STI Tires?

bcristea · 09-20-2003, 08:00 PM

Just a quick question,

Are the factory Bridgestones different for left and right hand sides?

I just noticed that my left (driver side) tires have a tread pattern that feathers towards the front and the right hand side tire pattern feathers towards the rear?

I'm just wondering if they make a left and a right tire and if I got 4 right hand ones?

Any idea's?

Thanks,

sc00by71 · 09-20-2003, 08:45 PM

They are not specific left or right but are directional. If you look you will see "outside" on the outer sidewall as long as they are not installed inside out they are fine.
Shawn

bcristea · 09-21-2003, 10:05 AM

My sidewalls are facing the correct way, its just that tread patten is reverse from left to right hand side?

I'll have to find another STi in the area and check out the tires.

Thanks,

Brian

MKIVSupra · 09-21-2003, 02:45 PM

I know exactly what you are talking about. I brought this up on another forum. I had to stare at the tires for a while because I thought I was seeing things. I guess it does not matter but it surprised me when I first noticed it.

Malcolm WRX · 09-21-2003, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sc00by71
They are not specific left or right but are directional. If you look you will see "outside" on the outer sidewall as long as they are not installed inside out they are fine.
Shawn

How can they not be specific left or right AND be directional, if one side of the tire is labeled OUTSIDE? This is confusing.

bcristea · 09-21-2003, 08:05 PM

This is exactly my point!

The left and right side tires are the exactly the same! But they should be different!

When looking at the rear tires side by side the pattern is exactly the same! They should infact be different. (like S03's)

Left side tread should feather back and right side tread should feather back. Not left forward and right back?

Is everybody's the same way or just mine?

The Left side tires will chunck faster than the rights!

Brian

Quote:

Originally posted by Malcolm WRX

How can they not be specific left or right AND be directional, if one side of the tire is labeled OUTSIDE? This is confusing.

sc00by71 · 09-21-2003, 08:48 PM

I suppose calling them directional was poor wording. Mine look just like every other one. Direction meaning outside mounted to the outside. Yes as you walk around the car they flip 180.Any tire that has a pattern than isn't uni-directional will look off comparing left to right as they are rotated backwards from each other. I am sure the tires were designed that way but what do I know.

bcristea · 09-21-2003, 08:57 PM

I sounds like everybody's is the same.

Looks like bridgestone did not want to make a left and right hand tire for the STI, unlike S03's.

Thanks,

Brian

robmarch · 09-22-2003, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Malcolm WRX

How can they not be specific left or right AND be directional, if one side of the tire is labeled OUTSIDE? This is confusing.

symmetric - Left and right are the same tire
asymmetric - Left and right tires are side specific

directional - arrow on the sidewall indicates direction of forward travel
non-directional - tires don't have a preferred rolling direction

"this side out" - mount this side towards the outside of the car.

It looks like the STi's tires are symmetric (even if the tires aren't physically symmetric - like tires of this class usually are), non-directional (since the tread pattern rolls one direction on the left side and another on the right side due to the next characteristic), and mount with a specific side out, probably to put a rigid external sidewall and different tread blocks out at the edges, to reduce sidewall flex on turn-in, while letting the internal sidewall be more flexible to account for camber.

bcristea · 09-22-2003, 10:19 AM

OK,

Tires are Asymmetrical but not Directional.

This means that you can rotate these tires any way you want?

Next question: Why develop an Asymmetrical non Directional tire?

Brian

robmarch · 09-22-2003, 12:25 PM

They are not physically symmetrical, but are used as symmetric tires. You can indeed put any tire in any position on the car, since they are all mounted "this side out".

Maybe subaru balked at the idea of having L and R specific tires to stock, and it probably doesn't impact dry handling too much. Wet handling was probably down on their list of concerns.

09-20-2003, 08:00 PM	#1
bcristea Scooby Specialist Member#: 11343 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Royal Oak, MI Vehicle: 2008 STi DGM	STI Tires? Just a quick question, Are the factory Bridgestones different for left and right hand sides? I just noticed that my left (driver side) tires have a tread pattern that feathers towards the front and the right hand side tire pattern feathers towards the rear? I'm just wondering if they make a left and a right tire and if I got 4 right hand ones? Any idea's? Thanks,

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09-20-2003, 08:45 PM	#2
sc00by71 Scooby Newbie Member#: 5362 Join Date: Apr 2001 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Olympia WA USA Vehicle: 2004 OBS Green	They are not specific left or right but are directional. If you look you will see "outside" on the outer sidewall as long as they are not installed inside out they are fine. Shawn

09-21-2003, 10:05 AM	#3
bcristea Scooby Specialist Member#: 11343 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Royal Oak, MI Vehicle: 2008 STi DGM	My sidewalls are facing the correct way, its just that tread patten is reverse from left to right hand side? I'll have to find another STi in the area and check out the tires. Thanks, Brian

09-21-2003, 02:45 PM	#4
MKIVSupra Scooby Newbie Member#: 4441 Join Date: Feb 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Wheeling, IL Vehicle: 2004 WRX STi WRB and Gold	I know exactly what you are talking about. I brought this up on another forum. I had to stare at the tires for a while because I thought I was seeing things. I guess it does not matter but it surprised me when I first noticed it.

09-21-2003, 08:48 PM	#7
sc00by71 Scooby Newbie Member#: 5362 Join Date: Apr 2001 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Olympia WA USA Vehicle: 2004 OBS Green	I suppose calling them directional was poor wording. Mine look just like every other one. Direction meaning outside mounted to the outside. Yes as you walk around the car they flip 180.Any tire that has a pattern than isn't uni-directional will look off comparing left to right as they are rotated backwards from each other. I am sure the tires were designed that way but what do I know.

09-21-2003, 08:57 PM	#8
bcristea Scooby Specialist Member#: 11343 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Royal Oak, MI Vehicle: 2008 STi DGM	I sounds like everybody's is the same. Looks like bridgestone did not want to make a left and right hand tire for the STI, unlike S03's. Thanks, Brian

09-22-2003, 10:19 AM	#10
bcristea Scooby Specialist Member#: 11343 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Royal Oak, MI Vehicle: 2008 STi DGM	OK, Tires are Asymmetrical but not Directional. This means that you can rotate these tires any way you want? Next question: Why develop an Asymmetrical non Directional tire? Brian

09-22-2003, 12:25 PM	#11
robmarch Scooby Specialist Member#: 18713 Join Date: May 2002 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Time is the Enemy Vehicle: 06 CRV 04 STi	They are not physically symmetrical, but are used as symmetric tires. You can indeed put any tire in any position on the car, since they are all mounted "this side out". Maybe subaru balked at the idea of having L and R specific tires to stock, and it probably doesn't impact dry handling too much. Wet handling was probably down on their list of concerns.