Even Though Tires Spin, They Still to be Rotated

Why Do You Need to Rotate Your Tires?

If you speak with any automotive expert, they will probably tell you that tires are vastly undervalued in their importance to a vehicle. Far too many of us make the mistake of not thinking a whole lot about our tires until something like a flat happens. One of the best things you can do to prevent a blowout is to have your tires rotated on time. So, why do you need to rotate your tires? The chief reason tire rotations are important is to make sure they wear evenly. Let’s take a look at some information that will be helpful to those with some outstanding questions. 

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What Happens If You Skip Rotating Tires?

As we said earlier, rotating tires is all about having the tread wear down evenly. Having the tires’ tread pattern remain as uniform as possible means that the vehicle will always handle consistently and the tires will last for a long time. Having your tires regularly rotated if your vehicle is equipped with all-wheel drive is even more important. Evenly worn tires on an all-wheel drive platform will reduce some of the stresses on the drivetrain.

When someone skips crucial tire rotations, drivers run the risk of losing control of the vehicle in emergency situations as well as risking flats and blowouts.

How Do You Know if Tires Need to Be Rotated?

By and large, most automakers suggest getting a vehicle’s tires rotated every 8,000 km, or, at least, each time you get your oil changed. However, if someone decides to put off a tire rotation, they will want to be on the lookout for uneven wear patterns. More practically speaking, drivers will feel unusual vibrations as they travel down the road if a tire rotation is needed. 

How Do Tire Rotations Work?

In order for the tires to wear evenly, they need to be rotated in a specific pattern. Most passenger vehicles use one of three patterns:

• Rearward Cross: Used by four-, all-, and rear-wheel drive vehicles, the rear tires are moved to the front axles and the front tires are moved to the back and opposite sides.
• X-Pattern: The tires are moved to the opposite axle and placed diagonally opposed to their original position. This pattern is commonly used by front-wheel drive platforms.
• Forward Cross: Another common rotation pattern for front-wheel drive vehicles where the front tires are moved straight back and stay on the same side, while the rear tires move forward and switch sides.

Make sure you don’t wait too long to have your tires rotated by the professionals at the Fifth Avenue Volkswagen Service Department. If you can’t remember when the last time you had this done, make an appointment with us as soon as possible.