Everything about tire rotation
Rotating tires is an important step that shouldn’t be overlooked; however, it should not be done just any old way! Blackcircles Canada tells you all about tire rotation and the rules to follow!
Why rotate your tires?
Whether your vehicle is a front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, there are several reasons why it is important to rotate your tires on a regular basis.
In fact, this procedure – which is recommended every 10,000 kilometers, at the same time as your oil change – helps prevent uneven tread wear on the tires, which will extend their life.
This means that when your tires approximately show the same level of wear, you'll enjoy better road handling and increased stability by avoiding imbalances between the front and rear of your car.
How do I rotate the tires?
It all depends on the type of drive system on your vehicle. However, it's important to follow these guidelines to ensure that your tires receive even wear.
For example, on a front-wheel drive model, the front wheels should be swapped with the rear ones, without changing sides. The rear tires, on the other hand, will need to be switched side before going to the front.
In the case of a rear-wheel drive, the opposite must be done: the rear wheels “slide forward” while the front wheels are switched side before being installed at the rear.
Finally, if you need to rotate the tires on an all-wheel drive model, you simply form an X (right-front to left-rear and vice versa, left-front to right-rear and vice versa).
Finally, with directional tires, you simply swap the front tires with the rear tires, keeping the same side.
And if your vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, it will have to be reset after each tire rotation.
What is the direction of rotation of winter tires?
Winter tires are directional tires, so you'll see an arrow on the sidewall that indicates the direction of travel, which will guide you in mounting your tires on your vehicle.
So, simply mount the winter tires with the arrow pointing forward, to ensure that the tires rotate in the correct direction.
What happens if the tires are mounted upside down? Your vehicle will still run, but you won't get the maximum efficiency from your tires because the unidirectional tread pattern was designed to provide optimum performance in one position.
It is also for this reason that when rotating winter tires, they should always be on the same side; you should follow the directional tire rotation pattern, regardless of your vehicle's drive system.
When to rotate your winter tires?
When it's time to replace your winter tires with your 4-season tires, mark their current position on the inner sidewall (e.g. RF for right front) so that you can install them in the opposite position the next fall.
However, if you use your vehicle a lot during the winter season, it might be wise to rotate your tires after 6,000 to 8,000 kilometres, in order to avoid uneven wear.
One exception: according to CAA-Québec, if your vehicle is equipped with performance tires, this rotation should be done after 4,000 kilometres of use.
What happens if you neglect to rotate your tires?
You could end up with unevenly worn tires and have to replace two out of four tires sooner. However, this technique is not recommended if you have an all-wheel drive vehicle, which will require all four tires to be replaced simultaneously.
To learn more about tire rotation for your vehicle, visit your local garage or ask the tire specialists at blackcircles Canada!
