All vehicle owners should have their tires rotated in order to ensure their vehicle runs at its highest level of efficiency. That said, what is the whole deal with rotating tires? What exactly does rotating tires do for a vehicle and when should you rotate your tires? We answer these questions, and more, below.
Why Do I Need to Rotate my Tires?
Rotating your tires is an important maintenance task because it helps to not only ensure your vehicle is running safely on healthy tires, but it also improves your tire’s lifespan. You see, the tires on the “drive wheels” of your vehicle end up working harder because they apply the energy to move your vehicle. Additionally, those tires under the engine wear faster as they bear most of the vehicle’s weight. This is why we rotate these tires; to help spread out the load and force the tires to wear evenly. In addition, proper tire maintenance and rotation shows that by rotating tires we can improve fuel efficiency, which means saving money on gas!
What Happens if I Don’t Rotate my Tires?
As we’ve shared, the reason we rotate tires is because the front tires, especially in a front wheel drive vehicle, wear out faster. If you don’t get a regular tire rotation service performed, the front tires will wear much faster than normal. Consequently, you’ll be replacing your tires, all four of them, much earlier than is necessary. Why all four tires? Tires must have even tread between all four tires to work properly; so when you replace one tire you will commonly need to replace two tires or even all four.
When Should I Rotate my Tires?
We have our customers rotate tires every other oil change to ensure they are kept up with. If you’re using conventional oil, that’s every 3,000 miles; if you’re using synthetic oil it works out to a 5,000 mile interval for tire rotation . Obviously, it’s best to consult with your usual Maryland auto mechanic and let them be the judge of the best schedule for your vehicle and your driving habits. In addition to a tire rotation every other oil change, a road force balance and alignment check every 15,000 miles is also recommended.
How Do I Rotate my Tires?
Rotating tires isn’t as simple as switching the front and rear tires. The way you rotate your tires varies greatly depending on what type of vehicle you own: front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, 6-wheels, or uni-directional tires. For this reason, it’s best to let a certified Maryland tire service rotate your tires for you.
That said, if you’re trying to rotate tires on a front-wheel drive vehicle, you will move the front tires back to the rear (left front to the left rear; right front to the right rear), and then you will place the rear tire on it’s opposite front side (right rear to left front; left rear to right front). This is the rotation for a front wheel drive vehicle only.
Professional Tire Rotation Services
Tires are not something you want to mess with. If your vehicle’s tires are not on your vehicle correctly, it can lead to some serious and possibly life-threatening situations. For this reason, it’s best to pay and have a professional tire repair shop in Maryland rotate your vehicle’s tires during your next oil change.
Hillmuth Auto Care is a Maryland tire service center with the experience and attention to detail to ensure your tires are well-maintained and rotated on a regular schedule. To schedule an appointment to bring your vehicle in for a tire service, give your local Hillmuth location a call today, or fill out the form on our website!
