Tyrepower stores across the country understand that every car owner wants their vehicle to perform at its best. A huge part of the way your vehicle performs is the tyres that are fitted.
Have you ever heard of a tyre rotation service but been confused about what one is, or why you need one? Read on to learn more with Tyrepower!
But don't my tyres rotate while driving?
Clever, and yes they do. But when discussing a tyre rotation service, we’re specifically talking about the process of removing the wheels and tyres and reinstalling them on a different corner of the vehicle. For example, putting the front tyres on the back and vise versa.
This service aims to avoid uneven tyre wear and can be crucial for maintaining good traction, handling and safety.
What causes vehicle tyres to wear unevenly? (in the context of a tyre rotation)
Assuming that your vehicle has a good wheel alignment and the suspension is free from abnormal wear and tear, your tyres are still likely to wear out at different rates, depending on where they are on your vehicle. There are several reasons for this:
- Type of drivetrain: If your vehicle is front wheel drive, for example, your front tyres are responsible for handling all of your acceleration and steering, as well as most of your braking forces.
- Weight distribution: Very few vehicles on the street truly have an even 50:50 weight distribution front to rear. The more load placed on a tyre, the faster it can wear out.
- Driving habits: If you’ve got a heavy foot and drive in a ‘spirited’ manner, you’re going to see more wear on your driven tyres. Frequent hard braking and aggressive cornering can also cause uneven tyre wear.
- Suspension setup: Depending on your vehicle, general suspension condition and type can also factor into tyre wear patterns.
The goal is a tyre rotation service is to help mitigate these issues by ensuring that tyres change positions and share the burden of these wear-inducing factors.
Different Types of Tyre Rotations
As briefly mentioned before, depending on the type of vehicle you have, the uneven tyre wear patterns may be different, this necessitates slightly different tyre rotation patterns to best offset the type of wear your tyres will experience.
- FWD Vehicles: Rotate the front tyres to the rear, and the rear tyres to the front. But when you rotate the rear tyres to the front, switch the left to the right.
- RWD Vehicles: It is mostly the opposite of FWD. Rotate the rear tyres with the front, and the front tyres with the rear. Reinstall the front tyres on opposite sides of the car.
- AWD Vehicles: Rotation should happen in a criss-cross pattern, where front and rear tyres are both installed on opposite corners of the vehicle.
Vehicles with matching spare tyres should include the spare tyre to part of the rotation scheme, with the spare being installed on the rear axle of the vehicle.
Some commercial vehicles such as vans, with 4 tyres per axle, should rotate in a modified x-pattern, or according to the manufacturer's specification.
How often should a tyre rotation be performed?
Depending on your driving habits, Tyrepower recommend that you have a tyre rotation performed every 10,000 to 12,000kms. Your vehicle manufacturer will have more specific information, which you can find in your owners manual or by contacting your local Tyrepower with your registration number.
Routine wheel alignment services not only extend your tyre lifespan but also help maintain predictable and optimal vehicle handling and performance.
Contact your nearest Tyrepower store today for expert advice, on tyre rotations, tyre pressure, wheel alignment services and even puncture repairs. Your local Tyrepower store is full of expert staff who can assist with any of your tyre and wheel related questions!
