Tire Mounting Question - C6

[Mark P.]

The previous owner had the local Chevrolet dealer install new run flat OEM tires on my 2008 Z06 7 months ago (3,000 miles ago).

I just noticed when walking around the car that both passenger side tires say "Side Facing Inwards" while both drivers side tires say "Side Facing Outwards".

Did the dealer make a mistake and mount the 2 passenger tires incorrectly ?

I have an identical set of GM mounted wheels/tires that were removed at 700 miles from a 2008 Z06 and all outside edges say "Side Facing Outwards".

Should I correct the mounting problem on the dealer installed passenger tires and then remount them on the passenger side ?

[Chuck S.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

The previous owner had the local Chevrolet dealer install new run flat OEM tires on my 2008 Z06 7 months ago (3,000 miles ago).

I just noticed when walking around the car that both passenger side tires say "Side Facing Inwards" while both drivers side tires say "Side Facing Outwards".

Did the dealer make a mistake and mount the 2 passenger tires incorrectly ?

I have an identical set of GM mounted wheels/tires that were removed at 700 miles from a 2008 Z06 and all outside edges say "Side Facing Outwards".

Should I correct the mounting problem on the dealer installed passenger tires and then remount them on the passenger side ?

HELLS BELLS!!!...No wonder everyone tries to do stuff themselves anymore...Freakin' Mr. Goodwrench can't even get it right with "Green Side Up" written right on the damn tire.

I'll leave it to Z06 owners to give you advice on your next move, tire directionality, how many miles, and all that stuff...I would probably try to rappel up some service manager's chest using his shirt collar as a rope.

If they admit they mounted the tires wrong, the most you can hope for is that they will swap the tires to get the directionality correct. (You weren't noticing any handling problems???) Even if there is permanent damage (depends on mileage) from mounting those expensive tires improperly, they will NOT do anything further unless there is an obvious failure. Just try proving that improper mounting had ANYTHING to do with the failure.

[Mark P.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

Thanks Chuck. I am going to mount the the GM mounted (original 700 mile) tires since they are dated Sept 2008 while the dealer installed tires are dated Feb 2009.

I'll call the dealer Monday and try to get them to correct the passenger tires and balance them.

I'll then store them in plastic bags on my snow tire rack in my insulated California garage for about 2 years when I will need to put them on. Then they will be 3 year old tires. Any idea how many years these type of tires would still be considered safe ? I have heard 5 years but I am not sure.

[Terry M.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

The previous owner had the local Chevrolet dealer install new run flat OEM tires on my 2008 Z06 7 months ago (3,000 miles ago).

I just noticed when walking around the car that both passenger side tires say "Side Facing Inwards" while both drivers side tires say "Side Facing Outwards".

Did the dealer make a mistake and mount the 2 passenger tires incorrectly ?

I have an identical set of GM mounted wheels/tires that were removed at 700 miles from a 2008 Z06 and all outside edges say "Side Facing Outwards".

Should I correct the mounting problem on the dealer installed passenger tires and then remount them on the passenger side ?

Mark,
If those tires are the OEM Goodyear EMT tires they are NOT directional, however they ARE asymmetrical. See this link for more than you ever wanted to know about tire treads.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=180&

Chuck:
I think I told this story before, but:
Shortly after taking delivery of my 2008 Z06 in the Fall of 2007 I bought a spare set of tires and wheels from Tire Rack. In the Spring, as I was about to install them one of my students asked "Are they directional?" At that point I noticed they were all mounted backwards, like Mark's passenger side.

Tire Rack offered to pay to have a local shop change them around, but none of their recommended shops would do it -- so I loaded them in the back seat of the police car and drove to South Bend, Indiana. The lack of local tire expertise is one of the reasons I bought both wheels and tires. Mounting those run flats is a real challenge, even with the best equipment.

The guys at Tire Rack were gobsmacked when I pulled in and they found all four tires were mounted inside out. They apparently didn't believe what I was telling them on the phone. They did make it right, and gave me a discount coupon for my next tire purchase for my troubles.

Moral of the story: Even those folks who do nothing but tires all day long, every day sometimes make a mistake. Modern tire technology is a lot more complicated than the "good old days."

Mark the technical experts at Tire Rack told me there would have been no harm in driving with the tires "inside out" except a slight decrease in performance at the extremes of handling. Of course I would have preferred hearing what Goodyear's take on the situation would have been.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

I wasn't sure if the Z06 tires were directional or not.

