Thanks to advancements in technology and development, tires have become trouble-free. But, this has caused people to ignore them until there’s a problem. Owners often skip the essential tire rotation maintenance step as well. Here’s why you should not.
Tire rotation means moving tires from one position on the car to another. The front tires move to the back, the back tires move to the front, and they also change sides from left to right. The exact pattern varies, but the one recommended for your car is mentioned in its owner’s manual. The manual also specifies how often tires should be rotated.
Why Bother?
Tire rotation helps tires wear out evenly. This extends the life of all your tires and delays their replacement, thus saving you money. It also promotes balanced handling. If tires on a vehicle aren’t rotated, the driven wheels, i.e., the wheel, and by extension the tires to which power from the engine is sent, will wear out faster. This can make the vehicle difficult to control. Uneven wear also hurts the suspension and alignment, thus compromising your car’s comfort, fuel-efficiency, and overall life of the vehicle. Another reason to regularly rotate your tires is that the tire manufacturer’s warranty requires you to do it.
How to Do It?
Technically, you can rotate the tires yourself. You’ll need a hard, flat, and level space, a jack, jack stands, wheel chocks, a torque wrench, and a standard hand toolset. Remember to never get under a vehicle only supported by a jack.
What to Check?
When you rotate tires or pay someone to rotate them, check the inner and outer sidewall of each tire for any tread or sidewall damage. Tires also deteriorate over time and become unsafe. Tire experts and auto manufacturers recommend that tires should be replaced every six years. This includes the spare as well. Others suggest ten years. Look at the last four digits of the DOT code to know how old the tire is. The last two digits are the year, and the two before that are the week. Remember to tighten the nuts with a torque wrench to ensure proper wheel mounting. Also, get the wheels balanced when you rotate them.
