Any tyre experts? Is this tyre fitted the wrong way?
Discussion
I got some new Uniroyal RainSport 3s fitted which are supposedly asymmetrical tyres. I'm finding that both wet and dry braking is bordering on dangerous as the ABS is kicking in even on a dry smooth road with medium braking from high speed. The tyres have about 40 miles under them now so I find it unlikely that they are still "wearing in" and I never had any such issues with my previous RS2s or any tyre in the past for that matter.
I looked at the tread pattern and 'inside/outside' labelling on the tyres to check all was in order. All the tyres have 'outside' showing on the outside but imho the tread pattern on the offside is the wrong way round :
[front offside tyre]
http://imgur.com/fBQ9tMD
A tyre's water dispersion is supposed to disperse the water to the outside, but the V channels on that tyre will actually do the opposite. The offside rear is the same.
The nearside tyres show the correct pattern and fitting (imho) :
http://imgur.com/OIdCrUs
I've taken it to 2 different tyre shops and they are divided on opinion. 1 says that they're asymmetrical and designed to be like that, but couldn't explain why the water dispersion tread pattern was apparently the wrong way round and the other place agreed with me that they've been labelled incorrectly and to speak to Uniroyal for their opinion on the matter.
I looked at the tread pattern and 'inside/outside' labelling on the tyres to check all was in order. All the tyres have 'outside' showing on the outside but imho the tread pattern on the offside is the wrong way round :
[front offside tyre]
http://imgur.com/fBQ9tMD
A tyre's water dispersion is supposed to disperse the water to the outside, but the V channels on that tyre will actually do the opposite. The offside rear is the same.
The nearside tyres show the correct pattern and fitting (imho) :
http://imgur.com/OIdCrUs
I've taken it to 2 different tyre shops and they are divided on opinion. 1 says that they're asymmetrical and designed to be like that, but couldn't explain why the water dispersion tread pattern was apparently the wrong way round and the other place agreed with me that they've been labelled incorrectly and to speak to Uniroyal for their opinion on the matter.
All that jazz said:
I got some new Uniroyal RainSport 3s fitted which are supposedly asymmetrical tyres. I'm finding that both wet and dry braking is bordering on dangerous as the ABS is kicking in even on a dry smooth road with medium braking from high speed.
You have bought bespoke "summer" tyres. The temperatures at present are decidedly "winter". Why are you surprised??"The Uniroyal Rainsport 3 is a Ultra High Performance Summer tyre designed to be fitted to Passenger Cars."
Interestingly (in a nerdy type way), I've got 4 new Uniroyal Rainsport 3s fitted to my Mondeo, and they are fitted exactly the same. They seem to be 4 'single side' tyres, rather than 'sided'. They work fine though, and I don't experience anything like you describe (and trust me, I tried 
)
)Sidewall should have an arrow showing direction of rotation if they are full asymetric
TBH if you have only done 40 miles that probably usn't eneough to get rid of release agents etc, I reckon on circa 15o miles with my Avon ZZ5's and Vredstein Ultracs before grip is back to normal levels
TBH if you have only done 40 miles that probably usn't eneough to get rid of release agents etc, I reckon on circa 15o miles with my Avon ZZ5's and Vredstein Ultracs before grip is back to normal levels
That's just the way they are, just like the Vredestein Sessantas they appear to be directional but they are only asymmetric. You can take a wheel from one side of the car and fit it to the other, in which case it looks backwards but is fine. They are designed like that.
I'd say the apparent lack of grip is more likely to be the dried salt on the road - it is never really dry since it absorbs moisture and even it it dried completely it acts like a fine dust to spoil grip.
I'd say the apparent lack of grip is more likely to be the dried salt on the road - it is never really dry since it absorbs moisture and even it it dried completely it acts like a fine dust to spoil grip.
CraigyMc said:
Huh, so they're asymmetric but not directional... learn something new every day! blueg33 said:
Sidewall should have an arrow showing direction of rotation if they are full asymetric
ging84 said:
is there no direction rotation indicator on them?
Nope. Just had another look to be sure. Absolutely nothing on them at all re direction, no wording nor any arrow symbols. 
CraigyMc said:
Interesting .Seems that they're correct then, despite the grooves appearing to be backwards.
uniroyal said:
Therefore the direction of the grooves in the footprint does not matter since they work more or less like standard circumferential grooves.
OK. 
All that jazz said:
CraigyMc said:
Interesting .Seems that they're correct then, despite the grooves appearing to be backwards.
uniroyal said:
Therefore the direction of the grooves in the footprint does not matter since they work more or less like standard circumferential grooves.
OK. blueg33 said:
Vredstein Ultrac Sessantas were the same, looked odd until you were used to it. Bloody good tyres though
Unbelievably good for the money. I ran them on my VXR Astra, even at just under 300bhp with a heavy foot and traction control off they were near impossible to spin up, barely a slip even in the wet. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff