Rotating Tyres

Tyres aren’t cheap. A new one can set you back at least $100. If you go through a new set of tyres every year, you’re looking at spending at least $400.  You can extend the life of your tyres by regularly rotating them on your car. That is, moving the tyres to different positions.

Front and rear tyres wear differently. The front tyres carry more of the car’s weight; as a result, the front tyres wear down faster than the rear ones. Turning wears, the front tyres at different rates.  Tyres tend to become worn on the outer edges faster. After thousands of kilometres of driving, you end up with uneven tread wear. Ideally you should have your tyres rotated when you have your vehicle serviced.

You will need a hydraulic floor jack o rotate your tyres. Using the jack that comes with your car may be dangerous as it is designed to lift your car for a short amount of time. You will also need some jack stands so you can rest the car on top of them while you rotate the tyres.

How to Rotate Your Tyres

Put your car in park and put on the handbrake.

Loosen the wheel nuts on all your wheels. Don’t take them completely off yet.

Lift one wheel with car jack and place jack stand underneath it.

Remove the tyres and rotate them according to the appropriate pattern for your type of tyres (see below). When you place a tyre back onto the wheel mount, screw the wheel nuts on by hand as much as you can.

Lower the car from the jack stands. Take the wheel brace and tighten the nuts. It’s best to work the wheel nuts diagonally in a star or zig zag pattern. This ensures even tightening.

In what manner should tyres be rotated?

Directional tyres have a one-way tread pattern so they’re specifically made for either the left or right side. The grooves are angled to optimize handling, and they also do a good job of channelling water on wet surfaces. Little arrows or triangles on the sidewall indicate which way the tyre is supposed to turn. To rotate directional tyres, just switch the front right tyre for the backright tyre, and the front left tyre for the back left tyre.

The tread pattern on Non-Directional tyres is designed in such a way that the tyre can be mounted on the wheel for any direction of rotation. You can switch which side the tyres are on when you rotate them. To rotate Non-Directional tyres, use a cross pattern. Move the front tyres to the opposite sides of the rear: left-front to right-rear and right-front to left-rear.

If you need any assistance call Sandro, Townsville Mobile Mechanic on 0400 401 171.