I seemed to remember there was a difference between the standard tire and the Z51 tires, and it may have been about tread design. But...Usually when the manufacturer goes to all that effort to make the molds with the sidewall message and the "extra" rubber to mold the message into the sidewall, it ain't for no reason. In their defense, the message on mine IS pretty small font...maybe Goodyear could make it in white letters for them.

The silver lining here is it didn't hurt Mark's tires to run them backwards for a while. Not to mention that having those different sizes front to rear, and specific sides for the tires does simplify the tire rotation chore. Hmmmm...I wonder if Mr. Goodwrench ever tried to...Nah, they'd have figured it out when they tried to put one of those rears in the front.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

...I'll then store them in plastic bags on my snow tire rack in my insulated California garage for about 2 years when I will need to put them on. Then they will be 3 year old tires. Any idea how many years these type of tires would still be considered safe ? I have heard 5 years but I am not sure.

I think Duke has posted about extending tire life.

You might check for his posts about the subject in the archives. All I remember is that ultraviolet light is the biggest enemy of tires...I would probably cover them well with an opaque covering of some sort, and/or keep them in a darkest place I had.

Your strategy is your choice, but I kind of like the EMTs. Some people don't like them; I have heard they ride a little harsher due to the stiff sidewalls. But, if you have a Z51 or Z06, a soft ride is not a high priority anyway. I like having the ability to choose where I stop. For the Z06, the engineers may have considered the non EMT tire for the full performance envelope.

I guarantee my EMTs are going to last more than 5 years.... If I was going to die from a blowout, it would have been back when I was seventeen and riding on "bare skins".

[Terry M.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

I think Duke has posted about extending tire life.

You might check for his posts about the subject in the archives. All I remember is that ultraviolet light is the biggest enemy of tires...I would probably cover them well with an opaque covering of some sort, and/or keep them in a darkest place I had.

Store tires in a cool dark place, with little or no ozone -- which for the most part means away from electric motors and ozone generators. Some folks use ozone generators to remove odor from auto interiors, or to "purify" the air in their homes. Long term storage would be the one time a nitrogen fill might have some value, but if the other precautions are taken they should last a long time.

I hope it works for the original tires from my Z06 -- the ones with the sequence number stenciled on the side -- because that is why I bought the replacements I referred to int he above post. Of course, I doubt I will survive as long as those tires -- but if I do I will be in a position to have some fun.

[Michael F.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

I am going to have to say that I can't understand the rational behind keeping tires for these cars, they are just cars and won't be collectors items in my opinion and even if they are, why buy them and then not enjoy them. my 03 zo6 was low miles and I enjoy and drive it and yet the original owner barely drove it, mind-numbing to me. I have been in corvettes since 1970 and would never ever consider "storing one or tires". they were meant to be driven not become "queens" whether trailer or garage. To each his own I guess.

[Jephrey S.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

[quote=Terry McManmon (3966);483540] Moral of the story: Even those folks who do nothing but tires all day long, every day sometimes make a mistake. Modern tire technology is a lot more complicated than the "good old days."quote]

Long, rambling story summarized:
1) staggered runflats with wrong wheel/tire combinations after swap from snow to summer tires at ATU (like Pep-Boys)
2) a broken pressure sensor stuck to the inside of the wheel with double sided tape after fixing #1
3) Tire with many large chunks of rubber dug out of the inside diamter from the pieces of pressure sensor flying around inside the tire discovered at BMW (don't shoot me) after finally getting a service appointment
4) Customers thinking I am robbing the store after I return to ATU with my receipt from BMW fixing what they had done, plus 3 days of rental car, the broken sensor, the double sided tape and the tire in my trunk for evidence. They seriously almost gave me all the money in the register.

My BMW now only goes to BMW for any service. The wheels/tires now always get inspected by me before the car comes off the rack even then. Tires are too complicated now to take for granted.

[Mark P.]

Re: Tire Mounting Question - C6

Update - I spoke to Goodyear and they said the tires are not damaged but I did not get the intended performance. They suggested just remounting them correctly.

I am still waiting for a call back from the dealer to get them corrected.

I have no plans to make my Z06 a garage queen and know I will be wearing the tires out in a couple years and have a set to replace them. If I curb a wheeel along the way I'll have an extra to replace it.