How to rotate tires
From Crankshaft Coalition Wiki
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(I revised the entire page. It was lacking when I first saw this. It still needs more, but this is a good starter.) |
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| − | + | ==Overview== | |
| − | + | By rotating your tires you can get the maximum life out of your tires. There are many other things you can do to get the most out of your tires: | |
| + | #Maintain the proper air pressure in your tires. | ||
| + | #Correct alignment problems. | ||
| + | #Inspect suspension components. | ||
| + | #Inspect steering components. | ||
| − | + | You should rotate your tires every 5,000 miles. | |
| + | |||
| + | ==Tire Inspection== | ||
| + | You should inspect your tires before every rotation. The following are things you need to inspect: | ||
| + | #Air pressure - If a tire has lower pressure than the other 3 then you know it has a leak. | ||
| + | #Tread depth - Measure on the inside, middle, and outside of the tread. This helps identify alignment issues and identify issues that may warrant a modified rotation. | ||
| + | #Tread Condition - Inspect the tread around the diameter of the tire. Look for cupping (this is like a wave in the tread of the tire that goes all the way around), and tread separation (this is like cupping except it is isolated to part of the tire or tread that is worn more on one part of the diameter of the tire). | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Deciding on the correct rotation== | ||
| + | If you don't find anything out of the ordinary in your inspection you can rotate your tires as normal: | ||
| + | *'''Non staggered and non directional''' - The front tires go straight back and the rear tires cross to the front (some people do the opposite, this is fine as long as you do it the same each time, in other words, pick one and stick with it). | ||
| + | *'''Non staggered and directional''' - Rears go straight forward and fronts go straight back. | ||
| + | *'''Staggered and non directional''' - Fronts switch with each other and rears switch with each other. This rotation isn't really necessary, but helps correct small problems. | ||
| + | *'''Staggered and Directional''' - There is no easy rotation for this setup. A rotation for this setup requires the tires to be dismounted from the wheels. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Sometimes it is necessary to use a modified rotation. Reasons to modify your rotation are: | ||
| + | #Your tires aren't wearing evenly | ||
| + | #One pair of your tires has little/no tread on it (you want the good tires on the rear, even if you have a front drive car, this will prevent your car from having too much oversteer). | ||
| + | #You replaced a tire (or tires) before the rest of them. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The following is a guide for were tires should wear faster on your vehicle: | ||
| + | *'''Front Wheel Drive''' - Wears the front tires faster. | ||
| + | *'''Rear Wheel Drive''' - Wears the rear tires faster. | ||
| + | *'''All Wheel Drive''' - Wears the biased axle (the one the most power is sent to) faster. | ||
| + | |||
| + | If you have a tire with tread separation, it needs to be replaced. It is usually an indicator of another problem (like a bad wheel bearing). I mention this here because it would involve a modified rotation. | ||
| + | If you have a tire with cupping, it needs to end up on another axle to correct the problem (unless the cupping is bad, then it cannot be corrected). Over time the cupping will wear down if it is minor. Doing proper rotations and maintaining proper air pressure will prevent cupping. | ||
| + | During a rotation every tire should move from its original spot. | ||
{{warning}}Always follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. | {{warning}}Always follow the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. | ||
[[Category:Tires]] | [[Category:Tires]] | ||
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