Rotate Stock Potenza RE050A?

[liquidflem]

Guys,

Is it possible to rotate these tires? ie: left rear to front right? or are they directional?

Thanks,
Noah

 

[SPEED305]

they are not directional...so you can rotate them.

 

[SallySpeed3]

Rotate them frequently unless you want to be buying new tires after a measley 12,000 miles. I somehow got 25k out of my stockers.

 

[CWPspeed3]

front to back only, rotate often. I'm at 3/32 with 10k miles on them. One trip to tail of the dragon and no track days. Great tires but expensive as hell and wear quickly.

 

[Nliiitend1]

front to back only, rotate often. I'm at 3/32 with 10k miles on them. One trip to tail of the dragon and no track days. Great tires but expensive as hell and wear quickly.

There is no reason that you can't switch sides.

These are NOT unidirectional tires. They have an "inside edge" and an "outside edge" which don't change orientation when you switch sides...

Just remember that you should only switch sides on either the front or rear at once, and that you should stay consisitent with that practice (doing it the same way each time).

For instance, I tend to rotate my non-unidirectional tires this way:

Front tires straight back, and switch sides when moving the rear tires to the front.

 

[CWPspeed3]

Ok you could do it and probably not have any issues but it is recommend rotating asymmetric tires only front to back.

"If your tires are unidirectional (specific to one side of the car) or asymmetrical (the tread pattern changes from the inside of the tire to the outside), you can rotate them front to back but not side to side."

 

[Nliiitend1]

Ok you could do it and probably not have any issues but it is recommend rotating asymmetric tires only front to back.

"If your tires are unidirectional (specific to one side of the car) or asymmetrical (the tread pattern changes from the inside of the tire to the outside), you can rotate them front to back but not side to side."

Where'd you pull that quote from?? (dunno)

It's nonsense.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=43&

Now, if your tires were asymmetrical AND unidirectional, you'd be right, but that would preclude you from rotating them at all...

 

[liquidflem]

Thanks for the great info guys! I have almost 13K on mine and will need to have them replaced soon. I have gone to 4 autocrosses with two more remaining. I think i will basically have to get new ones after the last autocross based on the wear so far. Good tires though, but over priced.

 

[MikeHTally]

Front ones straight back, cross the rears and put 'em on the front. Do that every 6K or so.

 

[Nliiitend1]

Front ones straight back, cross the rears and put 'em on the front. Do that every 6K or so.

Or ~2500-3000 miles, if you drive spriritedly on soft rubber and and are anal about tire rotation like me.

 

[imac]

Front ones straight back, cross the rears and put 'em on the front. Do that every 6K or so.

I rotated mine around 4k when I painted my calipers, and by the time I got around to doing it again at 8k, they had barely passed inspection and I had to replace them by 10k. These tires are very soft, so I would rotate them every few thousand, just to be on the safer side.

Also, I dont understand what the controversy over side-to-side rotation is about... they're not directionals. You can rotate them any way you want, just be consistent in doing so, that way you'll make sure they wear evenly. There's no reason you can't just go back to front, but why not switch sides since you can? It's only going to help make them last longer and wear more evenly, not going to hurt anything.

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

Yeah, the stockers are not directional. Rotating them side to side and front to rear makes no difference in the tread pattern. Rotate them as you would any normal passenger car tire.

If they were directionals, you'd only be able to rotate the tires front-to-rear and vice versa.

 

[oaklandopen]

the important thing is to put the wheels back on properly when you're done. remember to tighten down the nuts by hand at first, then torque them down in a star pattern between 65-86 ft/lbs. then go for a short drive, and torque them again to be on the safe side if you wish

 

[liquidflem]

Should my front tires or rear tires wear more (I autocross, which i guess would mean i should know this!).

 

[imac]

front

 

[ALIEN3T]

I would cross the fronts when putting them to the rear. and brign the rear straight forward. Keep up on tire pressure also.

I havent rotated them in 16,000 miles though for the reason at the time the rear were lower.

I think im measuring the tires in x/64 now. lol since im at 33,000 miles on stockers.

 

[Nliiitend1]

I would cross the fronts when putting them to the rear. and brign the rear straight forward. Keep up on tire pressure also.

Actually, for FWD vehicles it's the other way around...

The method you detail is the proper way to rotate a RWD vehicle's tires.

Typically, you don't cross the drive wheels' tires when moving to non-driven wheels, but you cross non-driven wheels' tires when moving to the driven wheels.

 

[dan1101]

I'm at 26,000 on stockers, rotated every other oil change or so. But they need replaced, not much tread depth left.

 

[liquidflem]

Anyone know where i can find one of those little tread wear gauges that measures in millimeters. Autozone and Advance said they didnt have them =/ Maybe harbor freight does?

 

[oaklandopen]

Anyone know where i can find one of those little tread wear gauges that measures in millimeters. Autozone and Advance said they didnt have them =/ Maybe harbor freight does?

yea id say harbor freight has them. weird that the others don't, that should be a last-minute checkout item