Asymmetric tire installation on the left and on the right

The last post talked about three different tire patterns, and asymmetric tire pattern obtained are most often manufactured.

Asymmetric tire has an indicator "OUTSIDE" on the sidewall to tell people that it is mounted with the side facing outwards of the vehicle, and it can be installed on any side of the vehicle...... until a customer asked me regarding the installation of this asymmetric tyre on the left and right, I found out that I still need to learn more...

When this type of tyre is installed on the left and right, the patterns become different. This time, I use Kenda KR400 asymmetric tire to have a look of it.

The left side of the tire, the pattern (looking from outside to inside) goes from left top to the right bottom, and the right side of tire, the pattern (looking from outside to inside) goes from right bottom to the left top. 

Under normal circumstances, the pattern mounting on the left should be the same as on the right or vice versa (as depicted on the picture below, using red line)

The final production of such tire pattern is (probably or looks like) because of the manufacturing cost is lower, and according to the testing result which shows there is no issue with the performance.

In foreign country(ies), there are models with asymmetric tyre pattern indicated to mount on the left and right. 

Anyway, we do not need to care much about the pattern as there is only such asymmetric tire available in Hong Kong market, and as long as we are following the OUTSIDE and INSIDE mounting instruction

不對稱輪胎的安裝位置

 係上一次就講到分別有三款呔紋, 而不對稱呔紋又係市場上佔左一定既地位.

不對稱呔紋輪胎有既標示, OUTSIDE, 都好明顯話俾人知個位係對出, 就應該可以裝係部車任何前後左右既位置...... 直到我俾人問左一個問題, 我發現我自己真係唔夠細心. 

當呢種呔裝係左面, 同埋右面既, 就會發現呔紋其實係唔同左方向. 今次就拎左Kenda KR400 既不對稱輪胎睇睇. 細心觀察下, 裝係左邊既呔紋(由出面去入面睇) 係由左上角去右下角. 而裝係右邊既呔紋係(由出面去入面睇)由右下角去左上角

正常黎講, 裝係左邊既呔紋應該同裝係右邊既呔紋成為倒影 (如下圖, 用紅色線示).  

係最後決定生產出黎最後都係得一款, inside outside 呔紋而不分安裝於左或右, 好似係因為製造成本費會較平, 同埋根據測試後發現就算似照第一張圖既情況下安裝, 性能都冇問題. 

不過咁樣睇第一圖既裝法, 總係覺得好似.. 怪怪的?

外國市場都好似有不對稱既呔係有分安裝於左及右. 不過係呢到香港, 都係唔好諗咁多啦, 跟番佢話係OUTSIDE 就向番出咁裝. 因為我地都冇得揀. 只係得呢啲OUTSIDE 同 INSIDE 既呔.

輪胎呔紋 - 點樣睇

好奇或者唔知到底自己用緊個條呔係啲咩呔紋?

 (暫時)  現時只有三款既輪胎胎紋

單向紋,  雙向紋及不對稱紋

     單向紋 既紋向會指向(前方)一方. 輪胎的側壁會有指呔紋的方向. 安裝輪胎於呔鈴時的方向就會取決於輪胎應該安裝在汽車的左邊還是右邊. 

係香港有單向紋的呔款既例子:

Dunlop DZ102

                                   Yokohama V701                               Sailun Z4

係咁多款輪胎當中, 單向紋既輪胎較為少. 幾乎可以一隻手就都數得晒. (除左賽車或熱溶輪胎如 Yokohama AD08R, Sailun R01 Sport, Dunlop ZIII 等等, 通常都會係單向紋.) 理論上單向紋既輪胎係濕地上較為出色.

    雙向紋輪胎 可以無需理會任何方向, 任意安裝在任何位置的汽車上. 

係香港有雙向紋的呔款既例子:

                                                 Dunlop LM704                        Kenda KR30

 

以及大部分既商用貨車輪胎如 Michelin Agilis, Kumho PorTran KC53 都係雙向紋.

理論上雙向紋輪胎會較為耐用. 但係同單向紋輪胎一樣, 係香港都係得好少款先有.

    最後, 不對稱輪胎胎紋 係(暫時)佔全世界最多款既呔紋款式.

不對稱胎紋, 顧名思義就係兩邊既紋都係唔同. 會係兩邊既呔壁上分別列明 OUTSIDE 及 INSIDE.

OUTSIDE 指安裝輪胎在呔鈴時, 該位置需要對外. 

係香港有不對稱輪胎胎紋的呔款既例子:

                                            Falken FK510                      Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Yokohama 如 AE50, AE51, AE61

                                               Yokohama AE51                 Sailun ZSR 

Kumho PS91 等等.

當時設計師想將單向紋及雙向紋的特性加埋一齊, 所以就出現了不對稱呔紋, 都係大部分人現時買得最多既款.

不對稱呔紋都可以安裝於汽車任何位置 (前後左右) ........... 定好似係?

Tyre tread patterns - How to tell the difference

Curious, or even wonder the tyre that you purchase has what sort of pattern?

There are three types of tyre pattern in general:

Directional, Asymmetric and Symmetric

     Directional tyre has a tread pattern that points towards (to the front) one direction. Instead of indicating whether the tire should install on the left side or the right side of the vehicle, it has an arrow sign imprinted on the tire sidewall indicating the direction of the tire pattern.

Example of directional tyres available in Hong Kong include

Dunlop DZ102

                                   Yokohama V701                               Sailun Z4

With a myriad of models available, you can count how many directional tire just with a single hand. (Except racing performance tyre such as Yokohama AD08R, Sailun R01 Sport, Dunlop ZIII which are normally directional tyre pattern). Theoretically speaking, directional tyres got a upper hand in wet performance.

    Symmetric tyre tread pattern allows users to mount without concerning mounting directions. It can be installed on whichever side of the vehicle. 

Example of symmetric tyre available in Hong Kong

                                                 Dunlop LM704                        Kenda KR30

 

Most of the commercial tyres such as Michelin Agilis, Kumho PorTran KC53

Theoretically speaking, symmetric tires are more longer lasting. Just like directional tires, there are only a few symmetric tyres model available in HK.

    Lastly, Asymmetric tyres models takes up the major share in the automotive world (at this moment). 

The tread pattern of the tire on one side is different from that on the other side, which is defined as OUTSIDE and INSIDE, indicated at the sidewall.

The word OUTSIDE implies that the mounting of the tyre at that side should face out. 

Example of the assymetric tyres available in Hong Kong

                                            Falken FK510                      Michelin Pilot Sport 4

Yokohama AE category such as AE50, AE51, AE61

                                               Yokohama AE51                 Sailun ZSR 

Kumho PS91, etc etc etc

The designers wanted to combine directional tyres and symmetric tyres strength, resulting in asymmetric tyres that most people are purchasing now.

These asymmetric tyres can be installed at any side of the vehicle ............... Or is it?