How Often Should You Rotate Car Tires?

Whenever you are driving on the road, the tires rotate, so what exactly does tire rotation mean? How frequently should a tire rotation be done? Tire rotation implies where you have taken off all four tires of your car and put them into a different position. This straightforward activity significantly affects your tires’ longevity and even has a well-being advantage, making it a vital necessity for all vehicle owners. If you're interested in knowing how often your tires should be rotated and why, keep on reading. 

 

Do you really need to rotate your car tires?

Yes, tire rotation is an essential part of vehicle maintenance. The tires suffer wear and tear differently, depending on which wheels the engine and transmission are driving, which could be the front wheels only (front-wheel-drive or FWD), or the wheels at the back (rear-wheel-drive or RWD), or some variety of all four (all-wheel-drive or AWD), depending on your vehicle. Regardless of the wheels on which the car is driven, tire rotation naturally increases comfort, well-being, and your tires' longevity. These advantages signify a superior vehicle ownership experience, which is essential for why it's so critical to do it routinely.

 

How many times should you be rotating your tires?

This answer to the question will depend on whom you are asking. For a few specialists, it’s ideal to do every 3,000 miles, while others may say you can drive till 8,000 miles before thinking about rotation. No matter how many miles your drive, rotating your tires once every six months is a good option. 

 

Tires wear somewhat better depending on the tire itself, your driving style, and a couple of other different variables. You should check your tread depth at around 5,000 miles if you really want to avoid any risks. If your front tire’s tread depth has a big difference compared to your back tires, or the other way around, consider rotating them. However, if there is a minor difference or even unnoticeable, your tire rotations can wait for the time being. 

 

The tread depth can be checked with a little apparatus you can find at any automotive parts store that can fit into your glove box or even a penny is good enough; place the penny upside-down in your tire’s middle tread, check how far up the tire rises, and visually contrast that depth with the remaining tires. 

 

If you are in doubt — or if you haven't been monitoring how many miles you've driven since the last time you rotated your tires— get your tires rotated each time you get an oil change. By doing so, you don’t need to revisit the shop if these two jobs are done together; thereby, you can save your time and your money, in the long run. 

 

Final Thoughts: Something about the AWD:

The AWD has become normal, so drivers often think whether tire rotation is necessary if your vehicle or SUV has AWD. The appropriate response is yes, you need to because most AWD frameworks aren’t driving all four wheels all the time. Most of the AWD’s are "part-time," which implies they favor either FWD or RWD until the framework identifies a requirement for more traction and turns on the other wheels temporarily when necessary. Similar practices utilized for tire rotation on a 2-wheel-drive vehicle should be utilized on an AWD vehicle to guarantee an even wear design on every tire, thereby increasing their tread life.