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How critical is the "directional" bit?

 
 
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Mikeyboy
Mud Obsessed


Joined: 15 Feb 2002
Odometer: 2514
Location: Staffordshire



PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:12 pm    Post subject: How critical is the "directional" bit? Reply with quote

Hi, I have some wear on the inner part of my rear tyres which is probably down to worn bushes on the rear links.

That will get sorted.

In the meantime I'd like to have the tyres rotated so the worn parts are on the outside...this should get me extra time and get a few extra miles out them.

Problem is that they say "OUTER" which I think means that the tyres are directionals.

What would happen if I rotated them? I mean the "OUTER" part would end up on the inside of the rim.

Is it so dangerous? Will they blow out or make the car so un-driveable?

I don't corner hard in it or throw it about.

Thanks.
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Terranosaurus
Articulating


Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Odometer: 949
Location: Bishop Auckland County Durham



PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 12:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What vehicle is this on? It sounds like the tyres are not only directional but are also handed. Basically they won't work properly if put on the wrong way/side. I'm guessing these are road tyres.

Tyres are designed to shift water to do this they must run the right way or they actually try to push water into th centre of the tread which is a good recipe for aquaplaning.

Handed tyres tend to have a different tread pattern on the outside edge, to give you a more substantial piece of rubber to "lean on" when cornering, so if run the wrong way they will not perform so well.

If they are the same size swap them front to back would be my advice.
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Mr Tyre
Mr Tyre


Joined: 17 Jun 2002
Odometer: 4957
Location: Darlington Co Durham



PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sptb wrote:
What vehicle is this on? It sounds like the tyres are not only directional but are also handed. Basically they won't work properly if put on the wrong way/side. I'm guessing these are road tyres.

Tyres are designed to shift water to do this they must run the right way or they actually try to push water into th centre of the tread which is a good recipe for aquaplaning.

Handed tyres tend to have a different tread pattern on the outside edge, to give you a more substantial piece of rubber to "lean on" when cornering, so if run the wrong way they will not perform so well.

If they are the same size swap them front to back would be my advice.

I think your only way out is to do what sptb suggested in the above posting, which is to swop the wheels from front to back.(as long as the tyres are still legal).
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Mikeyboy
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Joined: 15 Feb 2002
Odometer: 2514
Location: Staffordshire



PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep, the tyres are still legal.

It is a Mercedes E class 300 estate.

The rear suspension bushes may be worn as this kind of wear on this kind of car is usually indicative of worn bushes.

Thanks for the advice.

I think they'll stay where they are until I fix the problem.
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Mr Tyre
Mr Tyre


Joined: 17 Jun 2002
Odometer: 4957
Location: Darlington Co Durham



PostPosted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like something is worn as 2 or 3 people i know with 300 Mercedes either have tyres on the rear that wear out in the middle or wear fairly flat with maybe a tendency to wear the outside edges a little.
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Mikeyboy
Mud Obsessed


Joined: 15 Feb 2002
Odometer: 2514
Location: Staffordshire



PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Harry.

Below is a response from a MB forum:


The rear suspension will be a sophisticated mutilink system that all modern Mercs use.

The idea is that no matter what level the rear is at, the rear toe will remain constant on a journey, unlike a lot of other cars where the toe is constantly changing and thus constant steering adjustments are always having to be made as one travels.

The rear suspension is where the fabled Merc relaxed high speed cruising come from, with no need to keep making steering adjustments caused by dips and crests in the road (which cause toe changes on other cars) and thus less tiring on a long journey.

However the cost is a lot of rubber bushes in all the struts/arms that wear out over time.

The rear suspension could probably do with a complete overhaul with all the arms replaced each side.

That is four arms each side which include the new bushes at each end already installed in each arm.

Individual arms are farly cheap £20/£30 (at tha last count) but of course you have to add the labour charge if you farm the job out.

The arms are :

Torque

Thrust

Camber

Toe.

It is no good just replacing the toe arms first because there is normally a sequence of wear which takes place.

It is the Torque arm and Thrust arm which wear first, and so these will need to be replaced anyway.

It is very important that the suspension is allowed to settle on it's full load before the arms are tightened. That will ensure the rubber bushes are in the correct place for natural operation and not be subjected to extreme stress and quickly wear out. Youg mechanics often ignore that or do not understand.






......And:





I would get a wheel alignment done first.

This will show any problems.
__________________

I'd be surprised if the bushes were worn out at that mileage, but they could be. More likely the rear toe is out.

Have a full 4 wheel alighnment performed. Technically there is no adjustment for camber so it shouldn't be out.



Pass this on to your friends if it helps.
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clbarclay
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Joined: 22 Oct 2006
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Location: Worcesterhire


1987 Land Rover Range Rover

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Outer doesn't necessarily mean directional, just that it is orientation specific, if a tyre is directional then there will be an arrow of some kind showing the direction of rotation.

To be honest I can't think of a single car tyre that is both directional and handed. It would mean that the manufacture would have to produce 2 different tyres as a pair and have the additional logistic problems to deal with.

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Mr Tyre
Mr Tyre


Joined: 17 Jun 2002
Odometer: 4957
Location: Darlington Co Durham



PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dunlop make car tyres that is both handed and directional.You have to buy two for the LH side of the car and two for the RH side of the car, so in theory you need to buy 6 tyres so that you have one spare tyre for each side of the car, but what usually happens is to have a non directional spare tyre and drive a bit steadier especially if the weather is bad!
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teamtom
Articulating


Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Odometer: 851
Location: East Sussex



PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yes mate, dont switch the tyres from what they tell you to do on the tyres. there is a very good reason for these instructions even if they dont seem to make any sense. Sometimes the way the tyre is constructed inside is something to do with it and not just the tread pattern

Very Happy

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