[Nikhilb2008]

The only disadvantage is that it could foul with the wheel arches when the car is fully loaded.

[MCR]

Saw these tyres in flesh today. They look amazing! The thread looks deeper than the one on Yoko A drives. Also the tyres felt soft to touch,similar to Michelin, as compared to others. Costs 3850/- per tyre. Nikhil can I buy these for the Punto? I plan to fit 185/70 R14 size.

[sdp1975]

According to this post http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/tyre-a...ml#post2559798 there's a 10-15% discount on the ZLO tyres , is the discount still available ?

[90BHP]

There was an article in the newspaper a month back stating BMW will be moving to MRF ZLO tyres as stock tyres for their line of cars. Not sure how valid is the information. I read it in the business section of the Hindustan Times a month back.

If BMW is considering these tyres for their cars, should we too ?

[Nikhilb2008]

Dont believe everything you read in the newspapers. It could be some over-excited journalist letting his imagination go crazy just because someone mentioned that the ZLO is available in 255/55-18 which is the correct size for an X5!

MCR --- Please do! They are really good tyres. I'm very happy with my set as of now.

@SDP --- I think the current price is the discounted price. The price is too good to be true! I am saying this because in most other sizes and patterns, MRF is priced close to Yokohama. But for the ZLO, they are really cheap!

[drpullockaran]

I am not hundred percent sure but there is a serious design flaw in the tire design. I shall confirm it after I see the tire in the flesh. These tires are extreme unidirectional tires which will require different set for the left side of the car and the right side. The site does not claim them to be unidirectional though. For those who are into unidirectional tires a little food for thought. Check the rolling pattern in the .pdf file from the mrf site. Check the pattern the tire makes in the wet. These are unidirectional tires of an extreme nature even if the site mentions to the contrary. The outside of the tire if fixed as per diagram will be rolling in opposite direction if tire is shifted from left to right side of the car. The tread pattern though in the wet will not allow this. This can be corrected only if they specifically have right side tires and left side tires. A hint is " just follow the water squirt pattern on a rolling tire fixed on the right and then same tire on the left". Will confirm it tomorrow if I get to see the tires in the flesh/rubber. I sincerely hope they have right and left side tires. These tires seem too good to brush under the carpet just because they are made by MRF. All unidirectional tires allow switching from the left to the right side of the car if I am not mistaken so that the rolling pattern of the tread on the road remains the same but the inside of the tire has to be swapped to the outside to achieve that.

[drpullockaran]

http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct...ZNLPcA&cad=rja

I forgot to add the .pdf link. Hope this helps.

[Nikhilb2008]

Unidirectional is different from asymmetric. The MRF ZLOs are Asymmetric.

Car Bibles : The Wheel and Tyre Bible Page 2 of 4

[sdp1975]

Originally Posted by drpullockaran

http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct...ZNLPcA&cad=rja

I forgot to add the .pdf link. Hope this helps.

The leaflet says For optimum performance , it is recommended that the tyre is fitted with the side marked OUTSIDE facing outwards from the vehicle.

Is this what you are referring to ?

[drpullockaran]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Unidirectional is different from asymmetric. The MRF ZLOs are Asymmetric.

Car Bibles : The Wheel and Tyre Bible Page 2 of 4

Yes the MRF are asymmetric of an extreme nature such that there has to be a left side tire and a right side tire. Usually to save on cost the asymmetric pattern with the continuous rib pattern on the outside will be designed such that the tire allows for rolling in the opposite direction such that the water squirt pattern remains the same. These MRF tires are like the ones fitted on extreme sports cars like the Bugatti. I doubt if even Bugatti have a right side and a left side tire. A bit of an overkill I must add. I wonder if MRF ZLO have right side and left side tires. If they do not then hydroplaning on one side of the car is a given.

[drpullockaran]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

The leaflet says For optimum performance , it is recommended that the tyre is fitted with the side marked OUTSIDE facing outwards from the vehicle.

Is this what you are referring to ?

Actually they should have added that driving the car with the continuous rib on the inside will be asking for early entry at the pearly gates. Its suicidal to have the continuous rib on the inside in this particular tire since the water will be pushed into the center of the tire instead of being squirted to the outside.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by drpullockaran

Yes the MRF are asymmetric of an extreme nature such that there has to be a left side tire and a right side tire. Usually to save on cost the asymmetric pattern with the continuous rib pattern on the outside will be designed such that the tire allows for rolling in the opposite direction such that the water squirt pattern remains the same. These MRF tires are like the ones fitted on extreme sports cars like the Bugatti. I doubt if even Bugatti have a right side and a left side tire. A bit of an overkill I must add. I wonder if MRF ZLO have right side and left side tires. If they do not then hydroplaning on one side of the car is a given.

drpullockaran, you don't need separate tyres for left and right. Asymmetric means outside and inside have different tread pattern. If you put it on the right, you can also put it on the left because when you take a tyre from one side to the other it is rotated 180 degrees.

[scuderiamania]

Originally Posted by drpullockaran

Actually they should have added that driving the car with the continuous rib on the inside will be asking for early entry at the pearly gates. Its suicidal to have the continuous rib on the inside in this particular tire since the water will be pushed into the center of the tire instead of being squirted to the outside.

To be honest, that was what I thought when I saw the tyre for the first time. The treads on the left of the tyre in the above picture will push the water towards the centre of the tyre. But if it is turned around, the water would be pushed away. I don't understand the logic. I had noticed the same thing on the acelere sportz tyres. Nikhil, can you please explain how should a situation is avoided. I am sure someone in MRF must have thought of it.

edit: this is a picture I got from the link provided by Nikhil. Take a look at the asymmetric tyre here.I this the water would probably be pushed outwards rather than towards the centre. I think so. Others please shed some light on this.
http://www.carbibles.com/images/treadtypes.jpg

edit 2: Sorry, got it all mixed up. In the MRF pdf, the tyre would push the water outwards. Check the tracks drawn in the pdf.

[Prass]

Assuming the same tyres are put on LHS and RHS, wont it look like this and if the thread direction changes on one side, what will be the effects.

[drpullockaran]

Originally Posted by Prass

Assuming the same tyres are put on LHS and RHS, wont it look like this and if the thread direction changes on one side, what will be the effects.

Yes this is exactly what I meant. Thanks for inverting the picture. I am not any good at photoshop. Well assuming both these tires are in the front axle. When rolling forward into the monitor screen the left side tire will hydroplane like crazy as the water will be pushed to the outer/center continuous rib. Have a careful look at the contact patch.

This is suicidal. MRF have to design a tire for the left and then another mirror image set for the right with inverted tread pattern.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

If you put it on the right, you can also put it on the left because when you take a tyre from one side to the other it is rotated 180 degrees.

Its precisely because it is rotated 180 degrees that the problem arises. As you correctly pointed out the continuous rib does go to the outside which is good but the block tread pattern too goes 180 degrees which will result in extreme hydroplaning. The nitty gritty is in the contact patch and how the individual tread-blocks and water channels are arranged in relation to the continuous rib on the outside of the rolling tire. Please please have a look at the tire in the flesh/rubber. You will get the point I am alluding too.