Tyre Rotation?

[Qwerty321]

Tyre Rotation. Do you bother? And how often do you bother?

My tyres have been on the car for 6 months and are wearing well. 8inch depth on the front two and 7inch on the rears. I haven't gotten around to rotating it and plan on just getting it done at the end of the year when its getting serviced as that's when my mechanic typically does it. I would like to wear the tyres evenly and end up replacing them all in one go, which at this rate should be 2 or 3 years from now.

I'm asking cause the manual says rotate them every 5-8 thousand k's. Which means it was due a rotation about 2 months ago at the latest

[TheInterceptor]

I rotate them every time i drive.
Select gear, wheels rotate.

On a serious note, on tyres i care about (on my fairlane) i do it every 5000km. 4 wheel rotate. Wearing sweet as can be. Eventually the camber on the front will see them out a bit sooner.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by Qwerty321

. 8inch depth on the front two and 7inch on the rears.

I don't think you need to bother wasting time rotating your tyres with that tread depth

[Ms_Jam]

I think Querty321's question is a fair one and deserves a serious reply.

Most people here will know more than me, but here is what I have found,

On rear wheel drives, you might get away with every couple of years.

But on front-wheel drives, like my last car (a Fiesta) and my present one (a Focus), I find once a year works fine.

[Pedro]

The ex had a Mazda 3 and if the tyres weren't rotated every 10k or so the wear rate was bad.

[kypez]

I do mine every 3 months or 5000kms on the G6E.

[MattSAU2XR8]

To my way of looking at it on my FG Ecoboost (for reference):

1. The OE sportmax's will probably last about 50 kms if I drive slow, or maybe 40 kkms with some corner speed.

2. Main reason for rotating them is that the edges tend to wear off the fronts

3. Could probably get away with swapping front to back once at 20 to 25 kkms

4. But it usually gets done about every 15 kkms when it gets serviced, which is close enough

[Qwerty321]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

I don't think you need to bother wasting time rotating your tyres with that tread depth

not inches lol. I meant mm. Sorry guys, typed this during a lecture and wasn't paying that much attention.

[GingerAle]

Rotating front with the rears every service or 15000 kms is good enough (it is afterall included in the service inspection cost). You may find the rear ones looking like brand new but they soon even out by the time the second rotation comes around. Good quality tyres should last for 3 - 4 rotations.

All wheel drive vehicles do not necessarily require rotation unless you treverse windy roads often.

[MAGPIE]

I rotate tyres every 20,000 km.

[Blem]

I rotate the fronts to the back. That's it.
Since I got track semis I now get about 10k from a pair of road tyres. That's just over a years usage. They are consumables afer all.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

On our daily driver 4x4 I rotate them every 10,000km, (when I service it).

With my XB's I don't bother as the rears run wider rubber that the fronts.

[ZedTee]

It depends on what size tyres and rims they are, and how it's driven. On my XR8 ute I have been running 215/60R16 light truck tyres and the fronts will do anywhere between 10 to 50 thousand k's before being put on the back, the inside edges will be halfway worn down by then, the back tyres are just worn down to nothing then replaced with the fronts when new ones go on the front.
When I run the 245/40R18 wheels the front tryes last about 5 to 8 thousand k's before the front inside edges are gone, too much camber on the front for the wider tyres. At that stage new ones will go on the front with those old tyres put in the shed waiting to go on the back to be burnt off...

Anyways the point i'm rambling towards is it's not so much of a 'how long should you leave them', it's more of a 'keep an eye on them' and rotate them when the signs or wear show up. The rears will wear the centre of the treadface mostly while the fronts will wear the edges more, hence the reason to rotate them front to rear to try and even out the wear rate so you can get the most out of them.

But saying that, rotating them more frequently wont hurt if its convenient!

[Qwerty321]

Originally Posted by ZedTee

It depends on what size tyres and rims they are, and how it's driven. On my XR8 ute I have been running 215/60R16 light truck tyres and the fronts will do anywhere between 10 to 50 thousand k's before being put on the back, the inside edges will be halfway worn down by then, the back tyres are just worn down to nothing then replaced with the fronts when new ones go on the front.
When I run the 245/40R18 wheels the front tryes last about 5 to 8 thousand k's before the front inside edges are gone, too much camber on the front for the wider tyres. At that stage new ones will go on the front with those old tyres put in the shed waiting to go on the back to be burnt off...

Anyways the point i'm rambling towards is it's not so much of a 'how long should you leave them', it's more of a 'keep an eye on them' and rotate them when the signs or wear show up. The rears will wear the centre of the treadface mostly while the fronts will wear the edges more, hence the reason to rotate them front to rear to try and even out the wear rate so you can get the most out of them.

But saying that, rotating them more frequently wont hurt if its convenient!

I run 225/60R16s on the car, put them on as a whole new set in January. Seem to be wearing evenly, and I don't feel like it's worth paying to have it rotated, so I guess I'll just get it done when it's serviced at the beginning of summer. I don't expect the car to be doing much mileage till then anyway, as it's sitting in my parents driveway on the other end of the country while I'm at uni Might get in one or two thousand more when I'm back for mid semester break though.

[superfly]

I rotate mine everytime I get the car serviced, so every 15K. I rotate as follows
LF -> LR
LR -> RF
RF -> RR
RR -> LF

[Itsme]

Rotate my tyres every 6 months or 5,000k's whichever comes first.

