Are these tyres on right?

[manmaths]

A few days ago I enquired about my humming car:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

and general consensus was the tyres were the issue. I have checked them and am pretty sure both left hand tyres have worn in a sawtooth pattern (thanks to those who suggested this). Not really visible to the eye but running your hand round the outer tread blocks (compared to the right hand tyres) you can feel a kick as you reach each new tread block on the outside of each tyre.

Anyway, when I was looking at them I happened to notice that the tread pattern was different on left Vs right hand tyres.

Here is the right hand side:


The tyre rotates clockwise in the image. The tread pattern on the outside of the tyre sweeps forward into an arrow shape (this may or may not be significant).

Here is the tread of the (right hand) tyre in full:


It looks like the tread is symmetrical on a vertical axis.

Here is the left hand tyre:


It rotates anticlockwise in the image. You can see the sweep of tread is now going backwards and the "arrows" (which may not be arrows) are pointing backwards.


Is this normal for tyres? I think it's strange that one side sweeps forward and the other sweeps back. And it's the left tyres only that have sawtoothed.


Because the tread pattern is symmetrical could/should the garage not have mounted 2 tyres the other way round so that the tread patterns match for the direction of travel?

I checked my old mans car as it's still wearing it's factory boots from Audi - and it is the same as mine. So maybe this is normal and nothing to do with the sawtooth wear?

Or should I speak to the garage that fitted them?

Any advice appreciated. I will wait to hear what all y'all think before I speak to the garage that fitted them and come out looking like an idiot.

Nathan

[rb5er]

Check the sidewall of the tyre.

It may say "outside" or "inside" or it may have an arrow for the direction the are meant to rotate in.

If not then they can go on either way which by looking at those tyres is likely the case.

[manmaths]

Hi rb5er - I checked the side walls and there is no directional arrow - couldn't see any reference to inside or outside either.

[kambites]

manmaths said:

Hi rb5er - I checked the side walls and there is no directional arrow - couldn't see any reference to inside or outside either.

In that case they're designed to fit any way around. It's quite common to have non-symmetric tyres which are designed to run in either direction. What model of tyre are they?

[gizlaroc]

That is an asymmetrical tyre, not symmetrical.

[xRIEx]

manmaths said:

Because the tread pattern is symmetrical could/should the garage not have mounted 2 tyres the other way round so that the tread patterns match for the direction of travel?

The tread pattern is not reflectionally symmetrical, it is rotationally symmetrical - if you were to mount those tyres on the wheels the other way round, the tread would look exactly the same as it does now.

As RB5er said, the sidewalls will have 'Outside/Inside', direction of travel arrows, both of those or neither of those if orientation is important.

[manmaths]

gizlaroc said:

That is an asymmetrical tyre, not symmetrical.

Yea sorry I meant the pattern is similar on each side of the tyre so that if the tyres on the left of the car were flipped they would then match the tyres on the right (with the outside tread arrows all pointing forward).

N

[sradmarty]

manmaths said:

A few days ago I enquired about my humming car:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

and general consensus was the tyres were the issue. I have checked them and am pretty sure both left hand tyres have worn in a sawtooth pattern (thanks to those who suggested this). Not really visible to the eye but running your hand round the outer tread blocks (compared to the right hand tyres) you can feel a kick as you reach each new tread block on the outside of each tyre.

Anyway, when I was looking at them I happened to notice that the tread pattern was different on left Vs right hand tyres.

Here is the right hand side:


The tyre rotates clockwise in the image. The tread pattern on the outside of the tyre sweeps forward into an arrow shape (this may or may not be significant).

Here is the tread of the (right hand) tyre in full:


It looks like the tread is symmetrical on a vertical axis.

Here is the left hand tyre:


It rotates anticlockwise in the image. You can see the sweep of tread is now going backwards and the "arrows" (which may not be arrows) are pointing backwards.


Is this normal for tyres? I think it's strange that one side sweeps forward and the other sweeps back. And it's the left tyres only that have sawtoothed.


Because the tread pattern is symmetrical could/should the garage not have mounted 2 tyres the other way round so that the tread patterns match for the direction of travel?

