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Are my tires mounted backwards?

Csm Davis

Well-known member
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Location
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Official way to mount any of those tires is all pointing the same way on the mounting machine so on the truck one side looks like it is backward but according to Michelin they are non directional.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

rosco

Active member
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Delta Junction, Alaska
They're radials. I've read somewhere that your not supposed to change the direction of rotation. Is that correct? That's why I ask what the thinking was in terms of rotation. Does one just rotate the steering, side to side, or pull one out of the tandem group to exchange on the steering axle? I used to always rotate the front to the rear, etc. on the tandems, but never the steering.
 

rustystud

Well-known member
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Location
Woodinville, Washington
They're radials. I've read somewhere that your not supposed to change the direction of rotation. Is that correct? That's why I ask what the thinking was in terms of rotation. Does one just rotate the steering, side to side, or pull one out of the tandem group to exchange on the steering axle? I used to always rotate the front to the rear, etc. on the tandems, but never the steering.
Honestly we don't know what direction the military had them going originally, so it would not make much difference now.
 

ajcarmel

New member
1
0
0
Location
LeRoy NY
Your good think of it like a plow they are designed to move material out not drag it in. A better visual look at a rear tractor tire. Todays radial tires can reverse rotation when they first came out back in the 70s it wasn't recommended I hope this helps.
 

tobyS

Well-known member
4,832
833
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Location
IN
Yes that is correct for the front left. That tire can rotate to the right rear with the dish out or keep on the same side with dish in.

If anyone wants a set of the A3 wheels and tires for their deuce front, I have a set (2) ready to go, new o-ring and large bore valve stem, in the classified.
 

montaillou

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Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
W.WA
...I was wondering if they're facing the right way?
Little late to this party, but this is how I have mine mounted and also the way they appear in the literature (assuming Michelin cares which way that is).
 

M813rc

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Near Austin, Texas
The Michelin guy I talked to many years ago told me the XL tires were not directional, per se, but were designed to give best performance the way they are mounted in post 1. ie "arrow" rolling to the front.
I specifically asked about the military mounting all of them pointing the same way on the rims, his response was that they were "too lazy to do it right" and a chuckle.

He said running them "backwards" gave slightly poorer performance, and increased tread wear (or decreased tread life, depending on how you prefer to phrase that), which was something the military was aware of, but seemingly unconcerned about.

Since I was paying for my own tires on the 5-tons, and thus was concerned about tread life (which isn't spectacular anyway), I mounted them the way Michelin suggested.

Cheers
 

dmetalmiki

Well-known member
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Location
London England
"Since I was paying for my own tires on the 5-tons, and thus was concerned about tread life (which isn't spectacular anyway), I mounted them the way Michelin suggested.

Cheers"
Follow that advice and you are well to go. (And longer!).
 

rustystud

Well-known member
9,284
2,996
113
Location
Woodinville, Washington
The Michelin guy I talked to many years ago told me the XL tires were not directional, per se, but were designed to give best performance the way they are mounted in post 1. ie "arrow" rolling to the front.
I specifically asked about the military mounting all of them pointing the same way on the rims, his response was that they were "too lazy to do it right" and a chuckle.

He said running them "backwards" gave slightly poorer performance, and increased tread wear (or decreased tread life, depending on how you prefer to phrase that), which was something the military was aware of, but seemingly unconcerned about.

Since I was paying for my own tires on the 5-tons, and thus was concerned about tread life (which isn't spectacular anyway), I mounted them the way Michelin suggested.

Cheers
Considering the military replaces the tires on a "time in use" and not mileage rate they never come close to being worn down. I have talked with a the main tire guy here in Washington (won the tire bid for the next year) and he gets "used" tires from the military that are brand new ! Still with the little "nubs" on the tread.
 

eme411

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
275
3
18
Location
pefferlaw ontario
the directional Michelin tires are a real pain , lots of money and you will never get the mileage out of them before they start to dish , the Canadian Army had those on a large part of the wheeled fleet and dropped them for a non directional pattern , your tires are facing the correct way and there are marking on the tire to indicate direction of rotation,
 
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