To prevent premature tire replacement and have safer, better tires, you must rotate your tires on a schedule. It’s an essential part of car maintenance.
This helps your tires last their full six years and wear down at the same rate. To know how old your tires are, you should learn to read the sidewall of your tire.
You also need to keep reading to know what it means to rotate your tires, and how often you should get it done!
What Does It Mean to Rotate Car Tires?
You might be wondering what it means when a mechanic rotates your tires since wheels rotate as you move forward.
What it means is that all the wheels are removed, the tires are taken off the wheels, and their position is changed. Most cars are front-wheel drive, which means the front tires get most of the abuse and wear.
When these are removed, the front left tire becomes the back left tire, and the front right tire becomes the back right tire. The back right tire becomes the front left tire, and the back left tire becomes the front right tire.
For rear or four-wheel drive vehicles, the rotation is reversed. The back tires move forward without switching sides. The front tires move back and switch sides of the car.
This pattern is true, no matter if the brand is Firestone, Michelin, or they’re the best car tires on the planet. The types of car tires, such as winter, summer, all-terrain, or all-weather doesn’t matter either. Although, a special exception is when you have different sizes for front and back tires.
Tire rotation helps your tires last longer by getting more even wear.
How Often Should I Be Rotating Car Tires?
You should try to rotate your car tires every six months, or between 6,000 and 8,000 miles, whichever comes first. Either way, you’ll be doing it twice a year.
7,500 is a good compromise that many mechanics recommend. You can find the best advice in your car manufacturer’s owner’s manual.
It really is as simple as that.
The average American drives about 13,500 miles a year. But the range, depending on age and gender is between 4,785 and nearly 19,000 miles a year.
That means that some will barely drive 2,250 miles in a six-month period. Others will need to change tires up to three times in a year based on miles. Your tire rotation needs will get based on your level of activity with your car.
Is It Time to Rotate Your Tires?
Making sure you rotate car tires on a schedule or at the right mileage is an essential car maintenance step. Now you know when you should take those measures without wasting money, all while staying safe.
Need more tips for keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape? Maybe you’re looking for a new one altogether? Keep browsing to find more articles for the best automotive advice you can use today.