I checked my old mans car as it's still wearing it's factory boots from Audi - and it is the same as mine. So maybe this is normal and nothing to do with the sawtooth wear?

Or should I speak to the garage that fitted them?

Any advice appreciated. I will wait to hear what all y'all think before I speak to the garage that fitted them and come out looking like an idiot.

Nathan

To me the tyres aren't directional so it wouldn't matter what way the garage put them on.

You say you can feel it on the outer tread blocks on the left hand side, if I was right then you'd feel it on the inside of the right hand tyres? Or is it definitely just the outer left?

[manmaths]

sradmarty said:

To me the tyres aren't directional so it wouldn't matter what way the garage put them on.

You say you can feel it on the outer tread blocks on the left hand side, if I was right then you'd feel it on the inside of the right hand tyres? Or is it definitely just the outer left?

Didn't notice any issue with the right hand side tyres but I should check again. Pretty sure it's just outer left. The humming caused by the sawtoothing disappears when I take a left hand bend and the weight shifts to the right hand side.

[marshalla]

manmaths said:

Didn't notice any issue with the right hand side tyres but I should check again. Pretty sure it's just outer left. The humming caused by the sawtoothing disappears when I take a left hand bend and the weight shifts to the right hand side.

Are you SURE it isn't a wheel bearing ?

[rb5er]

manmaths said:

Hi rb5er - I checked the side walls and there is no directional arrow - couldn't see any reference to inside or outside either.

If that is definitely the case then the tyres can be fitted either way.

Decent tyres can and do make a huge difference to the feel and handling of a car.

I have also had tyres make odd road noises.

Edited by rb5er on Sunday 6th July 20:27

[manmaths]

xRIEx said:

The tread pattern is not reflectionally symmetrical, it is rotationally symmetrical - if you were to mount those tyres on the wheels the other way round, the tread would look exactly the same as it does now.

As RB5er said, the sidewalls will have 'Outside/Inside', direction of travel arrows, both of those or neither of those if orientation is important.

mmmm. I stared at the tyre for a few minutes and after it had gone all "magic eye" on me, I realised you are right. If they were flipped they would just be the same. Thank you good sir.

I can't believe I was issued with a degree certificate.

[manmaths]

kambites said:

In that case they're designed to fit any way around. It's quite common to have non-symmetric tyres which are designed to run in either direction. What model of tyre are they?

I plead the 5th.




Ok.
They are Keter.


Is that an elephant in the room?

[manmaths]

marshalla said:

Are you SURE it isn't a wheel bearing ?

I'm not sure about anything TBH. I'm booking the car in for a 4 wheel alignment because it hasn't been done under my ownership. I will get my trusty mechanic to have a look. It did fly through it's MOT in May so not long ago for a bearing?

[northandy]

What car are they on?

I know passats have trouble where perfectly good tyres can be very noisy, something called castellation, which causes a humming noise akin to a knackered wheel bearing

[Impasse]

manmaths said:

They are Keter.

I have never heard of this brand.

[Podie]

Impasse said:

manmaths said:

They are Keter.

I have never heard of this brand.

Don't they make go karts for children?

[rb5er]

Impasse said:

manmaths said:

They are Keter.

I have never heard of this brand.

Crappy tyres like these are very likely to cause untoward noises. The noise may well fade over time unless it is a wheel bearing in which case it will more likely get louder.

[kambites]

Impasse said:

manmaths said:

They are Keter.

I have never heard of this brand.

Me neither - they seem to be primarily a lorry tyre manufacturer.

[manmaths]

northandy said:

What car are they on?

I know passats have trouble where perfectly good tyres can be very noisy, something called castellation, which causes a humming noise akin to a knackered wheel bearing

Hi northandy - it's a Mazda6 diesel estate. Just a family workhorse and takes me on a big commute every now and again. I've grown to like it in a strange way but I don't really need it singing to me every time we go straight or turn right.

It's really a bit of a shed, and with the cost of 4 new tyres I might as well take out a finance deal on a brand new car.