Tire rotation question????
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 4
From: G-boro NC
Tire rotation question????
I am going to have all four of my tires off the rims and was wondereing if I should change the left tires to the right and vice versa??? The tires are Nitto 555's and have about 12-15K on them. They seem to be wearing fine and the way the tread looks I will probably get another 20K out of them.
Thanks, Todd
P.S. I bet a few of yall could wait to get this thread open with the title....
Thanks, Todd
P.S. I bet a few of yall could wait to get this thread open with the title....
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,651
Likes: 9
From: HOW FAST WAS I GOING OFFICER? Los Angeles Hating GM Dealership Service Dept.'s Since Sept. 2004
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Let me get this straight ...
You want to put the left tires on the right side and you're asking if it's ok to do it this way or should you put the right tires on the left side?
Krykee! I've gone cross eyed!
Hope this pic helps.
You want to put the left tires on the right side and you're asking if it's ok to do it this way or should you put the right tires on the left side?
Krykee! I've gone cross eyed!
Hope this pic helps.
Last edited by MyVetteDream; Dec 27, 2004 at 03:44 PM.
Instructor
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 220
Likes: 1
Tire Rotation Question
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but these are directional tires and if you cross rotated left front to right front and vice versa aren't you reversing the direction of the tire? Also obviously a normal tire rotation like the diagram provided is out of the question due to difference in tire sizes. You could do this if all your tires were the same.
Bill and my $.02
Bill and my $.02
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,876
Likes: 8
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '06 & '12
Originally Posted by majbillgsd
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but these are directional tires and if you cross rotated left front to right front and vice versa aren't you reversing the direction of the tire?
Bill and my $.02
Bill and my $.02
Not necessarily. If you were to rotate the left to the right the only way you could do it is by NOT changing the normal rotation of the tire. For example.. The outside of the left tire would become the inside of the right. If you did it ANY other way it would destroy the tire.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 19,105
Likes: 2
From: Paducah KY
Cruise-In VII Veteran
My Michelin Pilot Sports are directional rotation tires only and cannot be swapped around. Don't know about the Nitto's, but I would bet they are the same. If you look on the side wall of tire you'll see the directional arrows that show the proper mounting rotation
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 10,212
Likes: 344
If you look at the diagram, the direction doesn't change--they're still spinning the same way. But obviously the stock sizes are different so I assume the original poster has the same size tires at all 4 corners.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 24,129
Likes: 1,038
From: The Beautiful Pacific Northwest
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
Originally Posted by USARMYTTT
They seem to be wearing fine
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 16,477
Likes: 26
From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
Originally Posted by majbillgsd
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but these are directional tires and if you cross rotated left front to right front and vice versa aren't you reversing the direction of the tire? Also obviously a normal tire rotation like the diagram provided is out of the question due to difference in tire sizes. You could do this if all your tires were the same.
Bill and my $.02
Bill and my $.02
Since the tires are wearing evenly, I'd say there's not much to be gained.
If running excessive camber, causing the inside of the tread to wear sooner, then there would be a nice benefit to this...the outer tread would now become the inner tread and some life could be gained from such a swap.
Also note some directional tires are also side-specific and have a different outer or inner tread pattern as well. BFG KD's are such an example, and they can't even be rotated swapping the tires on the wheels. I don't know if the Nitto's are like this, but it's another consideration.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 19,557
Likes: 1,470
From: I love you & miss you Linda
2017 C7 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Contributor
Originally Posted by majbillgsd
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but these are directional tires and if you cross rotated left front to right front and vice versa aren't you reversing the direction of the tire? Also obviously a normal tire rotation like the diagram provided is out of the question due to difference in tire sizes. You could do this if all your tires were the same.
Bill and my $.02
Bill and my $.02
The diagram above IS indeed out of the question with Corvettes.
Now there really is no reason though to go through this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,118
Likes: 122
From: Madison (Huntsville) Alabama
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
You can swap side to side only if you dismount the tire from the wheel and remount from the other side. If you just move the left rear to the right rear, for example, it would be going backwards. I'm not sure it's a good idea anyway ... I think that radial tires get 'set' in their ways ... although on regular nondirectional tires, they do do a side-to-side swap. I'd just keep them in the same place.
Unless I'm mistaken, the directionality is primarily for water rejection when driving in the rain ... which we never do anyway.
Unless I'm mistaken, the directionality is primarily for water rejection when driving in the rain ... which we never do anyway.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,701
Likes: 24,672
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Personally, I would just leave them where they are at. They are obviously wearing well so why mess with it. JMO.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,374
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville Florida
Originally Posted by Patches
The benefits to such a heinous act are, IMHO, marginal, at best. 
I just run the heck out of mine 'til all the rubber is gone on them or about 4 months - whichever comes first then rotate them for new ones.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,269
Likes: 50
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'09-'10
Originally Posted by Patches
The benefits to such a heinous act are, IMHO, marginal, at best.
Not worth the time, trouble, and possible tire damage to demount and remount. 
If it ain't broke, don't fix it (or f #@%k it up) IMHO. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 0
From: Richmond Virginia
Originally Posted by majbillgsd
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but these are directional tires and if you cross rotated left front to right front and vice versa aren't you reversing the direction of the tire? Also obviously a normal tire rotation like the diagram provided is out of the question due to difference in tire sizes. You could do this if all your tires were the same.
Bill and my $.02
Bill and my $.02
