Opinions on tire rotation

[koda2000]

with radial tires, the common wisdom used to be that you weren't supposed to change tires from side to side, as radials took what was referred to as a "rolling set". is this logic still in place, or has radial tire design changed? is it now considered okay to put a right front on the left rear?

 

[rickybobby]

I move the fronts to the other side, otherwise i get odd wear from the locker. no issues from doing that after nearly 30k with the tires im running now

 

[Abbondanza]

I go fronts tires back to opposite side rears, and rears straight up to the front, every 3-4k

 

[lobo411]

I go to Costco and eat frozen yogurt while they take care of it.

 

[drdoom]

I go fronts tires back to opposite side rears, and rears straight up to the front, every 3-4k

+1 very good method particularly for 4wd & AWD.

 

[deweyville65]

Yep Koda, that is now old school. I know we heard that for years, but think of how many recapped truck tires are on trucks, and no one knows which direction they were run. And before the comments come about the blown out tires on the road, most of that is from under inflation or bad tire management. Think going over curbs with a loaded truck. Tires rated for 7000# carrying 12000#.

 

[koda2000]

thanks everyone. i'm particularly concerned about tire rotation on my AWD, as i want to make sure i maxmize tire wear while keeping the wear equal on all 4 tires.

 

[skpyle]

I just had new Michelin LTX M/S2 tires fitted to my 99 Limited AWD, so I am in this as well. I had planned on rotating my tires every 3000 miles, fronts straight to back.

OK, after reading the above posts, I now have a stupid question. It has been mentioned to put the front tires on the opposite rear corners. Is this just unbolting the rim, and swapping that way, or are you actually removing the tire from the rims, remounting them so the opposite side is now out? IE originally white letters were out, now it is blackside out?

Thanks!

Seth K. Pyle

 

[2TimingTom]

It doesn't matter too much as long as they get moved around and see each of the corners of the vehicle at some point. Just stay consistent. The fronts cross to the rear and front forward is a good one- or you can do rears cross to the front and fronts to the back.

 

[skpyle]

Thanks!

 

[pbnj22]

I go fronts tires back to opposite side rears, and rears straight up to the front, every 3-4k

+2 on that.. every oil change i just rotate the tires as well.. after 30k miles on these tires they all look identical with lots of wear on inside of tire and no wear on outside of tire. so i just had each tire flipped around on the same rim so now hopefully after another 30k that evens out.. well see....

also now that im thinking every time you go in reverse couldn't you think of the tires as switching sides? granted this is limited drive time and very slow speeds..

 

[Dave 1955]

I have never rotated a tire except to spin them ..maybe i should.
I still seem to get 40k or so outa them with my 95.

 

[koda2000]

I have never rotated a tire except to spin them ..maybe i should.
I still seem to get 40k or so outa them with my 95.

if you want to maximize your tire life you should rotate them, otherwise your fronts will wear out faster than your rears (unless you like doing burnouts, in which case you may wear out the rears first...). If you have AWD this is especially important as the tires are supposed to stay w/in 1/32 of an inch diameter so as to not stress the viscous coupling. it's also important if you have control-trac.

 

[Flash]

if you want to maximize your tire life you should rotate them, otherwise your fronts will wear out faster than your rears (unless you like doing burnouts, in which case you may wear out the rears first...). If you have AWD this is especially important as the tires are supposed to stay w/in 1/32 of an inch diameter so as to not stress the viscous coupling. it's also important if you have control-trac.

That's a good point.

 

[SoNic67]

thanks everyone. i'm particularly concerned about tire rotation on my AWD, as i want to make sure i maxmize tire wear while keeping the wear equal on all 4 tires.

The Owner Manual recommends for AWD (16" tire) a 5 tire rotation.
Page 231.
Get one from here if you don't have one: http://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/owner-manuals/
For the 15" tires (2WD, 4x4) works the traditional 4 tire rotation.

 

[deweyville65]

The Owner Manual recommends for AWD (16" tire) a 5 tire rotation.
Page 231.
Get one from here if you don't have one: http://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenance/owner-manuals/
For the 15" tires (2WD, 4x4) works the traditional 4 tire rotation.

may I ask what difference it makes if the wheels are 16" or 15"? Other than the fact you are talking about AWD vs 4wd or 2wd .And, having owned a few 4wd vehicles with manual transfer cases, you want the tires to be matched on them too. As an aside, there was an 85 Ford 4x4 on a lot for sale recently with 30x9.50's on the front, and 31x10.50's on the rear. IF the transfer case was any good, could you imagine trying to drive that in 4wd?

 

[koda2000]

may I ask what difference it makes if the wheels are 16" or 15"? Other than the fact you are talking about AWD vs 4wd or 2wd .And, having owned a few 4wd vehicles with manual transfer cases, you want the tires to be matched on them too. As an aside, there was an 85 Ford 4x4 on a lot for sale recently with 30x9.50's on the front, and 31x10.50's on the rear. IF the transfer case was any good, could you imagine trying to drive that in 4wd?

15" or 16" should only make a difference to the speedo. when i bought the truck it had four 15" wheels, two of which were bent, 4 mismatched tires (brand and wear) and i thought it was a RWD (thanks to my son-in-law and the ad posting). when my SOHC died, i took the 15's off of it and put them on the AWD. these tires were all the same brand with equal wear (25% worn). it currently doesn't even have a spare tire, so that's a mute point. if it had a spare, i understand the logic of including it in the rotation, and yes it have and have read the owner's manual. i have no idea how long the truck drove around on the mismatched tires, but so far there is no indication it caused any harm to the viscous coupling in the t-case. my question as to rotating tires side to side has been answered. thanks you one and all.

 

[Joe Dirt]

I go to Costco and eat frozen yogurt while they take care of it.

I do a similar thing, but I get the dipped ice cream bar with crushed almonds on it.

I swap from side to side all the time also though. No issues.

 

[IAmTodd]

I go fronts tires back to opposite side rears, and rears straight up to the front, every 3-4k

I do the opposite, fronts go straight back, cross the backs going front. I can't say which is right or wrong but this has worked for me so far.

 

[SoNic67]

may I ask what difference it makes if the wheels are 16" or 15"?

Ask FORD why they used 16" on AWD only.

And, having owned a few 4wd vehicles with manual transfer cases, you want the tires to be matched on them too?

4X4 are driven as a 2WD vehicle for all their life. Even when you engage the 4X4, that is in mud or snow to provide the needed slippage (to avoid binding).

AWD is driven as such on asphalt and the slippage is provided by the center differential and integral Viscous Coupling.