Our local track is counterclockwise and really works the right front tire. I have a set of S-02s that are probably good for one or two more HPDE schools, but might be good for a couple more than that if I swap the left and right fronts.

Can I just run them backwards (dry track conditions, not much tread left anyway)? I know most directional tires don't suffer much (or any) in the dry when run backwards, but I know a few have the plies laid up directionally and really shouldn't be run that way. Does anybody know about the S-02? Any experience with that?

Obviously I could have them unmounted and swapped, but I'm trying to avoid that hassle unless it is actually necessary. These tires will not be used on the street or in the rain.

 

I don't know the answer but I suspect that the directionality is due to the tread design, not the carcass. Even if the carcass is preloaded for a particular direction (remember the old Yoko A008s that had an A and B side, not to mention the Victoracers?) traction doesn't just totally go away. If you're down to the last few millimeters of tread and just want to play, I see no danger and no real traction issue...

 

We talked to Bridgestone reps about it and the answer is yes, run them any direction in the dry. The direction of rotation is all about the tread pattern and evacuating water.

 

Thanks!

 

If your look anything like mine, and the last two sets, there will be quite a bit of "scalloping" on the outer tread blocks (fronts). They'll probably sound and feel like crap until those blocks are ground flat again. I've inside-outed (for lack of a proper term) one set and really got a lot more life out of them. I wasn't running enough negative camber up front and the outer shoulder was toast while the inside shoulder was still squared.

 

Yeah, that sounds like the wear patterns I see on my set. More negative camber up front would help with that, eh?

Thanks for the warning about the noisiness as those "scallops" wear off. I'll be ready for that now.

-Mike

 

This doesn't really apply to a day at the track, but if you have uneven wear on front tyres you can swap them left to right by removing them from the wheel and mounting them the other way around (both on the rim and on the car). That way they still rotate in the correct direction but the inside has become the outside.

I realise many of you will tell me how incredibly obvious this is, but then many have said they never thought of it before.