Rotating Directional Tires for track and autocross
 

Would rotating directional tires like my RS-3's during autocross events lead to decreased performance in dry conditions? In other words, is the orientation of directional tires only important for wet grip.

I was thinking that I could just rotate tires at the event to even out wear and then rotate back before I leave.

For RS3, it doesn't matter. For some slicks, it does.

Rotating them side-to-side doesn't get you much though. The outside edge of the left-side tire is still on the outside edge when you put it on the right side in backwards rotation.


Moving front to back could help (if you are not staggered like I am) because the outer edge of the rears tend to take less of a beating than the fronts. But the directionality of the tire is still in place, so I don't think that is what you were after.

My advice would be to rotate front to back until the tires reach around the mid-point of their lifetime, then flip them on the wheel and run them on the other side, rotating front to back as needed.

+1. This is what I do with my Rivals.

It is fine to run them in "reverse" in the dry.

arnt rivals asymetrical? +1 on rotating symetrical tires like others have said.

Very rarely does the carcass care. The 'tread' is directional, the tire isn't. (in most cases)

And yes, directional tires DOT tires are such for wet grip.