Falcondrivr

Sorry if this is an old subject, but I was told that mounting the rear tires on my 993 on the opposite sides, rotating backwards, will increase the performance for autocross etc...
Anyone heard of this?

ca993twin

Falcondriver,

Do you actually have an old Ford Falcon? Or is that some sort of Jet plane?

I've never heard of what you describe. Be careful... some tires are "directional", some tires are "assimetrical", some tires are both, and some tires are neither. Tires that are directional will not like rotating backwards very well.

Greg H.

Last week I called Michelin about running MPSCs inside out - they are not directional, but do have an "in" and "out". They told me there would be a performance decrease. I tried to get the guy to admit it was just a liability thing, but he insisted it was a performance thing. Doesn't really answer your question, but I just thought I'd throw that out there.

Greg H.

Butzi

Hey falcondrvr,

Here's the thread I wrote about your car (prior to you owning it). It's more for entertainment, than anything else... https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ht=directional

TheOtherEric

Nah, that's BS.

On a dry track, running tires backwards typically makes no difference. On a wet track, running tires backwards would probably be dangerous. I run my street-R tires backwards all the time out on the track.

brad@tirerack.com

One thing we have seen on some R compound tires have treadcap layers that are joined at 45 degree angles is that if mounted backwards the treadcaps will delaminate, or begin to peel back, as if the ground was "picking at them" until a chunck of the tire comes off. Just keep an eye on them.

ca993twin

Jeepers... I didn't know Damon from Tire Rack was reading our threads. We'll have to watch the nice things we say about Tire Rack! Thnaks for sharing your knowledge with us, Damon.

Falcondrivr

1. It's some sort of plane from France. I don't own any Fords.

Butzi, That's exactly why I'm asking. I was talking to the guy there and mentioned that the wheels were on backwards when the car arrived here in Florida (I switched them back.) I got the same story that many people run them that way for increased performance...and that the unidirectional was pretty much only for channelling water in wet conditions. Well, anyone who spends time around here knows that when it rains (every afternoon) it really rains. So I told him I'd have to take the perf. penalty and run them the correct way.

I don't think that this guy is just trying to sell, he really believes it. (I don't) It was easier to switch them back than to come up with that story. He would have done it.

I switched them back, and the car appears to be a good one. I've put about 1500 miles on it so far. The best part is that light color 6 speed coupes are so rare here that I could sell it tomorrow and make money...Hmmm, maybe that '97 TurboS?????