Tire Rotation

[Eddie]

Follows your owners manual and if you don't have one go to a major tire manufactures website for the correct way. My fwd CX7 Mazda recommends a front cross (rears to front and cross, fronts to rear on same side. A RWD usually does a rear cross and an AWD is a four cross. The owns manual may suggest differently depending on tire type and suspension geometry.

 

[paulo57509]

I do it x-pattern (backs to fronts, fronts x to the back) when I can. The local tire shop does it front to back, regardless.

The Legend has side-specific wheels; I can only do front to back.

The IROC has front/rear specific wheels as well as directional tread tires. I have to have the tires dismounted, mounted and rebalanced when I want to rotate them.

 

[PeteTheFarmer]

I've seen different recommendations based on the manufacturer. The manual for my brother's Nissan recommends a simple front to back, even though the OEM tires weren't directional.

 

[FZ1]

Boys,boys,boys! All I can say,is,why,in the world,would you roatate your own tires? Buy from a tire vendor that offers free lifetime rotations,and let them do that work. Now what's so hard about that?

 

[outoforder]

Free rotations are nice, but my wife and I just moved out of state so I can't take my car to the original tire shop. Her tires are factory and the dealership charges $12 to rotate them... Thinking of buying my next set of tires from Walmart. Anyone have experience buying from them?

 

[Falcon_LS]

I rotate every 3,000 miles. Back to front, then an X pattern at my next rotation. So I prefer non-directional tires.

My only concern about rotations are the torque values. If I can't do it myself for whatever reason, I make sure whoever is doing the rotation doesn't over torque with air gun (i.e. 250 lb-ft instead of 95 lb-ft!!).

 

[outoforder]

Does anyone know if Republic tires are directional?

 

[rshunter]

Originally Posted By: outoforder
Does anyone know if Republic tires are directional?

There would be markings on the sidewall. Normally an arrow with the word "Rotation".

 

[weebl]

Done the cross pattern. Done front to back. Used to do them strictly at 10,000 km intervals. Now, I just do my rotation every seasonal changeover, front to back (I average around 12,000 km each winter or summer, a little more in the summer). Can't say I notice any difference regardless what pattern I use, nor from using a less strict rotation interval. As long as it's regular, and reasonably close to 6,000 mi/10,000 km, you should be fine.

 

[ryansride2017]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
I don't rotate my tires so I'll replace only 2 at a time instead of all 4.


I do the same. I always keep the deepest tread set on the front for rainy conditions and run the ones on the rear until there is practically no tread left and they won't pass inspection. I get about 75K out of a tire. Things would be different if I had a FWD.

 

[Vikas]

Where do you get the tires? Around here, the shop refuses to put best tires in the front.

 

[lairdwd]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
Boys,boys,boys! All I can say,is,why,in the world,would you roatate your own tires?


Tire shops sometimes over torque and warp rotors as a result. That would be one reason, although I do still bring mine to a tire shop (that uses a torque wrench) .

 

[ryansride2017]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Where do you get the tires? Around here, the shop refuses to put best tires in the front.


At a local tire shop. That's ridiculous to refuse to put tires (as long as there is a legal amount of tread on them) at any location on your vehicle. If they did that to me, I would take the wheel/rim combo to a shop and put them on myself.

 

[Vikas]

Costco; not only they refuse to put new tires on front during initial install, then even refuse to rotate them if the good tires end up in the front :-(

 

[outoforder]

As for tightening lug nuts, how many use a torque wrench and how man just tighten by hand?

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
Boys,boys,boys! All I can say,is,why,in the world,would you roatate your own tires? Buy from a tire vendor that offers free lifetime rotations,and let them do that work. Now what's so hard about that?


I actually have free rotations available from Discount Tire, but I do it myself anyway.

-it takes me about 15 minutes start to finish. No matter how fast they are, I still have to drive there (even if I'm in the neighborhood), and wait around. I'm not wasting gas to go get my tires rotated, and I can do it when I want it done, on my terms.

-I get to inspect the CV boots, suspension components and brake pads, without worry of being told I need a "rotor polishing" for $99.99 or to have my struts lubricated.....(not a problem at DT, but it certainly is at a lot of other places).

-I know there's not going to be a warped rotor from over-tightening, or a wheel falling off (again, I tend to trust DT on this, but not too many other places).

-waiting rooms at auto service places creep just creep me out.

As far as rotation pattern, I just follow the manual, which for my AWD vehicle is a modified cross. I've never broken a belt, never had any troubles.

 

[JetStar]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
Boys,boys,boys! All I can say,is,why,in the world,would you roatate your own tires? Buy from a tire vendor that offers free lifetime rotations,and let them do that work. Now what's so hard about that?


Because it's easy since I have 4 floor jacks, and I don't have to expose my vehicles to the abuse and oportunity for damage. These are the same people that will hammer a wheel weight intended for a steel wheel onto an alloy wheel. I don't like other people working on my cars or bikes. I don't have to mess around stopping a a tire store and putting up with their stuff. I can inspect suspension components. I use a torque wrench.
P.S. I change my own oil too.

 

[Colt45ws]

Front to back. Going to go with Asymmetrical tires next so I can rotate Cross-RWD. As it is I have one side more worn than the other side.
Usually when I rotate, I jack up the rear axle and put it on jack stands. Take them off the back, roll them up front, and individually change the fronts out quick like Nascar.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Front to back. Cross the rears when you bring them up IF you have uneven wear across the tread.

 

[crinkles]

i DO IT MYSELF because this month the smart aleck at the tire shop will do it one way, then the next 6 months he'll be gone or read on an internet forum that it has to be done the other way, and a different rotation will be done... just don't trust them!