Have You Scheduled Your Next Tire Rotation?
When Should You Rotate Your Tires?
Keeping up with basic automotive maintenance is the best and most cost-effective way to keep your car, truck, or SUV running in peak condition for as long as possible. One area of car maintenance that we often see overlooked is the tires. Granted, today’s tires are better by almost any metric, but they still need attention in the form of tire rotations. So, when should you rotate your tires? Most tires will need to be rotated every 8,000 km, but that time could be different for some vehicles. Follow along while we take a closer look at some important information.
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Why Rotating Tires is Important?
We can understand why rotating tires might seem like something that could be skipped. If all four tires were mounted on the vehicle perfectly straight, that would likely be true. However, the truth is that each of the four tires has a specific tilt or camber to it. By rotating the tires, they are able to even out the wear patterns, allowing for a longer life cycle. Also, when our team rotates tires, we examine them for cracks or punctures.
Are All Tire Rotations the Same?
A tire rotation is not just randomly moving one tire to another spot. There are three rotation patterns that are used, depending on a few factors, like if the vehicle is equipped with front-, rear-, all- or four-wheel drive. These patterns include:
- Rearward Cross – Used on rear-wheel drive vehicles
- X-Pattern – Used on four- and all-wheel drive vehicles
- Forward Cross – Used on front-wheel drive vehicles
Should Seasonal Tires Be Rotated?
The requirement to rotate tires doesn’t go away if you swap your tires out seasonally. After all, the measurement is based on how many kilometres someone drives, not the kind of tire that is being used. If someone drives 8,000 km over the course of a winter, they will need to have their winter tires rotated. The same is true for summer or all-season tires in the spring, summer and fall.
The Davis Chevrolet Service Department is always available to help people keep their vehicles running in the best possible condition. Make an appointment with us today if it’s time to have some crucial work completed.