Tire Rotation
Prolong the life of your tires and extend the return on your investment by regular rotation of your tires. Most manufactures suggest this occur every 5000-7500 miles. For a great deal of vehicles this equates to every or every other oil change.
Why Rotate?
Aside from financial savings in extending the life of the tires, rotations result in enhanced safety characteristics through promoting unifying wear across the width of your tire. Uneven tire wear due to lack of rotating results in reduced handling, decrease in fuel mileage, reduced ride quality, braking and traction characteristics.
Aren't the tires inherently always rotating?
This is very true the tires are indeed always rotating when driving however the industry jargon "rotating the tires" refers to changing the position of the tires in relation to the vehicle. It is most beneficial this occurs regularly as the rear and front tires are subjected to differing wear forces. Even on a perfectly aligned vehicle the front tires will exhibit edge wear quicker than the rear due to vehicle turning. Further depending on the position of the drive axle(s) [FWD,RWD,4X4,ALL) the driven wheels will exhibit accelerated wear in relation to the non driven wheels due to being subjected to greater velocity of forces-ever seen a vehicle do a burn out? The smoking tires are those driven wheels experiencing accelerated wear. Rotating ensures all tires wear as evenly as possible.
Reduced fuel mileage? How?
Laxed rotation increases uneven tire wear. Uneven tire wear (ex cupping) increases rolling resistance. Increased rolling resistance requires the vehicle to work harder.
Reduced handling, braking and traction? How?
Unevenly worn tires reduce the surface area of the tire in contact with the road.
Reduced ride quality? How?
Inconsistent tire rotations pronounce tire wear. This often results in tire cupping. Tire cupping can be mitigated through rotations. Cupping can be described as choppy wear patterns. These choppy wear patterns are transferred to the vehicle cabin as a bumpy ride. Ever ride a off road vehicle with mud tires? Tire edge cupping patterns are a near mirror to the overall tread design of mud tires which when driven on smooth roads results in a rough ride.