How do you rotate your tires?

[Kyle]

Every "expert" I talk to gives me a different answer.

1) Front to back only (tire rolls the same direction for life). "Once a radial goes one direction it's dangerous to run it the other way. "

2) Front to back and cross the drive wheels to the other side (i. e. on a front-wheel drive, cross front-to-back. On a rear-wheel drive, cross back-to-front). "That issue with radials was just with the old ones. Any modern radial can be switched from one side to the other. "

3) Only cross them if you have Michelins. All others do straight front-to-back.

4) Clockwise or counterclockwise, doesn't matter - include the spare if it's the same size.



I'm confused so I came to the source of all automotive knowledge (the TDR) to get the real scoop. Please include reasons why if you can. Thanks... .

 

[Extreme1]

Look in the owner's manual. They are actually starting to put usefull information in them again instead of "See your Dealer".

 

[RJOL]

Tire Rotation

Don't know about other year manuals, but the 2001 manual says to rotate the back tires straight ahead to the front, and the front tires crossed to the back (ie left front on right rear and right front on left rear. The manual makes no distinction between manufacture of tires. Mine are stock Michelins.

 

[Okie-Go]

I do it like rjol says and it happens every 5000-7000 miles. Makes em last a long time.

 

[TomGolden]

I'm with Okie-Go and RJOL. I follow the owners manual with my stock Michelins.



Tom

 

[Lurch]

I put it in gear and mash on it, they rotate real fast . Seriously though, the direction change thing is left over from the 70's. Back then you couldn't change directions on a radial. With todays tires the pattern in the owners manual is fine.



Lurch

 

[Expat]

More a question for the tire manufacturer, esp. if you have non OE tires

I think the Interco Super Swamper website suggests front-to-back rotation with no crossover. Since I have Swampers, that's good enough for me. Of course, I gather Swampers don't last long whatever rotation schedule you use... Great in mud, though!

 

[Doc Tinker]

The tire manufacturers used to recommend keeping the tires on the same side, so they turn the same direction. This is old information and is no longer true. When early steel radials were reverse rotated, the steel belts would break and fine pieces of wire would begin to poke through the tread. A guy could really slice his hands up on some of that nasty wire, while relacing the tire.



Doc