Tire manufacturers have developed asymmetrical tires. The design features, as well as the tread pattern, provide the specified type of tires with good grip of the wheels with the road surface. Our article describes the advantages and disadvantages of such tires, indicates the features of its installation.

Various types of tread patterns

Under the concept of asymmetric tires, it is necessary to understand tires that differ in the direction of the pattern of the outer, as well as the inner side of the treadmill. The first company to introduce the production of this type of rubber was famous brand Nokian, which produced tires with a directional tread pattern. Features of these tires:

• you can put tires in accordance with the direction of the arrow or the inscription "ROTATION" on the side of the tire;
• tires are divided into left and right, marked respectively with the letters L or R.

When installing directional asymmetrical rubber the following difficulties arose:

1. It was almost impossible to install two wheels with a left designation or two products with a right marking, since tires with left and right markings were rarely present in one car shop.
2. Determining the type of tire for a spare tire is quite difficult: it is impossible to know in advance which wheel will need to be replaced. In force majeure situations, drivers installed the spare tire on the wrong side, which led to accelerated wear of the tread layer.

Tire manufacturers have decided to stop producing asymmetric tires with a directional pattern. They were replaced with similar rubber with a non-directional tread pattern.

You can identify non-directional asymmetric tires by the following features:

1. In this type of rubber, the inside is softer than the outside. This allows you to properly distribute the load when the car enters a turn: most of the load falls on the outer part of the product.
2. The tread blocks on the outside of the tire are larger than those on the inside. This design of the tread layer allows for better fluid drainage from the wheel adhesion patch to the road surface. This reduces the risk of aquaplaning and makes driving easier.
3. Tires are installed on the left and right side.

On symmetrical tires there is no marking of the outer and inner side; on this basis, it is easy to distinguish symmetrical tires from asymmetric products.

Advantages and disadvantages, installation features

Advantages of tires with an asymmetric tread layer:

Disadvantages: significant disadvantages were present in asymmetric tires with a directional tread pattern, but this type of tire was discontinued.

The installation of rubber with an asymmetric tread pattern is carried out taking into account the outer and inner sides of the product. You can find out which side to mount the tires by the appropriate inscription on the side of the tire. Their outer side has one of the designations:

• outside;
• side facing outwards;
• external.

The inside of the tire has one of the markings:

• this side facing forwards;
• inside.

When mounting such tires, the direction of the tread pattern does not matter. Proper installation involves the placement of tires depending on the outer and inner side of the tire.

Conclusion

Asymmetrical tires are often confused with directional tires - this causes difficulties in installing these products on a car. We indicated distinctive characteristics and design features tires that have an asymmetrical tread pattern, which must be considered when buying and installing this type of rubber.

Purchase of tires asymmetrical pattern The tread layer is relevant when buying expensive tires, such a tread pattern ensures a long rubber life.

The question “why did they bring me all four right (or left) asymmetric tires?” most attentive car owners ask when delivering tires.

We will answer right away: “right”, however, as well as “left” asymmetric tires are not currently available.

A few years ago, Nokian had Nokian asymmetric directional tires (model NRV) that were "left" and "right". But it turned out that such a decision caused a lot of inconvenience.

First, it complicates and increases the cost of production. Secondly, these inconveniences were associated with the fact that it often turned out that only left tires remained in one warehouse, and only right tires in another. Thirdly, it was not clear which one to buy spare wheel, because no one knows which tire will flatten or become unusable.

Imagine a situation where you bought 5 tires, two left and three right, logically believing that the shoulder is on the right and there are more holes and debris that can damage the tire. By the way, according to statistics, it is the right wheels that suffer more often than the left. But, by coincidence, it was the left tire that fell into disrepair! And having 4 tires of the same model (one left and three right), you still can't fit the car with tires.

It is for these reasons that manufacturers now do not produce left and right asymmetric car tires.

Then a reasonable question arises, it turns out that the asymmetric tires that are on the left “work” differently than on the right?

Yes exactly. When the same asymmetric tires are on the right, then part of the water is ejected, as it were, inward back, and if they are on the left, then they eject water inward forward.

