In simple terms, tire rotation is the process of swapping the positions of a car’s tires. The idea is to get the most out of a set of car tires. Regular rotation will extend the life of your tires and improve their performance.
It is important to note that not all motorists can rotate their car tires as they wish. Read on to find out more.
What Is Tire Rotation?
First things first, what’s a tire rotation? Simply put, a tire rotation is when you move your tires from their current position to different spots on the vehicle.
While it may sound simple, tire rotations provide massive benefits.
Tire rotation is a maintenance procedure that involves moving each tire to a different position on your vehicle. Tire rotation may help even out tire wear and extend tire life.
Tires are rotated in different patterns depending on your vehicle’s engine location and drivetrain configuration. To fully understand the necessity behind tire rotation, it’s helpful to know the factors that cause tires to wear unevenly.
A vehicle’s powertrain influences tire wear and the rotation pattern followed for tire rotation. Tires on drive wheels, powered by your engine, frequently wear more due to the twisting force they experience, unlike non-drive wheel tires.
In a front-wheel drive vehicle, you may notice the front tires wearing faster than the tires mounted in the rear. You may notice the opposite for rear-wheel drive vehicles.
Tires mounted on an AWD or 4WD vehicle often wear unevenly, even when twisting force is applied to all tires. This is because tire wear is affected by more than just acceleration.
Tires also wear differently because of their specific function in your vehicle’s movements. Front tires may wear out faster because the weight of the vehicle shifts forward during braking.
Also, consider that most vehicles have engines mounted in front and the front row is always occupied so these tires may bear more weight than rear tires.
Front tires also experience additional wear and tear over time as they turn direction and the outer section of your tire treads may wear out faster because a vehicle’s weight shifts while cornering.
Why Is Tire Rotation Important?
There are several reasons why tire rotation is an important element of your standard tire care. First, by routinely rotating your tires, wear is spread evenly across all four tires, and their tread life is maximized.
That’s because each specific position on your vehicle requires a different give from each tire (for example, tires on the front of a front-wheel-drive vehicle will take a larger proportion of the torque and friction that’s needed for turning, accelerating, and braking) and can lead to more, or less, wear on the tire.
It is especially important to rotate new tires by 5,000 miles because deep, fresh tire tread is more susceptible to uneven wear.
Secondly, even treadwear keeps the tread depth on your tires uniform, which can help keep traction and handling consistent across all four tires. This will improve cornering and braking performance and keep your vehicle safer for driving overall.
Finally, if your vehicle has all-wheel-drive, evenly worn tires lower the stresses on the drivetrain, reducing wear on expensive drive components.
What Tire Rotation Pattern Should I Utilize?
The tire rotation pattern that’s best for your vehicle will depend on the type of tire you’re using, whether your vehicle is front, rear, all, or four-wheel drive, whether your tires are directional or non-directional.
Whether or not your tires are the same size on the front and rear of your vehicle, and whether you have a full-size spare that can be rotated through as well, unlike a temporary spare.
Let’s take a look at tire rotation patterns recommended by the standardizing body of the tire industry, The Tire and Rim Association, Inc., for all of these possibilities.
Tire Rotation Pattern:
For Tires That Are Of Uniform Size And Non-Directional:
#1. Rearward Cross.
For vehicles that are 4-wheel, all-wheel, or rear-wheel drive, the rearward cross pattern is recommended. Rear tires are moved to the forward axle and kept on the same side of the vehicle while the front tires are moved to opposite sides of the rear axle.
#2. X-Pattern.
Recommended for front-wheel drive vehicles such as light-weight trucks and sedans, all tires are moved diagonally, meaning tires are switched from one axle to the opposite as well as being repositioned from one side to the other.
#3. Forward Cross.
This is the most common pattern for front-wheel drive vehicles. The front axle tires are moved directly back while the rear tires are moved up diagonally to the opposite side of the front axle.
For Tires That Are Of Uniform Size And Non-Directional With A Full-Size Spare Tire:
In order to ensure that all of the tires on your vehicle have even tread wear, you’ll want to be sure to rotate your full-size spare tire along with the other four.
This is especially vital for all-wheel or 4-wheel drive vehicles where even small differences can put undue strain on your car’s drive train.
#1. Rearward Cross (Rear-Wheel Or 4-Wheel Drive Vehicles):
Both rear axle tires 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 back to the left side of the rear axle while the left front tire becomes your new spare tire.
#2. Forward Cross (Front-Wheel Drive Vehicles):
Rear tires are moved diagonally to opposite sides on the front axle while the right front tire becomes the new spare tire. The spare tire is positioned on the right side of the rear axle while the left tire on the front axle is moved directly back into the left rear position.
For High Performance And Directional Tires:
Tire Rotation Pattern:
#1. Side-To-Side (For Differently-Sized Performance Tires On The Front And Rear Axles).
All tires are switched with their same-sized partner and remain on the same axle. The two rear tires switch to the opposite side with one another while the two front tires do the same.
#2. Front-To-Back (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 front left tire is moved to the left side of the rear axle while the rear left tire is repositioned on the left side of the front axle.
How Often Should You Rotate Your Tires?
Most vehicle manufacturers recommend getting your tires rotated approximately every 5,000 miles or six months.
Tire rotation should be performed every 5,000 to 7,500 miles for both front-wheel drive (FWD) and rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicles, but exactly how you should rotate your tires depends on your drivetrain.
FWD models only send power to the front tires, while rear-wheel drive (RWD) models send it to the back. This influences how tires wear down, so make sure you follow the correct guide.
- Performing FWD Tire Rotation: Flip sides when moving the rear tires to the front. Keep them on the same side when moving front tires to the back.
- Performing RWD Tire Rotation: Invert the process above. Change sides when you bring the front tires to the back and keep the rear tires on the same side as you move them forward.
- All-Wheel Drive Tire Rotation: AWD vehicles see tires wear differently at different speeds, so schedule a tire rotation every 3,000 to 5,000 miles if you drive one.