Ive noticed some tires have directional arrows while others do not. Does the direction actually matter? We flip tires on the rims especially front tires to get even wear. Thoughts…
No, it doesn’t matter. I’ve ran them every which way in every setting from club races to Vegas.
3 Likes
Erika, If the tire has a directional arrow, I would trust the manufacture and stick to the proper direction.
From Hoosier Kartsport on their directional tires, for reference and info:
On tires with directional arrows, please mount the tire onto the rim so that the tire travels in the direction of the rotational arrow. Once the tire is on the rim, we recommend placing the tire inside a mounting ring and adjusting the ring to fit snug around the tire. We highly advise using the mounting ring as we believe not using it can over stretch the carcass leading to inconsistent sizing. Never exceed 40 psi to seat beads. Once the tire has seated onto the rim, it is important the tire be initially stretched to about 10 psi over cold starting pressure to get the tire to its proper “profile”. The tire should be set at this pressure for a few minutes and then dropped to the desired race pressure. The max inflation pressure is 57 psi (4.0 kg/cm2). Never exceed the max inflation pressure under any circumstance.
1 Like
I have also run many tires both with and against the arrow with no issues, but I have heard certain manufacturers suggest to go with the direction.
I’ve also heard not to switch direction once you mount the tire, so if you run it with the arrow, always run that tire in that orientation. Again, never had issues but I’ve heard of people getting issues due to the tire getting ‘bedded in’ one direction and then the structural integrity of the tire being affected once the forces start going in the opposite direction.
But in general, this question gets posed a lot, and 99% of the time I’ve never seen or had an issue running either way.
2 Likes
I pay attention to the directional arrows about as much as I stay under 57 psi when mounting.
14 Likes
It said 40 psi when seating. Those tires must be a lot nicer then ones we run. I have made up a hose that i can clamp onyo the tire and stand 10 feet away while i dial up the pressure until it pops. I have some that got pretty nervous and decided to play it safe. FWIW the Vega website says the mounting direction doesn’t matter.
When we first started running MG Reds I posed this question to someone from MG which do have directional arrows. However, I was told it doesn’t matter, so I run them in both directions.
2 Likes
Colors out so you look cool.
6 Likes
I’ve seen guys DQd for not complying with directional arrows.
For me it’s no hardship to follow them so I do anyway 
1 Like
That’s not a thing here, fortunately.
1 Like
Rok Cup used to require that tires were mounted directionally, but they got rid of that rule a couple years back.
1 Like
Getting bounced for tire direction arrows is a sure sign of regulatory busy-body.
5 Likes
Thats usually start white walls out
Also, being an airplane engineer, my OCD won’t let me install them the wrong way 
1 Like
i once heard ryan norberg, when asked how he was able to pull off the win, say he wouldn’t have been able to do it, if not for his mechanic making sure the arrows on his tires went in the correct direction.
3 Likes
Ask an Engineer, and they’ll say YES!
Ask anybody else, they’ll say NO!
Thats been my experience . . . 
3 Likes
I always answer direction doesn’t matter, but I just mounted some new MG Reds and subconsciously did it directionally… The tires I dismounted were directional… 
1 Like
When I’m running them backward, I deep down hope I’m putting laps back in them, kind of a Ferris Bueller effect.
5 Likes
Are you guys better then automotive engineers? Cause I owe a bunch of them a kick in the nuts for making things not serviceable.
We don’t do heath robinson jobs if that’s what you mean. It’s either perfect or it doesn’t fly.
2 Likes