Rotating your Tires

Rotating your Tires: Is it Really Worth the Time and Money?

Tire rotation is one of the most critical maintenance procedures for your car; unfortunately, most drivers tend to ignore this important step, the reason might be that nowadays tires have become trouble-free. As a result of this common lack of maintenance, a question arises: Is it worth the time and cost of rotation?

First, let's talk about the Process of Tire Rotation

  • Basically, tire rotation is periodically moving the tires of your vehicle from one position to another, that is to say, the front tires to the rear and the rear tires to the front.

  • Usually during this process, the tires change sides too.

  • Your owner's manual indicates the tire rotation pattern that you should follow according to the type of tire and vehicle you are using, front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, all or four-wheel-drive. Let’s take a look at the following two examples of tire rotation patterns:

1.  The Correct Tire Rotation for a Front-Wheel-Drive Vehicle

The front tires wear out more quickly than the rear ones; since the engine and the transmission are at the front of the car. Therefore the rotation process would be the following: 

  • The left and right rear tires change sides when moved to the front of your vehicle.

  • The left and right front tires stay on their respective sides when they are transferred to the rear.

2.  The Correct tire Rotation for a Rear-Wheel-Drive Vehicle

These are sports cars and they provide more balanced wear since the back wheels deliver power and the front ones are in charge of the steering. However, the wear patterns they produce are different for the front and rear tires. In this case, the rotation process is the opposite of what you do with the front-wheel-drive vehicle:

  • The rear tires, when moved to the front, should stay on the same side.

  • The left and right front tires, when moved toward the rear, should change sides.

How often should you Rotate your Tires?

  •  Most manufacturers and Consumer Reports recommend rotating and balancing your four tires routinely, approximately every 6,000 to 8,000 miles.

  • You should also check your owner's manual if you want a more accurate answer on what should be done and how often with your vehicle's maintenance.

Why should you rotate your tires on a regular schedule?

These are the most relevant advantages:

  • To ensure that all tires wear evenly and last longer

  • It gives you a chance to inspect the tires for damage and check air pressure

  • It is essential to keep your warranty with your tire maker

We already talked about relevant information: The process of tire rotation, how often you should do this maintenance step, and why you should do it on a regular schedule. At this point, we can conclude that doing maintenance on your tires will ensure not only the even tire wear and extended tread life but also an optimum performance of your car in terms of grip, ride and balancing handling, not to mention that you can save up money on car emergencies.

Consider asking yourself - What would be the final cost before you have to replace all your tires if you keep avoiding their regular maintenance? And finally, What do you value more? Cost or performance?

Maximize your tires' tread life, GETYOURVALET can help you take care of this chore. BOOK YOUR VALET and spend your free time wisely.