Rotate Tires

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How often to rotate tires

Today’s modern tires are expensive, so the prudent vehicle owner will do well to learn when it is time to rotate tires on their car or truck. The standard rule of thumb is rotate the tires every five thousand miles. This will greatly extend the life of the tires, produce more even tread wear, and provide a safer vehicle to drive. It is normal for the tires on the front of a front wheel-drive car to wear at a faster rate than the rear tires as they are transferring the engine’s power to the road while also steering the vehicle.

If driving on roads with many curves this will increase tire wear dramatically depending on the speed driven. If you have ever drove into a curve a bit to fast you can hear the front tries softly squeal. When this happens the tires have just lost a few miles of additional use. Pot holes are the bane of all drivers and hitting these over an extended period of time will necessitate the need to rotate tires more than normal to extend the life of the tires. This will also more often than not mean the tires should be balanced.

If the camber or toe in ( this is the angle a tire leans inward or outward ) is not correct this results in uneven wear across the width of the tire, and can wear out a vehicles tires very quickly. If you see this on any of your tires it is time to head in for a computerized four wheel alignment. It is money well spent and your car or truck will track nice and straight while driving. While have the alignment done have the struts and shocks checked . If these are weak replace as soon as possible for better tire wear. Low tire pressure is another cause of fast tire wear and is dangerous for the handling of the vehicle. Take care of your tires and they will serve you well.

Benefits of the seasonal tire rotation

A sensible and safe driver knows the difference between driving in benign summer conditions and harsh winter conditions. If you wish to derive the maximum benefits of seasonal tire rotation you have to keep in mind that the tire requirements for summer conditions are different from that of harsh winter conditions and the all-season tires will not serve your purpose if you happen to live in places which experience extreme climates. The all-season tires have sipes which are more pronounced than the normal tires.

Generally the all-season tires function better when temperatures are in excess of 7 degrees celsius.When the temperature goes below 7 degrees the tires lose their flexibility and become hard and the traction reduces drastically and when the tires lose their grip the chances of accidents go up. The out and out winter tires are the most heavily siped and are best suited for harsh, wet winters.
In winters it becomes very difficult to control the vehicle when descending from hills and mountains or when you are negotiating bends. In very cold and wet conditions there is the added danger of hydroplaning which results in loss of control of steering and braking. So if you adhere to seasonal tire rotation with suitable tires you are doing your best to remain a safe driver.

When you follow tire rotation you distribute the inevitable wear and tear evenly and are able to squeeze out the additional miles. The drive tires wear out faster when compared to the non drive tires. Tire rotation will help in prolonging the life of all tyres, without compromising on safety. This is because unevenly worn out tyres will affect the wheel alignment and that could affect the balance of the vehicle in an adverse manner. Timely tire rotation increases tread life and helps maintain better traction and the vehicle tends to grip the road effectively even in adverse weather conditions.
So, all-season tires will work well in summer conditions. They will be able to withstand mild winters but in case of harsh winters when the temperature goes below zero then winter tires are the only option available.