Evans Infiniti Of Dayton: Your One-Stop Shop For All Things Tire Rotations

Buying a new vehicle can be fun, but the work to keep it in the best possible shape can be daunting. There are some things you do regularly, like fill up your gas tank, get a car wash, or vacuum out the interior. Other things happen less frequently, like changing your windshield wipers, refilling your washer fluid, or replacing a broken headlight or taillight.

Take a tire rotation, however. While this service is one that is recommended frequently to drivers, most would not have the foggiest idea what they would need to do to rotate their tires themselves.

The good news, however, is that there are plenty of places where you can take your vehicle to be serviced, and Evans Infiniti of Dayton is no different. But before we tell you why you should come to us for this routine service, let’s take a look at what exactly a tire rotation is and why it is so important.

What Is Tire Rotation?

A tire rotation is a service that involves taking the tires off of a vehicle and moving them to a new position on the body of the vehicle. This might mean moving tires from the right side to the left and left to right, switching the tires on the front and rear axles, or a combination of both.

A tire rotation serves to help your tires wear evenly over time, which can ultimately maintain better traction and minimize the risk of weak spots or uneven tread wear. Since each tire position on the vehicle faces different types and amounts of stress, from weight to turning, a tire rotation allows all of the wheels on your vehicle to be worn evenly, which can ultimately increase the life of your tires.

The type of car you have might require a different tire rotation pattern based on the number of wheels, size of the wheels, drivetrain, and more. In a front-wheel-drive vehicle, for example, the tire rotation pattern recommended is the forward cross. But a rear-wheel-drive vehicle might recommend an alternative pattern called the rearward cross.

Tire Rotation: How Often Should I Get It & Why Is It So Important?

The recommendation in the tire industry is that you shouldn’t go more than 8,000 miles without getting your tires rotated. If your tires are brand new, it is actually recommended you get a tire rotation before 5,000 miles since new, fresh, deep treads wear down more rapidly.

Getting a tire rotation between 5,000 and 8,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. This timeframe is especially convenient when you pair your tire rotations with your oil changes.

If you want a specific recommendation for how often to schedule your service, check your owner’s manual for a detailed service schedule according to your vehicle’s manufacturer. Whatever you do, don’t skip these services.

Tire rotations aren’t just randomly moving wheels from one part of the body to another - they follow specific tire rotation patterns to best suit your vehicle and the wear on your tires. Ensuring this even wear can be critical for the long-term well-being of your vehicle, not to mention the fact that it will improve your tires’ longevity, thereby saving you money on replacement tires.

Tire rotations can even improve your car’s fuel efficiency, not to mention that some tire manufacturers require regular tire rotations to maintain the warranty on the wheels.

Which Pattern Do I Choose?

When you rotate car tires, different types of vehicles will require different rotation patterns. Patterns vary from vehicle to vehicle based on the number of wheels, drivetrain, directional vs. non-directional tires, and more. Trucks with dual rear wheels, for example, are going to require a different rotation pattern than a sedan with no spare tire.

Here are some of the different rotation patterns you can expect to see commonly in the industry. Just remember: after you rotate tires, it is important that all four tires are adjusted to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure.

For Tires That Are Of Uniform Size And Non-Directional

Rearward Cross

For rear-wheel drive vehicles, the rearward cross pattern is recommended. This is when rear axle tires are moved to the forward axle and kept on the same side of the vehicle. The front axle tires, on the other hand, are moved from the front axle to the rear axle, as well as to the opposite side of the vehicle.

X-Pattern

For four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive cars, all four tires are moved diagonally from their starting positions. This means that rear tires are moved to the front axle and to opposite sides, while front tires are moved to the rear axle and to opposite sides.

Forward Cross

As the most common pattern for front-wheel drive cars, the forward cross consists of the front wheels being moved directly back while the rear tires are moved forward and switched sides, opposite from the rearward cross.

For Tires That Are Of Uniform Size And Non-Directional With A Full-Size Spare Tire

If you have a full-size spare tire, you will need to include it when you rotate your tires, especially for four-wheel drive vehicles and all-wheel drive vehicles.

Rearward Cross (Rear-Wheel Or 4-Wheel Drive Vehicles)

Similar to the standard rearward cross, this version takes into consideration the spare tire. Here, both tires on the rear axle move directly forward to the front. The spare moves to the right side of the rear position, while the front right tire moves backward and across to the rear left axle position. The right front tire becomes the new spare.

Forward Cross (Front-Wheel Drive Vehicles)

Again, similar to the forward cross, the rear wheels are moved diagonally forward, placing the rear left tire into the front right position and the rear right tire into the front left position. The spare tire is moved to the rear right position, which leaves the front left tire to go to the rear left position and the front right tire to become the new spare.

For Differently-Sized And Directional Tires

Side-To-Side (For Differently-Sized Tires On The Front And Rear Axles)

Since tires are differently sized, tires are simply switched with their same-sized partner while remaining on the same axle. This means that the rear left becomes the rear right and vice versa. The same goes for the front tires.

Front-To-Back (For Directional Tires)

In this situation, all tires are switched from one axle to the other while remaining on the same side of the vehicle. For example, the rear right tire becomes the front right tire and vice versa, while the left front and rear wheels also trade positions.

Tire Rotation Services At Evans Infinity Of Dayton

If you don’t know where to start to find reliable service, look no further than Evans Infiniti Of Dayton. We have a team of highly skilled professionals who work hard to keep your car in tip-top shape. Give us a call or visit our website to schedule service with us today!