Many people will immediately think about their tires when they think of ways to improve the appearance or performance of their car, truck or SUV. But, the same cannot be said when it comes down to how to increase the safety of their vehicle. Although tires are not something that people think about when it comes to vehicle safety and performance, they should. Your tires are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. Tires are easy to maintain with a simple rotation. How often do you need to rotate your tires on your SUV, car, or truck? Lets find out!
Although tires and wheels can enhance the appearance of your vehicle, many people overlook them when it comes to safety features. There are no fancy add-ons to these features. They just need regular maintenance to ensure they work at their best. Drivers need to remember to rotate their tires regularly to maintain their vehicle’s safety and performance.
Here’s a quick overview of when and how to rotate your tires so your vehicle, truck or SUV runs as safe and smoothly as possible.
When should you rotate your tires?
It all comes down to how you drive. What type of vehicle do you drive? Your tires will wear at different rates depending on which vehicle you are driving. If you drive a front-wheel-drive vehicle, for example, the front tires will be the most worn. They are used for steering and brake, as well carrying the most weight. These tires will wear much faster than the back.
It is important to know the wear pattern of your tires before rotating them. Rotating your tires can prolong the life of your tires, make sure you are safe, and give you the best bang for your buck.
Many shops recommend that your tires be rotated every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. However, this could also mean that your car should be rotated each time it is taken in for an oil change or an oil change. Even if you don’t need to change your oil very often, it is still important to rotate your tires at least once every six months.
How to Rotate Your Tires
There are three types of tire-rotation patterns for most tires. One thing you should make sure is that your vehicle has equal-sized tires at both the front and back. Also, ensure that unidirectional tires are not installed. This simply means that tires only need to rotate in one direction to work.
These are the three basic rotation patterns that you should use to protect your vehicle and yourself:
Front-drive rotation: For front-wheel-drive vehicles, you’ll want to rotate your front tires straight to the rear on the same side. Then move the rear tires to one corner of the front (ie. Rear left to front right.
Rear drive rotation pattern: If you are driving a rear wheel-drive vehicle, you’ll want to move your rear tires straight to the front and then the front tires to the rear corners.
All-wheel drive vehicle rotation pattern: If you have an SUV, truck, or car with all-wheel drive, you’ll want to use the crisscross pattern as your tire rotation. To ensure a more evenly worn tread, you will need to move your right front tire from the left rear to the left.