[Wolfinsheepsclothing]

I can't rotate mine as they are act aysimetrical and the rears are wider than the fronts, I'm pretty happy if they last 15000k's

[FPV6]

I do with daily cars the Pajero and Renault but don't with with the mustang or the previous F6, the sprint has only travelled 60 km

i rather buy two new tyres they go on the front the front go the rear

[Kieron]

I don't bother and the proof is in the pudding. Last couple of new cars for instance -

BA XR6, first set lasted around 58,000k's, put another set of the same Dunlops on and had a front wheel alignment done, got another 58 or so thou k's, replaced them with Kumho Ecsta's with a front wheel alignment and sold it less than 10K later.

FG XR8, first lasted 49 or so thou k's, replaced with Kumho Ecsta's and a front wheel alignment, replaced them at 104,000 with the same again and a front wheel alignment, car now has 151,000k's and at least another 5K worth of meat on the tyres.

Hyundai Getz, originals + 2 changes 147,000k's (all kumho's), just stuck some Pirelli's Contis on it and i'm sure they will see out the natural life of the car.

WK2 Grand Cherokee, 32,000k's and maybe half worn (michelins) - had a wheel alignment under warranty at the 1K service.

[Big_Damo]

I rotate my tyres daily
Hasn't helped the rears to last any longer

[Gee-dog]

Originally Posted by Big_Damo

I rotate my tyres daily
Hasn't helped the rears to last any longer

I have the same problem, but I think it's because the rears mostly rotate faster than the fronts

[sexyxe]

I've got staggered sized rims, and directional tyres, so can't rotate them, but I do get an alignment done usually around service time. With air suspension if I am driving the car in one mode more than the others it has been known to wear the tyres out faster, if it wasn't aligned in the most often used mode.

[NTF6]

I used to rotate my tyres regularly but don't bother anymore. I found 9 times out of ten when I rotated my tyres I would introduce a pull on the front either to the left or right that wasn't there before so now I don't and car tracks straight until it's time for new rubber.

[Yellow_Festiva]

The last 2 times I took my car to Mitsubishi they just look at me funny when I ask them to rotate the tyres. These are some real conversations:

1st Service:

Me: Can you do a rotation please? Include the spare in the rotation.
Them: But that will mean you have a new tyre matched to an old one.. Not a good idea mate.
Me: Please rotate the tyre. I don't want to throw out a perfectly new old tyre because it was under the car and hardly used.
Them: Ok, how will you want us to rotate it?
Me: Follow the instructions in the handbook.....

2nd service:

Me: Can you do a rotation please? Include the spare in the rotation.
Them: We offer a 4 wheel alignment and rotation service for $89.
Me: Don't want the alignment - just rotate the tyres as per the handbook with the spare.
Them: I don't think that's part of the service?
Me: Don't you take off the wheels to do a brake inspection?
Them: Yes, of course!
Me: So rotate them when you do that.. shall I remove the spare for you as well in preparation?
Them: Nah mate, all good....

I loved it when I had 4 good tyres and a worn all spare in the boot. Rotate front to back each service and that's it.

Seems when you introduce a 5th wheel into the equation it just confuses the hell out of people....

As to how often? Each service, be it at 10 or 15k km intervals.

[Iggle Piggle]

As these responses show, there is no single correct answer as to if, when and where to rotate.

Can't say after how many months/years as we all do different amount of KM per year.

Can't say after how many KM because we all travel over different surfaces in different conditions at different speeds with differing levels of "aggression" with different tyres that wear differently on different cars that have different characteristics as to how they wear/chew tyres.

Then you get added complications as to how/where you can rotate which is restricted by staggered size preventing front to rear, and directional/symmetrical/asymmetrical etc that will dictate whether you can swap side to side, and if so whether you need rotate on the rim to swap sides.

Provided you don't have staggered sizes you can move front to rear on the same side. This is good if your car (or your driving style) wears the outside shoulder of the fronts over time...but even this is dependent on how the rears are wearing, though can give further benefit if you get rear camber wear on the inside.

So to summarise my feelings...the answer is 43 ferrets.

[irish2]

I have never bothered to rotate tyres and have had no ill consequences. On my falcon, and mustang the rears wear quicker than the fronts. So I simply buy two tyres, whack them to the front, and put the slightly worn fronts on the rear.

[GO FURTHER]

Since the reason for rotating tyres is to even out the wear on all four tyres over the life of the tyres, and the fact that Falcons tend to wear out the rear tyres faster being rear wheel drive....
The real question should be... Which is better... To have the more worn tyres on the front or rear?

[ZedTee]

Originally Posted by BAXRSIX

Since the reason for rotating tyres is to even out the wear on all four tyres over the life of the tyres, and the fact that Falcons tend to wear out the rear tyres faster being rear wheel drive....
The real question should be... Which is better... To have the more worn tyres on the front or rear?

I believe and I always adhere to having the better tyres on the Front. The Front will do the most braking in an emergency stop, and is responsible for initial steering movement in an emergency response, ie more front grip will allow a sudden movement with less under steer as then catching the oversteer is more controllable than having to under straight into something. Also in wet conditions i'd rather the most grip on the front for the same reasons as above, as well as controlling aquaplaning will be easier with better front tyres, catching the back end is alot easier than trying to slow down to grip up the front. I'm not condoning having crap tyres on the back either, but will always have the better on the front.

[GasoLane]

If your car has different size wheels/tyres on the front and rear rotation is a moot point.

[EB#]

Yep, I have the tyres rotated and re-balanced every 10K km or so. My local tyre place does it for free (for the life of the tyres), as part
of the deal when I buy a set of tyres from them. It's a great service and takes about as long as a cup of coffee and a B&E roll across the road.