Got my new tires mounted and went to put them on the car...then realized the directional patterns are not the same. However, the tires are mounted correctly using the "inside" and "outside" designation. Can somebody verify for me that this is, or isn't correct.

 

from tirerack:

"How can I tell if my tires are directional and properly mounted/rotated?

Directional tires will have a rotation arrow branded on the tire's sidewall. The arrow indicates the direction in which the tire should turn.

Unless they are dismounted and remounted on their wheels to accommodate use on the other side of the vehicle, directional tires are to be used on one side of the vehicle and are intended to be rotated from the front axle to the rear axle. If different tire sizes are used on the front vs. rear axle, the tires become location-specific and prohibit tire rotation unless remounted."

 

Yea, directionals will have both inside/outside, as well as an arrow labeled for the rotation direction on the sidewall. Start there.

 

I looked for the arrows on the tires extremely thoroughly. I have never owned Bridgestones before so I don't know they use one of the letters as an arrow or what. I figure it would be an industry standard that an arrow would be there, but I haven no experience with the tread being opposite directions on the same axle and I cannot wrap my head around it.

 

It looks like these tires aren't directional. Meaning the can go on either way since the tread pattern is asymmetrical.

 

I don't think I'm explaining this the right way. The outter tread blocks are not the same direction. In the pic I posted the tires are on the wheels. Front wheels to be exact and the face of each wheel is facing out, so that is how the tread would look and rotate when mounted. If I am being unclear or over complicating it, somebody please tell me haha

 

are those ap1 wheels?

 

No, the ones in the pic are the front 17x7.5 TE37's

 

RE-11a is not a directional tire. As long as "outside" is on the outside, you're golden.

 

the more I'm looking into it the more I think I'm scaring myself. I've never used asymmetrical tires before, so its making a little more sense now. Thanks guys, sorry for the confusion!