Rotating the tires on your car may seem like a silly maintenance task that you have to do every once in awhile. However, it actually makes a big difference in how long your tires will last and how well they will perform. Without rotating your tires periodically, you will find that one or more of them will wear out more quickly than the others. It ends being a lot more costly when it comes time to replace them because changing out one tire a time is definitely more expensive than buying a whole set and having them installed at the same time.
How Often Should I Rotate My Tires?
Most mechanics will tell you that tire rotation should be done every 5,000-6,000 miles. Some may even push that number to 10,000. At LightHouse Automotive , our general rule of thumb is to coordinate tire rotations with other standard preventative maintenance procedures like oil changes. If you drive an older vehicle and get your oil changed every 3,000 miles, then it's smart to have your tires rotated as part of every other service. If you drive a newer vehicle and get your vehicle serviced every 5,000 miles or more, then you would get your tires rotated with each maintenance visit. This system makes it easy to remember and track your tire rotations.
Which Tires Wear Out Quickest?
As we drive, each tire will wear out a little differently and it depends on what your vehicle's drive system is. Most cars are front-wheel-drive, so the front tires will do more work when it comes to accelerating, turning and braking the vehicle. A rear-wheel-drive vehicle will find the rear tires taking the brunt of the driving and stopping forces, but the front wheels will obviously still handle the cornering. All-wheel-drive vehicles may spread out the wear and tear a little more equally. However, each tire will wear out differently and it is very important to rotate them regularly.
What Else Can Affect Tire Wear?
Other factors like wheel alignment, brakes, suspension , tire air pressure and drivetrain components may cause your tires to wear out unevenly. The edges of some tires may wear out quicker than the treads in the middle, or vice versa. Rotating the tires will help even things out some over time, although you should get your wheel alignment and other handling components checked if the way the tires wear out is really uneven. Rotating the tires will not cure mechanical problems that are putting unnecessary stress on the tires themselves.
If you are due for a tire rotation or any other form of automotive maintenance, call the Colorado Springs auto repair experts of LightHouse Automotive at (719) 465-0302 or schedule your service visit online.
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