How to Perform Tire Rotation?
3 Answers
Performing tire rotation depends on the drive type of the vehicle: 1. Rear-wheel drive (RWD): Non-driven wheels are swapped diagonally—left front to right rear, right front to left rear. Driven wheels are swapped vertically—right rear to right front, left rear to left front. 2. Front-wheel drive (FWD): Non-driven wheels are swapped diagonally—right rear to left front, left rear to right front. Driven wheels are swapped vertically—right front to right rear, left front to left rear. 3. All-wheel drive (AWD): Swap vertically front to rear—right rear to right front, left rear to left front. The reasons for tire rotation are: 1. Ensuring even wear across all four tires, thereby extending their overall lifespan. 2. Maintaining handling stability and enhancing driving safety.
I usually rotate my tires every 8,000 kilometers to extend their lifespan. The method is actually quite simple: first swap the front and rear wheel positions. For front-wheel-drive vehicles, move the front wheels directly to the rear, while the rear wheels are crossed over to the front. For rear-wheel-drive vehicles, do the opposite. It's best to mark the positions on the tires before swapping to avoid confusion. Remember to operate on level ground, engage the parking brake, and put the car in 'P' mode for safety. When I do it myself, I prepare a jack and a wrench, loosening the bolts in a diagonal sequence. After the rotation, check the tire pressure—generally, the cold tire pressure should be maintained around 2.4. If you notice significant uneven wear on a particular tire, it might be time to consider a wheel alignment; otherwise, the car may pull to one side and consume more fuel.
The key to tire rotation is selecting the correct pattern based on the drivetrain. Here's how I do it: For front-wheel drive vehicles, move the front tires straight to the rear axle and cross the rear tires to the front; for rear-wheel drive vehicles, cross-swap the front and rear tires; for four-wheel drive vehicles, perform a cross rotation of all four tires. Before rotating, check each tire's wear level—don't use any with bulges or cracks. Use a jack to lift the vehicle frame, avoiding direct contact with metal chassis components. Loosen the bolts in a diagonal sequence, and when installing, hand-tighten first before using a torque wrench to secure them to the vehicle manual's specified poundage. It's best to perform a dynamic balance test after rotation; otherwise, the steering wheel may vibrate at high speeds. Rotating every 10,000 km ensures even wear, effectively saving hundreds on tire replacement costs.