Directional Tyres

Derek M5 wrote: Peter Fenwick wrote: It maybe in your neck of the woods. Never heard it round my way  Need to get out more

LOL. Probably. Too much time on this forum!

kbannon wrote: Peter Fenwick wrote: Never heard that phrase before. Acting the maggot. Common enough phrase this side the channel!

It maybe in your neck of the woods. Never heard it round my way 

Ignorance is no excuse I know, but my experience with foriegn Police when dealing with the differences in laws  - possiblly because of language barriers etc. - you normally just get a polite explantion of what you should/shouldn't have been doing and sent on your way.

Unless you're going too fast, then you have to get your wallet out!

I've used them on bikes in the past but bike tyres/wheels are easier to handle. I would like to be trying to fit one of those plugs roadside on a car.

And it still doesn't answer your actual question regarding the legality/efficiency of reverse mounted directional tyres

micky_h wrote: I've got a 17 in the back of the M3 and that certainly doesnt stand proud of the carpet. Don't quote me on this but I'm sure that the full size spare was an option,although on a 15 it might have been standard.Mind you someone on here is bound to know for sure.

Yes the M3 has a different boot trim to the standard cars to accomodate the extra height with the tyre in the well.

The 328 had alloys as standard (15") and so should come with a matching set from new.

Andy

sods law says thats when you get pulled tho'.

speaking of pulling, complete numpty in A3 when leaving the Chunnel terminal at 0230hrs, straight off the train and pulling 120ish on the M20!!

At the time all the Le Mans boys are returning?!?

what a pillock! 

sleeper wrote: Some things to bear in mind - a) directionals the wrong way will run hotter as the friction increases and wear faster. b) the E36 and E46 M3's have 7.5" front rims and 8.5" rear rims. With a full size spare for point B which would you carry?  Surely you can't mix rim widths on the axle???

E34 runs 17x235 on 8j's at the front and 17x 255 on 9j's at the rear, I was told to have a 235 spare 'cos the 255 would rub if fitted to the front. Re: mixing rim widths I think it's a case of not acting the maggot when running on your spare, otherwise there'd have been a different solution provided by BMW.

BTW, does anyone know what were the OEM tyres for the E34 M5's?

Nigel wrote: Possibly, but then you would be mixing directional and non directional on the same axle. I would expect that to be a no no too.

I raised this query a while back and my tyre fitter said the directionals were worth the effort when running wide low profile tyres which have often been associated with increased risk of aqua-planing. The directional tyres aparently sort this. I've never had a problem with my goodyears even when I've seen a deep patch of water running across the road and prepared for the worst.

He recommended using an assymetrical tyre from the same manufacturer as your main wheels and didn't want to comment on how fitting the tyre backwards would affect handling, braking, wear or wet weather response - his reply was a flat NO. 

Badger 540 wrote: My Dad has a 17" spare for his E36. It would be proud of the boot carpet level (as the tyre is wider) except you can get some replacement trim parts from the dealers which raise the carpet height. End of problem.

That's fair enough but why pay out for these replacement trim parts?

If I get a pucture the first thing I would do would be to drive to a tyre place and get a new one fitted. Driving for a few miles on a 15" steel wheel wouldn't bother me.

On top of this it will reduce the boot space. Not an issue if it is a second car, but mine isn't and I find the boot size (and lack of folding rear seats!) an inconvenience as it is. 

Finally my car has optional 16" wheels (15s were standard) Would it have come with a 16" spare alloy? if not, if it had the standard 15" alloys fitted would it have come with an alloy wheel spare?