How Often For a Tire Rotation?

Seeing as your tires are the only part of your vehicle that come in contact with the road, you want to make sure your tires are always in their best condition with the help of frequent tire rotation. This way, you can use them to travel in and around Parker, Littleton, and Castle Rock, CO, for years to come.

To help you learn more about tire health, we at Genesis of Littleton have created this guide on tire rotation. Ready to learn more about how often you should rotate your tires? Keep reading!

How Long Do Tires Last?

When tires are properly taken care of, they can last many years. Experts estimate that tires can last up to 10 years, if they appear to be in good condition.

Why Do You Need to Rotate Your Tires?

Tire rotation means adjusting the positioning of each tire on your vehicle. It’s an important service to ensure the longevity of your tires.

As you drive, over time, the tread on your tires wears down. Just how much—and where—the tire’s tread wears down depend on its position on the vehicle. For example, front tires may experience more wear on their tread because of the extra friction that occurs from acceleration and torque.

Rotating your tires helps keep tire tread uniform on each of your four tires.

How Often For a Tire Rotation?

Experts recommend rotating tires every 5,000 miles. This frequent tire rotation helps keep your tires healthy for longer periods of time.

What To Do When Rotating Tires

When rotating your tires, you’ll want to check other components that affect the health of your tires, too:

• Tire pressure: Keeping proper tire pressure helps prevent extra parts of your tires from coming in contact with the road. Without proper tire pressure, extra friction occurs that could lead to overheating. Check your owner’s manual to learn more about proper tire pressure inflation.
• Check tire tread amount: Checking the tread of your tire is easy and only requires a penny. Simply insert the penny into the tire’s tread with Lincoln’s head pointed down. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, your tire is too worn and needs to be replaced.
• Check for other damage: Visually examine your tires to look for foreign objects that may have punctured your vehicle’s tires.

How Are Tires Rotated?

There are several ways tires are rotated. Here are three of the most popular:

• Rearward cross: Rear tires are moved forward and kept on the same side. Front tires are moved backward and placed on the opposite side. For example, your ‘front right’ tire is now your ‘left rear’ tire. Your ‘rear right’ is now your ‘front right’ tire.
• X-pattern: All tires change their location and side with this pattern change. For example, your ‘left rear’ tire is now your ‘front right’ tire. Your ‘front left’ tire is now your ‘rear right’ tire.
• Forward cross: Your front tires move to the rear while staying on the same side, while the rear tires move forward and switch sides. For example, your ‘front right’ tire is now your ‘rear right’ tire. Your ‘rear left’ tire is now your ‘front right’ tire.