Wheels on backwards!!

Let me open this up and see what you think. I have an '89 Mondial-t coupe with 348 wheels and as it was pointed out to me by a few Fchatters the rear wheels are mounted backwards (wrong sides).

So since the rear wheels are indeed mounted "backwards" is that going to make a marked difference in handling/performance (I don't feel that anything is wrong but I don't really have reference point). The rear tires are almost shot and I was going to get the wheels mounted correctly when I mounted the new tires. Is it OK to wait or should I do the change over now?

Thanks,

Steve

 

No it wont make any difference to the performance of the car, on a 348 if the wheels are on correctly they are supposed to make a slight contribution to brake cooling....not a problem with Mondials as they've never had wheels that do this

 

I think as long as the alignment spec does'nt change it should be ok

 

... or if your directional tires have been mismonuted, you'll have some issues.

 

As noted the castings are supposed to aid air circulation thru the brake area...no large deal to straighten out..

Definately keep the tire rotation as noted on the sidewall, that IS a bigger deal....

 

Thanks guys for your quick responses. The tires are mounted correctly so I think the consensus is that I can wait till I mount the new tires.

 

Do I have a bigger problem.
Have Bridgestone SO1 on my 355.
They are directional with specific L and R sides for rear.

Tires mounted correctly but just noted that they have been installed on the wrong sides ! This means that the tyre is rotating the wrong way.
Did not feel any noticeable difference in handling.

Plse advise.
Will tires be spoiled permanently? Already used some 1500 miles.
Or can I just switch them now and just carry on ?

thnx
kokpohching

 

I got two new rear tires on my 348 yesterday. Went with the closest Bridgestone Z series 225's to match my old ones. It was weird because it seemed the car wanted to oversteer a bit. Maybe it was just the new tires that I have to get use to!

 

IME, lately the directional rotation requirement is usually related to the tread design for getting the best water removal and/or tolerance to water at the ground (i.e., the tread design, coupled with the rotation, has characteristics that help urge the water forward and out) and/or road noise reduction (i.e., a continuous narrowish band without blocks). If they've got a significant tread asymmetry across the width (do you have a jpeg of the tread pattern?), I'd switch back, or at least put a higher priority on looking into switching back -- what does the internet say? Isn't the sensitivity of a radial tire carcass to changing rotation direction an old solved problem (you know people must mess this up occasionally so the product liabilty would be huge if it was a serious problem)?

 

Thnx for respond 91TR
Attached is picture of the left side tyre.

Apologies. don't know how to attach a picture.
Anyway this is an ebay page with the same tyre.
This is for the left side.
hope it can be open

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/18-BRIDGESTONE-EXPEDIA-S-01-265-40ZR18-TIRE-265-40-18_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ66483QQihZ015QQitemZ250d19591898QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

 

Apologies on the ebay link.
it does not work.

attached herewith are the pics for left side.
Bridgestone Expedia SO1
265/18
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I'd switch back -- my comments are in the jpeg:
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I agree..those were not marked LH and RH like GSCs?

 

Thnx for the detail explanation.

Did not looked at tyres in that light before.

Anyway I have switched back to correct side.
But concern is after running tyres for some 2000 miles in the wrong direction, would there be permanent damage to the tyres ?

BTW, these tyres have markings that state left and right.