Tire Rotation Direction Arrow

[jOe]

I have a Dunlop tire mounted on a rim. Each side has a rotation direction arrow. They point in opposite directions. The arrow on the left hand side points in the correct direction for forward rotation, while the one on the right hand side points towards a backwards,reverse direction rotation. Is this tire on correctly?

[hayleyl]

It sounds like you have a tyre that can be use on the front or rear. There should be another mark indicating front or rear application with or near the directional pointer. Your front wheel does most of the braking - your rear wheel does all of the propulsion. These sorts of tires are oriented and constructed to give the most traction to the primary fore-and-aft forces. If there is no indication for rear or front application you may have a crook or dodgy moulded tyre. Cheers Hayley

[jOe]

It's clearly marked "front tire". 19 inch.

[hayleyl]

Hmmmmm - that's interesting. Maybe it's non directional? That is it doesn't matter which way its fitted. Normally it will state on the tyre if it's non directional. Have no other explanation jOe. Cheers Hayley.

[jOe]

Looking at the tread, I don't see any directionality to it. When I first spotted the wrong way arrow I started to dismount it then flipped it over and spotted the right way arrow. If I flipped it, the arrows would still point in the same direction.
So I left the way it was. Flipping it would have made no difference.
Maybe the arrows are an instruction for the mounting of the tire?
I'm still scratching my head over what to do. The best idea I've come up with is to grind off the wrong way arrow.

[hayleyl]

Sounds like a plan jOe - I've never seen markings like that contradict themselves. If it's round and black and holds air - it should be fine. I'll ask around - there may be some simple explanation. Cheers Hayley

[hennesse]

I have a Dunlop tire mounted on a rim. Each side has a rotation direction arrow. They point in opposite directions. The arrow on the left hand side points in the correct direction for forward rotation, while the one on the right hand side points towards a backwards,reverse direction rotation. Is this tire on correctly?

What you have is a bi-hemispherical tire. No, that doesn't mean it is two half-circles. What it means is that your tire was designed to work in both the Northern Hemisphere (most of us), and also in the Southern Hemisphere (hayleyl down in Australia).

There's this thing called the Coriolis Effect. According to Wikipedia

This force causes moving objects on the surface of the Earth to be deflected to the right (with respect to the direction of travel) in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

If we (most of us) stand on the right side of a motorcycle and push it forward, the tires will rotate clockwise. However, if hayleyl stands on the left side of the motorcycle and pushes it forward, the tyres will appear to turn anti-clockwise !!!

Even stranger things happen down there in the Antipodes. If you put a British-made tire (tyre) on one wheel, and an Aussie (or NZ)-made tire (anti-tyre) on the other wheel, they will annihilate each other, and your wheels won't turn in either direction! This matter / anti-matter behavior is responsible for the tremendous amount of shrinkage in "Antique Stores" - the Ques and anti-Ques annihilate each other. Usually late at night, when someone forgot to lock the back door.

Did this posting have any serious purpose? I don't think so...

[hayleyl]

So it's like our water rotates clockwise down the sink and yours drain anticlockwise (or vice versa) - I've never heard of that effect on inanimate objects. Looks like I've learned something today so therefore I can take tomorrow off - and maybe go for a ride somewhere - there's bound to be an old pub open on a Friday somewhere in the back blocks...Cheers Hayley.

[hennesse]

Looks like I've learned something today so therefore I can take tomorrow off - and maybe go for a ride somewhere - there's bound to be an old pub open on a Friday somewhere in the back blocks...Cheers Hayley.

Wait, wait - tomorrow's Thursday by my reckoning. Does this mean I have to drink TWO beers for every ONE you drink in order for the room to be spinning in the same direction for both of us? Or maybe it's only HALF. This is sooo confusing...

[EKHKHK56]

The arrows may mean for boys or girls? Or lefties or righties