A tire rotation is a routine car maintenance service that should be performed at regular intervals. Wondering how often should you rotate your tires? The general recommendation is to have your tires rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, depending on if you have front-wheel drive (FWD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), or all-wheel drive (AWD). This applies to most vehicles but for the specific recommendation for your car, truck, SUV, or van, consult your owner’s manual.
A tire rotation is when the tires are switched, or rotated, between the wheels. They’re typically rotated back to front and left to right. This tire service helps the treads wear evenly across the whole surface of the tire to help prevent uneven tread patterns and bald spots on one side of the tire.
While front to back and side to side is typically how a tire rotation is completed, some tires may have directional tread or different sizes on the front and rear. In these cases, tires can only be rotated front to back or side to side.
Extend the Life of the Tires
A tire rotation helps extend the life of your tires. By completing this tire service and regular internals, the wear and tear is more evenly distributed across the surface of each tire and there shouldn’t be uneven tread loss. Tread loss impacts contact with the road, and a tire rotation helps encourage a quieter drive and relieve stress on the tires and drivetrain.
Improve Safety
Tire rotations can help improve safety. Over time, the wear and tear on your tires thins them out. If it’s uneven and one spot is thinner than the others, it puts the tire at a greater risk of a blowout. Evenly worn tires also help you maintain better traction, especially when the roads are slippery. This tire service reduces the risk of skidding and hydroplaning, keeping you, your passengers, and other drivers safer on the road.
Improve Fuel Efficiency
When the treads are worn down unevenly, roll resistance can increase, which causes strain on the engine. This, in turn, reduces the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. Regular tire rotation services help keep your vehicle working as it should and save you money because you won’t have to stop for gas as frequently.
While the tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles, the tire rotation pattern is different for FWD and RWD vehicles.
AWD vehicles follow a different tire rotation pattern from FWD and RWD vehicles. AWD vehicles typically need a tire rotation sooner – about every 3,000 to 5,000 miles – because AWD cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs engage all four tires. The tire rotation pattern for an AWD vehicle is as follows:
Completing this tire service in the correct tire rotation pattern can be tricky. Our certified technicians at Whitten Brothers Automotive are here to quickly and competently complete a tire rotation for your FWD, RWD, or AWD vehicle. Our service department can help answer any questions about tire rotations or any other car maintenance services. A great way to remember to have your tires rotated is to ask for this service each time you have your oil changed. Contact us to schedule your next oil change and tire rotation in Richmond or Ashland, VA.