I understand from reading here that the factory tyres fitted to the 18" wheels are directional.

With only a couple of days (delays delays) until I take delivery, I'm wondering if I need to ask for a left hand wheel (more likely to get scraped than the right side) or...

Can the tyre on a rim be flipped so that it's direction of rotation on the rim is switched?

If you have ordered five 18" rims your spare will be a left hand one - Ford are just smart enough to recognize what you have stated regarding the left one being more prone to damage.

If you do have to use the spare on the right, it isn't going to be for very long so will be OK. I don't think Ford recommend any speed limit on this if you do it, but I'd suggest not above any posted limits until you get to a tyre place for a fix.

Makes sense to me - thanks mate. Glad it's going to be a left hander so I won't have to ask specifically.

So I the tyres walls are identical or are these uber tyres so special that they really make left- and right-rotation ones?

The tyres on the left and the right are identical; they're just put on the wheels the opposite way around. When you go to a tyre place, you can get them to put the tyre on the other way round so that it can be used on the other side. (I know this from experience! )

Beauty mate. Thanks for confirming it.

Dare I ask how you know from experience?

Are these the same tyres I,ve been reading about in Forums, that develop cracks in the sidewalls????

Edited December 21, 200322 yr by Marcos

Beauty mate. Thanks for confirming it.

Dare I ask how you know from experience?

Basically I busted my 2 left tyres by hitting a gutter. So my back right tyre became my front left tyre (so that I had 2 tyres of the same age and brand on the front).

Are these the same tyres I,ve been reading about in Forums, that develop cracks in the sidewalls????

Never happened with mine.

I rang my dealer about this this very question had him scratched his head for 30min said the 17" tyres are not directional and didnt matter is that the case havent looked close enough at them?

The tyres that come on the 17's have an "outside" and an "inside". So they can go on either side of the car without having to be put on the wheel around the other way. In fact if you put the tyre on the wheel the other way round it would be on there the wrong way.

The tread pattern on the 18's however require that the tyre rotates a certain direction because the tread pattern is like a V. If they were put on the wrong way, water would be channelled to the centre of the tyre rather than the edges.

I think I've made that sound as clear as mud!