How Often Should I Rotate My Tires?

You can’t understate the importance of having a good set of tires on your car. They’re the only thing that connects your vehicle to the road, so even minor imperfections can reduce performance and safety levels. Rotating your tires effectively keeps them in good shape by ensuring they all wear out at the same rate. Keep reading to better understand what a tire rotation job consists of, how often you should do it, and how to keep your tires in good shape for as long as possible.

How Often Should You Rotate Your Tires?

Tire rotation is switching your car’s tires from one position to another. Depending on factors such as your vehicle’s drivetrain type, the service technicians who perform this operation can decide to move the front tires to the back, switch them from one side to another, or change them diagonally. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual may provide more insight into which rotation pattern is the most appropriate for your vehicle. Doing so will ensure your tires wear evenly.

An appropriate answer to the general question of when you should rotate your tires is every 5,000 to 7,000 miles for front- and rear-wheel-drive vehicles and every 3,000 to 5,000 miles for all-wheel-drive ones. Rear-wheel-drive cars require more frequent tire rotations because all wheels provide traction and are more prone to deterioration. These intervals largely coincide with oil change intervals, so you can take your car to a service shop such as Riverside Ford and perform both, saving you time.

Signs You Need a Tire Rotation

There may be situations where you need to rotate tires more frequently than the above-mentioned intervals. Maybe you’ve been driving in particularly warm weather, have an aggressive driving style, or you’ve just bought the vehicle and have no idea when the previous owner last rotated the car’s tires. There are sure signs that can indicate that you need to take your vehicle to a service shop and have a certified technician analyze your tire wear.

You Can See the Uneven Tire Wear With Your Own Eyes

Probably the most obvious sign that you need to rotate your tires is when you can see the difference in tire wear with your own eyes. For instance, if your car is front-wheel drive, the front tires will likely wear out much earlier than the rear ones because they are responsible for traction, braking, and supporting the heavy engine. If you notice that wear and tear visibly affect your front tires’ tread patterns more than the rear ones, you know it’s time to rotate the two pairs.

You Feel an Unusual Vibration While Driving

If your vehicle doesn’t run smoothly on an even road, one of the most likely reasons is one or more of your tires being more deteriorated than the others. There could be other reasons, such as an issue with one of your wheels or a faulty suspension, but it’s usually the tires. It’s important that you schedule a service appointment as soon as you start feeling these strange vibrations, as having unevenly worn tires can affect your vehicle’s braking distance and cornering ability.

You Notice a Loss of Pressure in One or More Tires

Another common sign you may need to rotate your tires is if you notice that one or more tires are constantly losing pressure. While this can have other reasons, such as a tiny puncture or temperature differences, it may also be because the uneven wear puts too much pressure on one or more of your tires. Regardless, a tire technician has the tools to fix it.

Your Vehicle Keeps Pulling to One Side

Just like most other indications that you may need to rotate your vehicle’s tires, there may also be other reasons why your vehicle is pulling to the left or to the right. Improper wheel alignment, steering and suspension issues, worn brake pads, or simply the road being slightly tilted to one side are all possible causes, but the most common is uneven tire pressure. Try to drive as safely as possible after noticing this, and take your car to the shop as soon as possible.

How To Extend the Life of Your Tires

While all tires wear out eventually, there are things you can do to extend their life span in addition to regularly rotating them. These include:

• Constantly checking your tire pressure: As mentioned earlier, a loss of tire pressure may occur for multiple reasons. Small losses in tire pressure are almost impossible to notice by simply observing your tires but can cause extensive tire damage, so you should check their pressure regularly.
• Checking your tire alignment: Roads aren’t always perfect, and hitting a pothole or curb may misalign your tires. This can increase friction and cause premature tire deterioration, so if you feel your steering wheel shaking or your car drifting to either side, you should have a technician check your tires.
• Getting the right tires for your location and driving habits: Another great way to keep your tires in good condition for as long as possible is getting the right ones. For instance, you should get both summer and winter tires if your area experiences significant temperature changes throughout the year and special all-terrain tires if you constantly venture off-road with your vehicle.
• Being a calm driver: Last but not least, how you drive significantly impacts tire wear. Aggressively hitting the brakes and taking corners at high speeds have a detrimental effect on your tires.

Regularly rotating your tires will save you money by extending their life span, help you stay safe when driving, and give you a smooth driving experience. Our experienced technicians at Riverside Ford in Macon, Georgia, will keep your tires in great shape for as long as possible by rotating them based on your drivetrain and their current wear. Call us today or use our website to schedule a tire rotation.