Rotation for longer-lasting tires
Car tires are an important part of a vehicle, obviously, because, without them, it couldn’t go anywhere. You have to more than just put tires on your vehicle though, you must take care of the tires for safety and so you get a longer life span from them.
A common maintenance step that many vehicle owners do is get a tire rotation and alignment for their car tires from time to time, or tire rotation with an oil change. We need both combinations to keep a vehicle in good condition and safe.
Are tire rotations important?
Your vehicle is an important and substantial investment, so taking care of it is important to keep it is in running condition and protect the value of it. This includes scheduled maintenance like oil change, fluid check, properly working brakes, making sure the car tires are properly inflated, getting new tires when needed, and tire rotation in between new tire purchases.
What good does it to have car tires properly inflated or what good does a tire rotation to do for the car? Car tires that are regularly serviced, including make sure they have the right amount of air pressure and having them rotated will give you the maximum tread life and keep your car driving and riding better. Properly inflated and rotated car tires will give you the best performance of your vehicle and maintain its value for future trade-in or for selling.
Your owner’s manual that comes with your vehicle will have a recommended maintenance schedule for car tires, including the rotation service. If you purchased a used car and the owner’s manual isn’t available, the tire manufacturer will have their recommendation or ask your mechanic.
The patter that car tires are rotated is important too. The front axle of the car has a different job than the rear axle, and those jobs create wear on car tires. That tire wear effects a car’s performance, which will wear them out faster, the car uses more gas, and can also affect the safety of a car.
Do you really have to rotate your tires?
Yes, it is not an upsell of the car dealership or your mechanic. If you think about it for a moment, the car manufacturers and the tire manufacturers will have their guide and recommendation of how often rotating car tires should be done. They both have already sold you their product, right? So, why would they recommend car tires be rotated if they’re not making money from the service?
The usual recommendation to rotate car tires is every 5,000 miles to 10,000 miles. Some cars and some car tires will have a different recommendation, and you may have a personal preference. The number one reason for rotating car tires is for wear and tear to equalize because the front tires typically wear out faster than the rear tires. This is because the outer side of the front car tires takes more pressure when you make turns, especially for parallel parking, three-point turns, and U-turns.
What happens if you don’t rotate your tires?
Good car tires are important for a comfortable ride and as a guarantee for safe traveling. Between you and the road are your car tires and if they are inferior quality or condition, your car’s performance is diminished, as is your safety.
There are several benefits to be had from rotating your car tires, with the main ones being:
- It preserves your car’s balance, making turns is safe
- It helps with maneuverability and traction, keeps your car on the road
- It preserves the tire tread giving you longer tire life expectancy
Tire manufacturers offer a guarantee on their tires and the mileage you can expect from them under normal driving conditions. Having your car tires rotated on a regular basis will give you a better chance of keeping that guarantee held. The main functions of your car tires are:
- To support your car’s bulk weight
- To absorb the irregularities of the roadways
- To provide traction and braking so that you drive safely and come to a safe stop
- To make your turns safe and smooth
Which way do you rotate your tires?
It depends on whether your car tires are directional or non-directional. With directional car tires, the tread pattern is one-way and optimized for the direction the tires rotate – they are specifically made for either the left side or right side and most tires will have either an arrow or a triangle on each tire’s sidewall indicating the direction it should turn. To rotate directional car tires, exchange the right front tire with the right-back tire and the left front tire with the left-back tire:
With non-directional car tires, the tread pattern is designed so we can mount them on any car wheel. To rotate non-directional car tires, use the crisscross pattern. For rear-wheel-drive cars, move the front tires to the rear on opposite sides, such as front left-to-right rear and front right to left rear.
Can you rotate tires too often?
The basic recommendation for car tires to be rotated is every 6 months or every 10,000 miles, unless you drive less than 7,500 miles annually, which usually coincides with oil changes and can be done at the same time. Some cars the manufacturers recommend the oil change every 15,000 miles, and in that case, you’ll want to get your car tires rotated in between oil changes. The owner’s manual that comes with your car may have different recommendations, and if so, that is the schedule you should follow. Just as your home needs regular scheduled maintenance and check-ups on the HVAC system and roofing, your car needs regularly scheduled maintenance. Your home protects you and your family. Your car does, and is for many people, the main mode of transportation to and from school, work, and more. With that in mind, the importance of things like the oil change and rotation of car tires is obvious. Call 847-895-9131 today for your tire rotation in Schaumburg, IL.