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| How and Why to Rotate Your Tires |
WHAT IS TIRE ROTATION?
Tire rotation is the process of periodically changing the position of each tire on your vehicle. You should rotate your tires as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, or every 5,000 miles. For many of you, this will mean when you get your vehicle's oil changed.
Rotating your tires regularly also gives you a good opportunity to visually inspect them for damage, check their air pressure, have them rebalanced if you notice vibrations, and check their tread depth.
WHY IS TIRE ROTATION IMPORTANT?
There are several reasons why tire rotation is an important part of your standard tire maintenance. First, by regularly rotating your tires, wear is evenly distributed across all four tires and tread life is maximized. That's because each specific position on your vehicle requires a different action from each tire (for example, tires on the front of a front-wheel drive vehicle will take on a greater proportion of the torque and friction needed to turn, accelerate and brake) - and may result in more or less tire wear. It's especially important to rotate new tires by 5,000 miles, because deep, fresh tire tread is more susceptible to uneven wear.
Second, even tread wear maintains the uniformity of your tires' tread depth, which can help maintain consistent traction and handling on all four tires. This will improve cornering and braking performance and keep your vehicle safer for overall driving.
Finally, if your vehicle is equipped with an all-wheel drive system, evenly worn tires reduce stress on the drivetrain, thereby reducing wear on expensive drive components.
WHAT TIRE ROTATION PATTERN SHOULD I USE?
The right tire rotation pattern for your vehicle will depend on the type of tire you use, whether your vehicle is front, rear, all-wheel or four-wheel drive, whether your tires are directional or non-directional, whether your tires are the same size on the front and rear of your vehicle, and whether you have a full-size spare that can also be rotated, as opposed to a temporary spare. Let's take a look at the tire rotation patterns recommended by the tire industry standard-setting organization, The Tire and Rim Association, Inc. for all these possibilities.
FOR UNIFORM SIZE, NON-DIRECTIONAL TIRES:
1. REAR CROSS PATTERN
For 4-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive vehicles, the rear cross pattern is recommended. The rear tires are moved to the front axle and held on the same side of the vehicle while the front tires are moved to opposite sides of the rear axle.
2. X-PATTER
Recommended for front wheel drive vehicles such as light trucks and sedans, all tires are moved diagonally, meaning the tires are switched from one axle to the other and repositioned from one side to the other.
3. FRONT CROSSOVER
Read also: How Often You Need to Change Your Brake FluidThis is the most common design for front wheel drive vehicles. The tires on the front axle are moved directly to the rear while the rear tires are moved up diagonally to the opposite side of the front axle.
FOR UNIFORM SIZE, NON-DIRECTIONAL TIRES WITH A FULL SIZE SPARE:
In order to ensure that all tires on your vehicle have uniform tread wear, you must be sure to rotate your full-size spare tire with the other four. This is especially vital for all-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive vehicles where even small differences can put undue strain on your car's transmission.
1. REAR CROSSMEMBER (REAR-WHEEL OR 4-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES):
The two tires on the rear axle move directly forward to the front axle while the spare tire moves to the right side of the rear axle. The right front tire moves diagonally to the left side of the rear axle while the left front tire becomes your new spare.
2. FORWARD CROSS (FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES):
The rear tires are moved diagonally to opposite sides on the front axle while the right front tire becomes the new spare. The spare tire is positioned on the right side of the rear axle while the left wheel on the front axle is moved directly to the left rear position.
SAMPLE VISUAL:
FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE AND DIRECTIONAL TIRES:
1. SIDE BY SIDE (FOR DIFFERENT SIZE PERFORMANCE TIRES ON FRONT AND REAR AXLES)
All tires are swapped with their same size partner and remain on the same axle. The two rear tires flip to the opposite side of each other while the two front tires do the same.
2. FRONT-REAR (FOR DIRECTIONAL TIRES)
All tires are moved from one axle to the other but remain on the same side of the vehicle. For example, the left front tire is moved to the left side of the rear axle while the left rear tire is repositioned to the left side of the front axle.