How does it all work and does it interfere with driving in the rain? Numerous tests and studies by major tire manufacturers have shown that this tire design does not affect handling.

Asymmetric tread patterns come from motorsport. And they still remain the most efficient at high speeds, especially in terms of good directional stability in cornering and informative driving. It is asymmetric tires that are now conquering the car tire market. They have many advantages over symmetrical and directional tires.

1. Excellent handling of the car, due to the fact that the outer sidewall of the tire (marked on the tire - outside), which is much more loaded in a turn, is made denser and with larger tread blocks. And the internal, on which the load is much less, on the contrary, is softer. This results in a good contact patch between the tire and the road. excellent handling cars.
2. Spare wheel versatility Unlike directional tires, asymmetric tires do not need to be remounted on the rim in the other direction, when mounting the wheel from right to left (or vice versa). After all, the outer side of an asymmetric tire put on a disc will always remain outer, both when installing the wheel on the left and on the right.

That is why asymmetric tires have become so popular and in demand, despite the fact that they remove water from the contact patch a little differently.

Large asymmetric tire companies (such as Michelin, Nokian, Goodyear, Continental) do a huge amount of research, developing and testing various tire designs, tread patterns and rubber compounds. Therefore, buying tires from well-known manufacturers, they can be safely trusted in this aspect.

The only thing is that after you have installed asymmetric tires on your car in a tire shop, it is advisable to check that they are installed correctly.

The inner side of the tire is designated INSIDE, and the outer side OUTSIDE. Therefore, if you see the inscription OUTSIDE on all tires (on the sidewalls), bypassing the car, then everything is installed correctly (you should not see the inscriptions INSIDE outside the car).

Some manufacturers of asymmetric tires designate the outer side of the tire (Outside) as: This side facing outwards, Side facing outwards or External. A inside tires (Inside): This side facing inwards or Side facing inwards.

Regardless of what tires are intended for: for passenger car or these are tires for SUVs - they are divided into several main types:

Asymmetric tires- tires, the tread pattern of which is different on the outer and inner parts of the treadmill. They are indicated by the following inscriptions on the sidewall of the wheel: “Outside”, “Inside”, “Facing Out”, “Side Facing Inwards”, etc.

Symmetric tires- these tires have a symmetrical tread, cord and sidewall construction. They can be installed on the car in any position.

Directional tires- automobile tires with a strictly directional tread pattern, the direction of rotation of such wheels is indicated by an arrow on the sidewall of the wheel. They are marked with the inscription "Rotation" and an arrow of the direction of rotation.

“Left” and “Right” tires are terms that refer to wheels, when installing which it is necessary to strictly observe the conditions for installing them on a car: “right” only on the right, “left” only on the left.
You can recognize them by the designations "Right" or "Left" on the sidewall of the wheel.
If there are no such inscriptions on the sidewall of the tire, then the tires of this model are not divided into “Left” and “Right”, regardless of whether they have a tread pattern: directional or asymmetric.

These concepts are not mutually exclusive, there is asymmetric and directional rubber at the same time. A few years ago, the company produced asymmetric "Left" and "Right" tires.
But at the moment, asymmetric tires with a given direction of rotation are not produced, since “Left” and “Right” tires do not provide special advantages in wheel characteristics, and at the same time, such a solution greatly increases the cost of production and creates additional problems in warehouses and stores.

Tire design features.

Nowadays, asymmetric tyres, both summer and winter tyres, are gaining more and more popularity among motorists. The inner part of an asymmetric tire is made softer than the outer part, this is due to the fact that the load during cornering is mainly on the outer part of the wheel. This significantly improved the handling of the car. It also had an overall positive effect on exchange rate stability vehicle an increase in the area of ​​the contact patch between the tire and the road surface. In addition, due to the fact that the tread blocks on the outside of the asymmetric tire are larger than on the inside, water drainage is improved when driving on wet road surfaces, which has a positive effect on the tendency to reduce the likelihood of hydroplaning.

Directional tires, with the best indicators of water removal from the contact patch of the wheel with the road, are still inferior to asymmetric ones in terms of directional stability and controllability. But on the other hand, the risk of avalanching in directional tires is much less due to the fact that the active removal of water from the contact patch is carried out in both directions.

