Importance of Tire Rotation
Posted on March 12, 2020
You might be wondering if rotating tires is really a necessary part of car servicing. The fact is tire rotation will help you not only get the most out of your vehicle, but will help prevent a variety of problems. For those reasons, the service centre at Caledon Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram recommends regular tire rotations.
Why Rotate
The fact is that your front and rear tires won't wear evenly. It's common for the front tire tread to wear quicker on the outside edges. This is from the tires leaning or rolling slightly as you go through turns. As for the rear tires, they don't turn at all, and so the wear is more even.
Your car's weight isn't distributed evenly. Most cars are heavier up front, because that's where the engine is located. The more weight that's placed on tires, the quicker they wear out. Rotating them will combat this problem.
Worn down tires hurt performance and safety. Obviously, when the tread is worn down, your tires don't grip as well, especially when the road is wet or icy. That can cause you to slide, or make your car handle sloppily.
Tires that are wearing down hurt fuel efficiency. Your car must work harder to travel the same distance if the tires don't grip the road surface as well. Keeping your tires rotated and well-maintained means you spend less time at the pump, and less money on fuel.
When your tires are worn down, they cause your car to take longer to stop. That might be the difference between getting in an accident and having a close call. They also reduce how quickly you can get moving, making it harder to merge onto the freeway, etc.
If left alone, the front tires on your car will wear out far before the rear tires. You can avoid paying for new tires sooner by having tire rotations performed regularly. That means you save money and enjoy better performance.
Tire rotation is also an easy and inexpensive car maintenance item. It will save you money, hassle, and help avoid dangerous situations.
When to Rotate
The owner's manual in your car provides recommendations of when to rotate the tires. We understand that's another thing you need to track, which is why our service centre is more than happy to provide reminders of when your tires need to be rotated again.
In general, you should be rotating your tires between every 3,000 and 7,000 miles, or about every 4,800 to 11,300 kilometres. Again, exactly how long you should go between rotations depends on the car manufacturer's recommendations.
Depending on your vehicle and tires, the rotation might need to be done in a certain order. In general, the front tires are rotated to the rear. You also swap the tires from the driver's side to the passenger side. The general idea is to ensure each tire spends some time on each corner of your car, ensuring the most even tread wear possible.
There are some exceptions to this general rule. Unidirectional tires are made to go on either the driver's or passenger side of your car. That means you can't swap them from one side to the other. Some cars, particularly performance models, have different tire sizes in the front and rear.
Come to Caledon Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram for all your tire needs, from rotations to balancing, and to get new tires when the time comes.
Tire Rotation Service