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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - New tyres- check before use!!

Got a set of new tyres for the old Sprite last week (settled on Dunlop SP30s in the end), took the car for it's first MOT in 25 years.........
failed because Red Star fitters had put two on the wrong way round. I didn't know there was a right way, but they should have - they are marked 'INSIDE', so take note. Also when the inspector tried to log on to the DVLA, the computer said NO, although they said YES to me on the phone. Ah well - all be put right soon.
D le Versha

Great to hear of another cherished car back on the road. I must admit, I'd never heard of a right or wrong way to fit tyres. In the past, when mine started to wear a bit on one side, I had them turned round. But you live and learn! Happy Soridgeting Christmas and New Year!
Margaret Brock

Yes, indeed. A lot of tyres have an arrow on them to say which direction they should turn. Very important to get them the right way round as the treads are only designed to work in one direction. Your insurers wouldn't be happy either!
Rich Amos (1 Sprite 1 Midget!)

yes - but these are not directional - otherwise they would be side-specific, so there must be some other cunning plan in the manufacturer's head.
D le Versha

They are not directional, but the SP30 tread is 'asymmetric', which means that the tyre can only go on one way round on to the rim, and cannot be reversed to even up wear!
Richard Wale

You can get two types of tyres that require "siding". There is the type where the tread displaces water better in one direction, and there is the type which has thicker sidewalls on the "outside" side.

Will Munns

I have tyres on the Honda which indicate the rotation direction otherwise the tread pattern just will not work!!!!

Shaun
Shaun

never had all this with the good old crossplys
Alex Sturgeon

The Avon ZV3s on my Passat are directional and never had any fitted wrongly even at the local cheap place which doesn't do Avons anymore. Doesn't say much for Red Star fitters as quite a lot of tyres these days are directional and it should be checked. Was this a Friday after lunch at the pub fitting?.
David Billington

So are youn going to make your Christmas deadline Dave?
Graham.
Graham P 1330 Frogeye

Hope so Graham..... brake lights have stopped working though - switch I think.
MOT re-booked for tomorrow, then hopefully a free tax disc and away!
I took the car to Sudbury (about 8 miles) for the MOT, so I could see what it was like on the road. Quite quick with the crossflow, but will have to tame the impatience till it's all legal I guess.
D le Versha


David B, how do you find the life of the Avon ZV3s?

I've got to go and get new tyres for my Focus this week - the second set of ZV3s I've had on the Focus, and they've managed about 10K miles a set. I'm not sure whether it's the Avons, the Focus or my driving which eats tyres!

Having said that I've got a set of the 322s on the midget and they're showing no sign of wear after 2 years. Oh hold on, that's because the midget's not been out of the garage in two years...
MarkH1

Mark,

Pretty much as I would expect on a front wheel drive car. The current set of 4 are from September 2007 and I do about 10k miles/year. The fronts are low on the inside but more than legal tread depth all over and I'll probably change them in January, just need to call the local ATS Euromaster? where I got them last time to have them get a pair in as they don't stock Avons at the local depot. I expect the rears will easily get over 20k miles . Tyres are 195/60 14 and it's a 2.0l estate and I don't go out of my way to treat them nicely. I have been running various Avons since about 1987 and I like the wet and dry grip and it supports local industry.

BTW it was interesting to see the guy at ATS change the tyres as he was wearing a white shirt and black trousers and stayed clean but he did wear gloves. I was used to guys in grubby overalls at the places I used to go.
David Billington

I was not aware of this, and like many trust the tyre vendor to install them correctly. I've been running an older set of Dunlop SP-20's (made in NZ) on our Midget, and on my cursory look could not find directional arrow/s anywhere on the raised printed warnings on the tyres themselves. I will take a closer look this afternoon in better light.

Regards,

Larry C.
Larry C '69 Midget

Larry,

The SP20 is neither directional, nor does it have an asymmetric tread pattern, so can be fitted any way round you like!

Richard
Richard Wale

This thread was discussed between 20/12/2008 and 23/12/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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