The appearance on the market of "left" and "right" tires was also due to the manufacturer's desire to make driving the safest, but, unfortunately, it turned out to be somewhat hasty. We can say that the designers of automotive rubber overdid it a bit and did not foresee some factors. First, the release of such wheels significantly increased the cost of manufacture, which was reflected in the retail price; secondly, there was confusion in the warehouses of suppliers; thirdly, it was not clear to the consumer what kind of spare tire to carry with him: left or right, because. it is not known which side the wheel will puncture. In connection with these factors, at present, tire manufacturers do not produce strictly "left" or "right" tires.

Features of tire installation.

Installation of asymmetric tires

Installation rules asymmetrical tires intuitive and quite simple.
When installing a wheel with an asymmetric tire on a car, its outer part must be labeled Outside (or similar from different manufacturers: External, This side facing outwards, Side facing outwards, etc.), while the inscription on the inside of the wheel is Inside ( it is also: Side facing inwards, This side facing inwards) remains invisible to you, because. directed this side to the car.

Simply put, at correct installation asymmetric wheels, bypassing the car, you should see only the words Outside on the tires.

Installing directional tires

Directional tires set so that when the vehicle is moving forward, the direction of rotation of the wheel coincides with where the arrow points on the sidewall next to inscription Rotation.

"Left" and "right" tires, as mentioned above, are installed respectively strictly on the sides of the car, which correspond to the inscription on the tread Right (right) or Left (left) (in the direction of the car moving forward).

Installing symmetrical busbars

Symmetric tires have neither outside parties, nor a predetermined direction of rotation and can therefore be installed in any position.

We also note that if asymmetric or directional tires are incorrectly installed on a car, the performance of the vehicle's behavior during its operation deteriorates.
Incorrect "work" of tires in this case nullifies all the efforts of designers aimed at giving the wheels improved characteristics. When forced to drive a car with incorrectly installed wheels (if there are simply no other options), you must be extra vigilant on the road and move at a speed of no more than 80 km / h.

We hope that our tips will help you when checking the installation work.

Any driver pays attention to the condition of the wheels on his car. There is nothing surprising or strange in this, it is the tires that provide contact with the coating, which determines the behavior of the car on the road. Tire manufacturers are making a truly heroic effort to achieve good grip, and asymmetric tires should be seen as one of the attempts to improve the behavior of rubber while driving.

Tires with asymmetric tread pattern

Drivers are offered a choice different types tires, but all of them for the most part can be divided into types according to the type of tread:

• symmetric;
• directed;
• asymmetric.

Examples of the mentioned tread patterns are shown below:

By car, the wheel experiences significant loads, and they differ significantly in changing road conditions - snow, water, braking, acceleration, turning - in each of these cases, rubber works differently. Here are asymmetric tires and are designed to take into account some of these differences in individual driving modes.

This name is due to their peculiar tread pattern. It is shown enlarged in the photo:

As already mentioned, the differences associated with the tread pattern are caused by the different behavior of the rubber when driving. So, for ordinary symmetrical tires it is standard. The directional rubber has better drainage at the point of contact with the surface and is designed for use on wet roads. And tires with different tread patterns provide the car with better directional stability and handling.

In this case, the behavior of the car in a turn is taken into account, when the load falls mainly on the outer part of the tire. Therefore, it is made more rigid, with a large pattern, which provides stability and maneuverability in turns. The interior is made from more soft rubber, thanks to which it removes water from under the wheel, which reduces the risk of hydroplaning and increases the contact patch with the road.

At one time, manufacturers also made such tires with directional tires, but this turned out to be redundant, they are currently not produced, and there is no difference between right and left wheels.

Mounting asymmetric tires

What else does a driver need to know about such tires? The most important thing is their correct installation on the car. The fact is that the design provides for two sides - external and internal. Installation and installation of such rubber must be carried out in such a way as to withstand exactly their desired location. To ensure this, there is a special marking on the side surface of the wheel - outside and inside (outer and inner).

So, when mounting such wheels, it is necessary to ensure that the inscription outside is on their outer side.

