Tire Rotation Patterns/ Guide

[grogiefrog]

From Tire Rack:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=43

Five Tire Rotation (for a rear wheel drive 4x4):

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Four Tire Rotation (for a rear wheel drive 4x4):

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Personally, I prefer doing a five tire rotation, so that the spare has equal wear. For example, if you rotate every 6k, at 30k, each tire will have 24k.

 

[Mutt]

Too bad that doesn't work for directional tires. Unless you break them down off the rims.

 

[candpliberty]

Call me old school but I believe radial tires take a set and should not rotate in the opposite direction they are used to. RR to RF, RF to spare, Spare to RR. Left side just front to back, back to front.

 

[autoboy454]

working at a honda dealer as a tech, we only do front to back, and never once cross from side to side when rotating tires. Something to think about. only a handful of those cars that come in have truly directional tires, most are generic bridgestone or yoko tires

 

[Auberon]

Hey autoboy454,
can you explain why, please. The front to back etc on same side that is.
Otherwise it is just because and that doesn't quite get there. So technically, you aren't evening out wear, you are simply tyre swapping Yes?

Few directional tyres? really? on real 4wds? I must say I am surprised. I understood even Wanglers were directional to a degree. I accept I could well be wrong.

I am well accustomed to truly directional tyres and one might say this is obvious but I have seen them put on all crossed upon an equal wheel drive machines when wheel track widths have been adjusted

With a tyre as tall as a man that is not a small mistake to make. Lives can depend on it as they are large enough to crush a man.
Thanks and cheers
Auberon

 

[tommudd]

The way radial tires were made in the beginning it was not a good idea to cross them,the belts would slip back some, any more you can with no problems at all. I can remember working in tire shops when radials first came out , lots of misinformation that continues to stick around today. I rotate my tires every 3 to 4,000 miles and cross them the way it is in the second picture with no side effects. Been doing it that way for 20 years at least.
Now of course directional tires stay on the same side

 

[mag03kj]

ya if you run a tire on the right side of the vehicle and then put it on the left with out taken it off the rim it will come apart...thats what i've been told so i just go front to back or back to front w/e suits you.

 

[tommudd]

The tires will not come apart if you take them from one side to another

 

[mag03kj]

they will not come apart if you run them the same way they were running but if you run them backward of the way they were they will come apart

 

[belvedere]

I once discussed this issue with the owner of a small tire/alignment shop. He grew up in the shop in the 50's (his dad started it). He said that when radials first came out, they were poor quality, and it was advised not to rotate them side-to-side. (Sort of what tommudd said.) He said radials haven't had such issues in many years.

 

[belvedere]

they will not come apart if you run them the same way they were running but if you run them backward of the way they were they will come apart

I've been rotating my tires per the second diagram for many years, and have never had one "come apart". The diagram says it is from Tire Rack. Do you think they would recommend something that would cause their tires to "come apart" while the customer is driving?

 

[Luke]

From Tire Rack:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=43

Five Tire Rotation (for a rear wheel drive 4x4):

You must be registered for see images

Four Tire Rotation (for a rear wheel drive 4x4):

You must be registered for see images

Personally, I prefer doing a five tire rotation, so that the spare has equal wear. For example, if you rotate every 6k, at 30k, each tire will have 24k.

Thanks for posting Groggie .. you saved me 5 minutes looking for the diagram . This is my task for today.

 

[tommudd]

they will not come apart if you run them the same way they were running but if you run them backward of the way they were they will come apart

How come none of my last twenty sets ( at least) have never came apart? Back in the late 60s early 70s yes some problems but haven't been for years.

From the early 70s up through I worked for various tire shops/ companies from Goodyear, Dunlop, Firestone etc, ( everything from mounting, management, and owning) and none have had problems with rotating side to side for years!

 

[tommudd]

Thanks for posting Groggie .. you saved me 5 minutes looking for the diagram . This is my task for today.

Its in the book in your glove box as well!

 

[M38 Bob]

I realize this sticky's been dormant for years,but I just GOTTA add my experience to Toms.

IN THE BEGINNING;

There was Michelin (2ply sidewall,2steel belts). Standard cross rotation, no problems. Pirelli and a few other foreign made as well .

Then domestic companies got involved, Goodyear, and others were putting as many as 7 plies in the tread area,,,,DISASTER!!!!!

Then Firestone had their first monumental crisis, the "Firestone 500". OE on a bunch of Fords early 70s-80's. Put them in bankruptcy , reason they have Bridgestone for a parent company now.

Firestone, or parent, Bridgestone, started the story that all those failures were because of cross rotation, the other big boys kept their mouth shut because this made all their earlier attempt failures seen less their fault.

Now every bodies tires are 2, or in many cases 1 ply sides, with 2 steel belts. Almost miraculously all the devastating at speed tire failures went away, and cross rotation became the standard again.

At my shop we've been doing rotations as in the Tire Rack diagram, 4-5per day for 30 years now. A potential customer shows up now preaching "cross rotation bad" and can't be re-educated, I'll sen em on down the road as too stupid to deal with.

Bob


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