them. Hard to explain.... but let me try. If you lay all of your wheels down you will see that the twist goes all in one direction. When you put them on the right side they will be rolling one direction and on the left side they will roll the other way. This can confuse some tire installers. If you have a targa you probably do not have turbo twists though.