Is Rotating Your Tires Really Necessary?

One of the bigger debates among car and truck owners is whether it is truly necessary to rotate your tires on a regular basis. One side says it is an absolute must, while the other side says it does very little to nothing for improving tire wear. So who is right?

Tire makers, as well as most tire experts, all agree that rotating your tires is going to promote more even wear and ultimately give you the most amount of tread life out of any tire. Yes, in some cases the gains will only be minimal, but in most all circumstances it will help.

The key is rotating them in the proper way. For example, all-season tires should be rotated in an "X" pattern, but with a twist to it. The two tires that you have on the non-drive axle should be criss-crossed when moving them to the drive axle. Next, the two that were on the drive axle should be moved to the non-drive axle on the same side they were on.

That said, there are some exceptions to this rule that are very important to keep in mind. If you are driving on tires with a "directional" tread pattern, you do not want to criss-cross them whatsoever. They must stay on the same side, so you would simply change them from front to back and back to front.

How often do you rotate your tires? Again, there are many different schools of thought, but I would recommend every 5,000 - 7,500 miles. You should also check your owners manual and follow the recommendations the tire manufacturer has set in place.

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