Why Should I Rotate My Tires?

Why Should I Rotate My Tires?

Your vehicle’s tires should be rotated at certain fixed intervals. Most new car manufacturers recommend rotating your tires every 7,500 miles.

Postle’s Tire Barn recommends you do not wait any longer than that, and that you do it sooner if at all possible. An easy to remember rule of thumb is to rotate your tires at every oil change. If you change your vehicle’s oil every three thousand miles, then rotate your tires every other oil change.

Why should you rotate your tires? The simplest answer is that rotating your tires allows for a more even tread wear pattern. It also allows for periodic inspection of your tires. If you drive a front wheel drive vehicle, the bulk of the weight of the vehicle is on the two front tires. There is hardly any weight, comparatively speaking, on the rear tires. Rear tires on a front wheel drive vehicle are basically “free rolling”, and can bounce much more going down the road than your front tires. This often causes the tread to develop “cupping”, and results in a rough ride and a roaring noise.

Rotating your tires regularly will allow you to get the most life out of your tires. The “pulling wheels” on your vehicle are going to suffer the most wear and tear. If you have a rear wheel drive vehicle, the rear tires will wear faster. On a front wheel drive vehicle, the front tires will wear faster. If you rotate your tires regularly, all of your tires should wear evenly, and will need replacing at the same time instead of having to replace two tires that have worn out too fast.

There are a number of vehicles on the road today with different size tires on the front and rear. Those tires cannot be rotated since they are different sizes.

For more information, or if you think it’s time to rotate your tires, call Postle Tire Barn at 205-391-0062 or come by our store on Jug Factory Road behind McDonalds.