Asymmetric tires are becoming more and more popular among drivers. This is explained better behavior car with similar tires on the road while driving. However, to ensure the full operation of such tires, it is necessary to properly mount them on the disk and install them on the car.

Numerous tires with various parameters available on the market. How do you choose the ones that will ensure driving comfort and safety? One of the most important features every tire, especially in winter, has a tread. Do you have a dilemma: directional or asymmetric tread? In this article, we propose to solve this.

Choosing the Right winter tires very important. Even the most best car, which is driven by experienced driver, cannot cope with difficult winter conditions without good tires. As you prepare to buy, consider the following:

• individual driving style and environment where you move,
• the size,
• tread design and mixture used,
• label information,
• results of tests carried out by automotive organizations,
• opinions of other drivers.

Note: always install four identical tires with the same wear!

Directional tires

The tread pattern is easily recognizable by the 'V' or 'U' shaped grooves. They run from the shoulders to the front of the tires, which has a positive effect on grip on dry and, above all, wet surfaces. Instead of slipping, the tire grabs the water and throws it out. Thanks to this, the control becomes more precise, and you get full control over the car. You avoid "floating" in the path caused by hydroplaning. The most commonly used tread in winter tires is the directional tread. It has high traction properties and works great with residual slush. However, grip on snow is accompanied by additional plates and grooves, specific to this season's tires, which bite into the snow.

Pirelli Cinturato Winter- popular tire with directional tread.

Winter directional tires are the ideal solution for those who usually drive around the city and prefer a quiet driving style, as well as for drivers who cover long distances dynamically.

The direction of the tread in winter tires is very important. Whether we buy an asymmetric or a directional tread, the task of the blocks, slots and plates is, among other things, the drainage of water, mud or snow that reduces our adhesion. Grooves that are turned in a direction different from the driving direction can adversely affect driving safety and comfort.

Marking for directional tires

The marking on the wheels is the element that indicates how and when to use this model to really live up to our expectations. They also tell you how to put tires on our car. Directional tires do not stand out much even from symmetrical rubbers, but care must be taken to ensure that the tire tread is facing the side of the car. To avoid mistakes, manufacturers place a graphic sign or the word "rotation" with an arrow on the side, dispelling any doubts about the assembly direction. Directional tires installed in reverse do not fulfill their function resulting from a special tread pattern.

Asymmetric tires

In this type of tire, the grooves are formed asymmetrically. What does it mean? Asymmetrical tread characterized by a diverse design on the left and right, where each of them is responsible for different driving characteristics. The outer part is made up of stronger blocks that are responsible for safe and stable cornering and traction on dry surfaces. The inner sector should drain water and improve traction in rainy weather. With a variety of designs and a reinforced exterior, this solution is more durable than directional tires, which can chip faster. However, to avoid uneven wear, it is necessary to cycle the wheels in the car independently of the tires.

Winter Hankook tire Winter i * cept evo2 W320B is an example of an asymmetric model.

This tread provides stable cornering and efficient braking, so it is ideal for medium to high-end car owners who prefer fast and aggressive driving (which is of course not recommended in winter conditions). Be sure to choose models specially homologated for this season for the winter - in the case of an asymmetric tread, most of them are all-season tires. However, it won't the best choice in harsh winter.

Asymmetric tires, marking

If you are looking for asymmetric winter tires, it is worth visiting the site, which will be created by professionals. The asymmetrical tire assembly stands out from the other options. On the sides you will find special markings that indicate how they should be placed on the axle. The "outside" symbol should always be on the outside of the tires, and the "inside" symbol on the inside under the vehicle. The most common marks on winter tires 3PMSF - confirms winter properties tires, Mark M + S with the symbol of the mountain with a snowflake - used on all season tires, similar in properties to winter tires, the M + S designation is a manufacturer's statement that the model works on snow and mud, not necessarily reflecting real parameters.

Asymmetric and directional tread

It is impossible to clearly define which tread pattern is the most advantageous. It depends on individual needs and preferences. A clue, however, may be the fact that in winter tire testing conducted by the world's largest automotive organizations, such as ADAC, most of the driving is taken by directional tyres. On the other hand, experts often recommend asymmetric models for cars with high performance and higher speeds.