Tire Maintenance Resources
Regular tire rotation helps ensure even wear across all four tires, extending their lifespan and improving vehicle handling, fuel efficiency, and safety. Uneven wear can lead to premature tire replacement and potential safety hazards.
- **Even Tread Wear and Less Frequent Tire Replacements:** Tires naturally wear unevenly due to various factors like weight distribution, wheel torque, and steering. Regular rotations help distribute this wear evenly, increasing tire lifespan and saving you money on new tires in the long run.
- **Improved Performance:** Properly rotated tires can help ensure better handling, improved traction, and an overall smoother driving experience.
- **Enhanced Safety:** Even tire wear may reduce the risk of hydroplaning, skidding, and other handling issues, promoting a safer driving environment.
- **Better Fuel-Efficiency:** Unevenly worn tires can increase rolling resistance, causing your vehicle's engine to work harder and reducing fuel efficiency.
Most vehicle manufacturers and tire experts recommend rotating your tires approximately every **5,000 to 7,500 miles or every six months**, whichever comes first. This often coincides with oil changes, making it a convenient time to perform the service.
However, it's always best to refer to your vehicle's owner's manual for specific recommendations, as some vehicles or driving conditions may require more frequent rotations:
- **All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles:** May require rotations every **3,000 to 5,000 miles**.
- **Frequent off-roading or aggressive driving:** May necessitate more frequent checks and rotations.
Neglecting tire rotations can lead to several problems, compromising both tire lifespan and vehicle safety:
- **Reduced Traction:** Some tires may have less grip than others, affecting your vehicle's ability to handle the road, especially in sudden maneuvers or braking. This increases the risk of hydroplaning in wet conditions.
- **Handling Issues:** Uneven tread wear can cause your vehicle to experience issues like drifting, pulling, or increased sensitivity to road imperfections, making it harder to control.
- **Premature Tire Wear:** Tires will wear out faster and unevenly, requiring you to replace them sooner than necessary, which costs more money in the long run.
- **Increased Stress on Drivetrain:** Especially in AWD vehicles, unevenly worn tires can put undue strain on expensive drivetrain components.
You can check tire wear using a tread depth gauge or the 'penny test'. Insert a penny into a tire groove with Lincoln's head upside down. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, your tread is shallow and it's time for new tires. Also, look for wear indicators, which are small bars molded into the tread grooves.