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Are Tire Rotations important?

Rotating your tires is a very important part of tire maintenance. By rotating your tires regularly, you will improve tire performance, extend the life of your tires and in turn save you money. Remember, your tires are the only part of your vehicle that touches the road so it’s important to look after them.

Why are tire rotations important?

Other than saving you money by making your tires last longer, there are more reasons why tire rotations are important. Most tire manufacturers require regular tire rotations to keep your tire warranty valid. Tire rotations can also help maintain safety with better handling and traction which is very important on icy or wet roads. If you leave your tires in place the front tires will wear out much sooner, making you replace those tires, leaving you with mismatched tires and you won’t have the ultimate performance you would get if you had 4 matching tires.

How often should I rotate my tires?

Pretty much every vehicle manufacturer, tire manufacturer and tire dealer will recommend you rotate your tires periodically. Your tires should be rotated at least every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, but more often if you notice signs of uneven wear. It is a good idea to have your tires rotated every time you have an oil change service performed on your vehicle.

Why do my tires wear unevenly?

The front tires on front wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles will wear faster because they carry more weight, are the power wheels and endure steering resistance, whereas the rear tires are free rolling. Poor alignment or unbalanced tires will also make your tires wear unevenly. Even something as simple as hitting a pothole or grazing a curb can cause irregular tire wear.

What is a tire rotation?

During a tire rotation, our trained tire technician will check the air pressure and inspect your tires for bulges or signs of wear taking special note of the wear patterns. Each tire and wheel is then removed from your vehicle and moved to a different position in accordance with proper rotation patterns to ensure your tires wear evenly and last longer. The technician will visually inspect the brakes and reset the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors as needed. A tire rotation usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes and is free if you purchased the tires here at Hilltop Tire.

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