Your vehicle needs attention and care especially for a longer run. Not only does it demand to get the maintenance done on time but follow a preventive maintenance schedule to prevent bigger losses in future. Among various parts, tire maintenance is what you should not compromise ever to ensure safety on the road.
To extend the lifespan of tires, tire rotation is a proven practice, in which you reposition your vehicle’s tires to balance the uneven wear and tear. This wear and tear can happen due to multiple reasons such as unbalanced suspension, wheel alignment, the difference in torque and friction experienced by front and rear tires and more— which can be minimized by rotating the tires.
This guide will unravel the science behind tire rotation, different types of tire repositioning, and tire rotation benefits:
The basic concept behind tire rotation is to reposition the vehicle’s tires from one place to another. Repositioning can be done in any manner, from right to left, front to backward, or a combination of both in a complex pattern.
Tire rotation can even out the tread wear and tear and offer a balanced tread pattern for better grip and performance. Moreover, rotating the tires regularly can offer insights to drivers regarding potential issues that could prove harmful in the future.
Tire wear and tear is not just a physical phenomenon but involves multiple mechanical factors as well. The simple principle behind the tire rotation is that you must prevent the uneven wear and tear of treads, which is caused by friction and road contact. Not only do these factors contribute towards the formation of distinctive patterns on the tires, but they can drastically reduce the lifespan.
Here are some of the factors that play a role in increasing wear and tear of tires and can be a reason why you must rotate tires regularly:
Friction— First and foremost is the friction between the road and the tires. The friction is not the same on front and rear tires. The front end of the vehicle carrying the engine has a greater load than the rear. Therefore, the front tires experience higher frictional force.
Tire Pressure— Tire pressure is also a major concern when it comes to wear and tear. Both the inflated and deflated tire can be a reason for uneven wear and tear and require you to rotate the tires.
Misalignment— Misalignment of tires or problems in suspension can also cause uneven wear and tear. Rotate your tires regularly to extend their lifespan.
Now that you’re well aware of the science behind tire rotation, it’s time to find out how often you should rotate the tires of your vehicle. According to the Tire Industry Association, tire rotation should be done every 5000-7000 miles to extend the lifespan and get better performance.
Many of you might forget to rotate your tires or not really remember when the tires were rotated last. The easy solution to this problem is to rotate the tires on every oil change, and it’s also a great time to get the tires inspected by the mechanic.
There are multiple tire rotation benefits, such as improved grip, stability, braking, fuel efficiency and better overall comfort. Let’s unfold some of the major advantages of tire rotation:
As stated earlier, tire rotation ensures that the tread depth becomes similar on all vehicles’ tires. Therefore, reducing the unevenness in tire tread patterns can improve the braking pattern.
Another important role that tire rotation plays is to extend the life of tires. Multiple factors contribute to the uneven wear and tire of tires. For example, front tires are steered more than the rear ones and thus experience more friction.
Moreover, load distribution is another aspect as the front tires have more weight on them due to engine weight, and so they wear out quickly. Tire rotation in these scenarios will promote even wear and tear and extend the lifespan.
Uneven tread patterns can result in loss of grip and poor handling, which can be compensated by rotating or repositioning the tires.
Tire rotation can have an impact on improving the fuel efficiency of a vehicle. For example, in front-wheel drive vehicles, both front tires will wear out quickly, which may result in tire spin and loss of power. Rotating the tires regularly will improve the grip of the front tires. This way power utilization can be maximized.
Tire rotation can be done in a variety of ways, depending on the vehicle’s transmission type. Let’s find out the three most common ways of tire rotation:
Forward Cross— This type of tire rotation is common in front-wheel drive vehicles. In forward cross, the front tires are repositioned at the rear side. The rear left will go to the front right and vice versa.
Rearward Cross— This rotation is considered best for rear-wheel, all-wheel, or 4-wheel drive vehicles. In this, the rear tires are repositioned at the front side. The front right tire becomes the rear left and vice versa.
X-Pattern— This rotation method is mostly used for lightweight trucks where mud tires truck from the rear axle are switched with the opposite side of the front axle in the x-pattern.
Tire rotation is a practice that must be performed after every 5000-6000 miles to extend the lifespan of tires. Not only longevity, but it improves the handling, grip, and overall drive comfort of a vehicle. Moreover, tire rotation is a way to prevent uneven wear and tear of the tires. It is recommended that the tire be rotated regularly to ensure safety and to have better insights into potential damage.
