Anyone needing a new set of Billboards?

[Donunder]

How many times have you seen Billboards with the writing facing outwards on one side and inwards on the other? Not too many?

My understanding of these tyres is that once they've been mounted and driven on, they develop some sort of memory so that THAT direction becomes the direction they should always travel in. Like, don't change them from one side to the other once they've been used unless you remount them on the opposite rims so they continue to run in their original direction. (But then you hide the lettering and that's no fun! ) Make sure you chalk mark them whenever the're off the car so they go back onto the correct side.

Looking forward to some great photos of newly-Billboarded Cobras now.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by Donunder

How many times have you seen Billboards with the writing facing outwards on one side and inwards on the other? Not too many?
My understanding of these tyres is that once they've been mounted and driven on, they develop some sort of memory so that THAT direction becomes the direction they should always travel in. Like, don't change them from one side to the other once they've been used unless you remount them on the opposite rims so they continue to run in their original direction. (But then you hide the lettering and that's no fun! ) Make sure you chalk mark them whenever the're off the car so they go back onto the correct side.

FYI the lettering on both sides are painted white. The last set I bought, and nearly every one I have ever seen in this part of the country have had the same little white abbreviations and arrows shown in Chas' photo. When the dust settles on this I will bet that in fact GY does want them mounted directionally per Silverback's diagram earlier and the distributor is responsible for shipping sets that can be mount that way and they are the ones making the notations on the tires. This would explain why these new ones I have that came directly from GY through Nick weren't marked.

[Donunder]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

I will bet that in fact GY does want them mounted directionally per Silverback's diagram earlier and the distributor is responsible for shipping sets that can be mount that way and they are the ones making the notations on the tires. This would explain why these new ones I have that came directly from GY through Nick weren't marked.

Look guys, the last thing I want to do is to cause any type of ruckus over whether these tires are directional or not, it's not of any great concern to me, but the statement above that it is the distributor, and not Good Year themselves, that puts the oil pen markings on the tires leaves me mystified and raises a few questions.

Why, if indeed they are directional, are not the tires so identified as they come from the factory? Clearly and unmistakeably? As is the case with every other directional tire I've ever seen?

What mysterious additional information is made available to the distributor on which to base his decision to declare a particular tire is "directional" one way or the other?

Who provides this information? Is it available to you and me?

For instance where would Nick take this new batch to to have them examined, certified and then marked as to which way they should be mounted and facing on a car?

It all sounds a bit suss to me. From my admittedly limited knowledge of these tires, it's safe and practical to mount 'em, drive 'em and then once they've been broken in, ensure that they only travel in that same direction for the rest of their lives.

I have observed in some better tire fitting shops, that the fitter will mount a tire on a rim and then go to balance it. If the machine indicates that a large weight is necessary to balance the combination, the fitter will often strip the tire off the rim and move it around a little to try to improve the balance as much as possible so as to have to resort to as light a weight as possible. When there are numerous rims and tires of the same size lying around during this process, the fitter will often make a small mark to identify which tire goes on which rim in which direction and in which position on the rim the optimal balance was achieved before adding weight.

Could the markings be down to something as simple as this?

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by Donunder

Could the markings be down to something as simple as this?

You've been politely told by owners of these tires what and why. You've been given the link to a major distributor of them which explains how they should be mounted. He got that information from his supplier, GoodYear. The tire treads are NOT directional-it's the way the plies are set into the mold that G'Year specifies the mount location on the chassis. That's what being called 'directional'-the plies. Got that??
And a retailer will mark them as such as a courtesy to his customers. Jim has explained why this batch, coming direct from G'Year does not have the paint marks you are so loathe to trust. Failing paint marks, G'Year specifies that the tire serial number determines where they're placed. (As shown in my PDF). No mystery involved.
At least eight guys on this thread have bought them (unlike you) and every one will mount them in the specified direction. For several this is NOT their first set.
Since you apparently determined you can't believe any of us, please go away and buy any set of tires you deem wise and mount them in any direction you please.
Don't pose a question and then question the answers without your own experience, or having spent any money. Displaying cleverness in the face of experience is lame-we already have one of those.
If you truly don't care one way or another, come here less often-apparently we don't know enough for you.