The Tire Rotation Procedure

Tire rotation is a simple but essential maintenance procedure. During this procedure, the technician will simply change the positioning of the tires around the vehicle. Tires wear out differently depending on where they are positioned. For example, front tires will experience more wear than rear tires on both front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive vehicles. If you neglect tire rotation, you'll have to replace your front tires frequently. Proper tire rotation follows a standard tire rotation pattern. The pattern for front-wheel drive vehicles is typically moving the rear wheels to the front and the opposite side. At the same time, the front wheels are moved directly to the back without changing their side. For four-wheel drive vehicles, the rear wheels are moved directly up front, and the front wheels are moved back and diagonally. There are some variations on these patterns depending on the garage.

Importance of Scheduling Your Tire Rotation

As time goes on, tires become increasingly uneven if they are not rotated. This could make a vehicle less stable on the road and more difficult for the driver to maintain control—problems like hydroplaning become more likely. Also, tires are less effective at gripping the road in inclement weather. Another problem that becomes more likely is flat tires. Having your tires rotated around once every 3,000 miles or so can prevent these issues from developing while lengthening tire lifespan.