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What is a Tire Rotation Schedule?

Tires allow the vehicle to remain glued to the ground at all times and similar to soles of a shoe, they experience wear. Did you know parts of the shoe becomes more worn than others? Tires are similar in the same aspect, they wear unevenly. Rotations are performed to control the wear of the treads, evening them out. This allows the tread to last longer and makes driving safer. Note some warranties require tire rotation at defined intervals. But what exactly is tire rotation and why is it important?

Tire Rotation Defined

Tire rotation is the act of moving the tires on a vehicle in a predefined pattern. Most tire rotations consist of moving the front tires to the rear and the back tires to the front. Along with rotating the tires from back to front they also flip their positions. This results in what’s called an x-cross.

Tires should be rotated every 5,000 miles or what the vehicle manufacturer instructs. Surprisingly oil changes and tire rotation share the same service time frame. While getting tires rotated this is also a good time to check the pressure and tread depth.

The Importance 

As mentioned before tires wear out like soles, unevenly. Shoes are not nearly as important and tire rotation should be implemented within the maintenance schedule. Rotations allow the threads to wear evenly and increase the life of the tires. Obvious differences in thickness would be observable if no rotation was performed over an extended period of time. Too much thinning on one side will easily lead to ruptures and tire failure. Uneven wear decreases the braking capability and performance of the vehicle. Without proper contact, the time to break increases greatly and fuel efficiency suffers. Handling is also affected such as turning, accelerating, etc.

Keeping tires evenly worn overall increases vehicle safety and control. One issue that can arise is thread cupping that results from uneven wear and causes irregular patterns in the thread to appear. This, in turn, can cause irregular bumpiness and vibrations to emanate from the tires. One important note is to consider what drivetrain the vehicle uses for it can require a different rotational pattern than the previously mentioned x-cross.

Overall tire rotations should be incorporated in the maintenance schedule with oil changes. Tire rotations allow the tread to wear down evenly by repositioning their location and contribute to the increase in handling, safety, and performance. T&S Automotive highly values the safety of you and your loved ones. We also respect your investment and wish to help you get the most for your time, and money. Rest assured that you can contact us if any questions about tires need answering. We are here to help!

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