Tire Rotation Direction
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 83
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Tire Rotation Direction
I guess that I shouldn't overthink this but...
Got new front and rear rubber mounted up for the RK. Dunlop D402's. I do my own wheel removal and installation, but have my tires mounted so they can high-speed balance them. Picked up the wheels yesterday, and didn't really look at them til I got home. The front was put on backwards, that is, when mounted on the bike, the rotation arrow on the sidewall points the wrong way. My buddy keeps his Fat Boy in my barn during the winter, he got new Metzelers mounted at the same time, his front is backwards too![:@]
Now, my wife has a new Fat Boy with the new Dunlop radials on it. Here's the hard part. When you look at her bike from the front, the tread pattern forms a "V" when you look at it, with the point on the V facing down. We've also got a '94 Dyna Convertible with a Dunlop on the front. The tread pattern on that one also is generally V-shaped with the point facing down looking from the front.
When you look at new touring bikes and other FL softails like the Heritage Classic, the tread pattern is somewhat V-shaped, but the point of the V faces upward. What gives? Isn't the groove for water channeling, and why do they go in different directions?
I'm still gonna get both of these front tires re-mounted, but I don't understand.
Got new front and rear rubber mounted up for the RK. Dunlop D402's. I do my own wheel removal and installation, but have my tires mounted so they can high-speed balance them. Picked up the wheels yesterday, and didn't really look at them til I got home. The front was put on backwards, that is, when mounted on the bike, the rotation arrow on the sidewall points the wrong way. My buddy keeps his Fat Boy in my barn during the winter, he got new Metzelers mounted at the same time, his front is backwards too![:@]
Now, my wife has a new Fat Boy with the new Dunlop radials on it. Here's the hard part. When you look at her bike from the front, the tread pattern forms a "V" when you look at it, with the point on the V facing down. We've also got a '94 Dyna Convertible with a Dunlop on the front. The tread pattern on that one also is generally V-shaped with the point facing down looking from the front.
When you look at new touring bikes and other FL softails like the Heritage Classic, the tread pattern is somewhat V-shaped, but the point of the V faces upward. What gives? Isn't the groove for water channeling, and why do they go in different directions?
I'm still gonna get both of these front tires re-mounted, but I don't understand.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,137
Likes: 17
From:
RE: Tire Rotation Direction
The front tire has to be mounted correctly not just for water channeling, but because of the braking forces on that tire. With a tire mounted backwards the tread could actually start to peel off during a hard stop. The back tire is different, because it is made to be torqued in both directions, by braking and accelerating.
RE: Tire Rotation Direction
We can all make mistakes, why havent you called the person who fitted the tyres to see if there is a reason, or if its a genuine mistake. I have had a tyre fitter put a pair of tyres on the wrong wheels before now, front tyre on rear wheel and vice versa. No biggie he changed em straight away. I always think its not the mistakes people make thats the issue but how they deal with em.
Novice
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 21
Likes: 4
From: Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
The front tire has to be mounted correctly not just for water channeling, but because of the braking forces on that tire. With a tire mounted backwards the tread could actually start to peel off during a hard stop. The back tire is different, because it is made to be torqued in both directions, by braking and accelerating.
I would strongly urge you to get them remounted correctly though.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,675
Likes: 95
From: Billings,Mt.
Why not remove the front wheel and turn it around for proper rotation?I dont think the wheel it's self is directional.
Last edited by 1flhtk4me; Jan 4, 2009 at 07:41 AM.
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
From: Clifton, ME
wouldnt that make the rotor backwards? or do you have dual-disk fronts?
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Novice
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Arkansas
Before turning the whole wheel around (if you have dual rotors) to get the tire pointed in the right direction... make sure that your rotors aren't also directional... I'm sure the flex holes on the rotors are in a certain direction for a reason, just like the arrows point the corect direction on your tires due to stress, the rotors probably also have the same logic behind them.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 36
From: Ormond Beach, FL
A few years back I had a 20000 mile service and two new tires, I left on a 4000 mile trip the next day, about 2000 miles in to the trip,I was feeling that the front was “different” I stop at a local HD dealer to have him check it out. The front tire was on backwards, he said it would effect the braking, the handling in turns, the handling in rain and the wear. I called my local dealer and he told me to get a new tire and he would take care of the cost. The dealer I was at said you could not just turn the tire around as it already had some bad wear. When I got home my local dealer paid me back for the tire and install and gave me full credit on my account for the entire 20000 mile service. This was on my 2001 RKC.
As for the rotors, and the direction. When I bought my new 2006 SG the front squealed like a pig when I used the front brakes, I took it to the dealer, Harley had a service bulletin about this, their fix was to reverse the rotors. So I do not believe these are directional.
I would get the tires changed at the dealers expense before any miles.
As for the rotors, and the direction. When I bought my new 2006 SG the front squealed like a pig when I used the front brakes, I took it to the dealer, Harley had a service bulletin about this, their fix was to reverse the rotors. So I do not believe these are directional.
I would get the tires changed at the dealers expense before any miles.