Tire Rotation Question

[easysurfer]

Got some curious questions about rotating tires.

Do shops keep track of the tire positions since last rotation? Or are where tires rotated only in a certain direction?

For example, say I bring my car for a tire rotation but not to the same shop? I may get service done at a dealer and that includes a tire rotation.

Then months ahead, say I didn't like the dealer's service so I decided to go to a local repair shop instead. As part to the service at the new place is a tire rotation.

As you can see, two different tire rotations, but at different places. How do the shops know what tires go to which position during the rotating? Is the rotating always in a same direction like rotating during volleyball? So, in theory, always correct?

 

[CardsFan]

Got some curious questions about rotating tires.

Do shops keep track of the tire positions since last rotation? Or are where tires rotated only in a certain direction?

For example, say I bring my car for a tire rotation but not to the same shop? I may get service done at a dealer and that includes a tire rotation.

Then months ahead, say I didn't like the dealer's service so I decided to go to a local repair shop instead. As part to the service at the new place is a tire rotation.

As you can see, two different tire rotations, but at different places. How do the shops know what tires go to which position during the rotating? Is the rotating always in a same direction like rotating during volleyball? So, in theory, always correct?

Bold by me. As I recall, back in the old days (before radial tires), tires were rotated in a clockwise fashion, as you describe.

Nowadays, most tires are rotated front to back to front, on the same side of the vehicle. If tires are wearing unevenly (usually due to alignment problems) the shop might recommend a side to side rotation, as well, just to extend the life of the tire. But I suspect the ride would suffer.

 

[Gumby]

Tire rotation pattern depends on the type of tires you have. Directional tires are designed to roll only in one direction and must be rotated front to back on the same side only. Non-directional tires and asymmetrical tires can be crossed. I rotate my own tires and keep track of when they were last rotated and how. I don't know if or how shops keep track. I would think they don't.

Here is a link to explain tire rotation patterns more fully. https://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/tire-talk/tire-rotation

 

[OldShooter]

First of all, rotation is not particularly important unless tread wear is uneven. I would not lose any sleep over this.

These days it seems that most tires are directional; look for a rotation direction arrow on the sidewall and verify that the tread design is asymmetric. Then, without swapping the tires on the wheels, rotation is only front/back.

Asymmetric wear left/right may be due to alignment issues. In this case fix the alignment and consider swapping left/right which (with directional tires) means swapping on the wheels.

I don't rotate tires unless a shop flags uneven tread wear. You can also get a tread depth gauge and check for yourself. Milton is a respected brand:https://www.amazon.com/Milton-S-448-Tread-Depth-Gauge/dp/B0002STSQM

 

[CardsFan]

Tire rotation pattern depends on the type of tires you have. Directional tires are designed to roll only in one direction and must be rotated front to back on the same side only. Non-directional tires and asymmetrical tires can be crossed. I rotate my own tires and keep track of when they were last rotated and how. I don't know if or how shops keep track. I would think they don't.

Here is a link to explain tire rotation patterns more fully. https://www.bridgestonetire.com/tread-and-trend/tire-talk/tire-rotation

I stand corrected. Apparently what I was told years ago by a shop was not correct. Or at least only one of many options depending on the tire type. Thanks for the link.

 

[OldShooter]

... Directional tires are designed to roll only in one direction and must be rotated front to back on the same side only. Non-directional tires and asymmetrical tires can be crossed. ...

Well, sort of. There are a couple of reasons for directional tires. For performance, the designer puts nearly solid rubber on the outside of the tread pattern with relatively small grooves. This very roughly approximates a slick tire/no tread for adhesion when the tire tilts into positive camber while cornering hard. The rest of the pattern is left to deal with rain/water and it will have deeper grooves, wider tread block spacing, and the design will try to lead water to exit to the inside.

For rain performance, many years ago Goodyear invented a tire with huge drainage vees to carry the water out from under the contact patch. IIRC its first appearance was in Formula One. Obviously the vees have to be pointed in the right direction, so these are directional tires. Many street tires these days use variations on this design and are hence directional. This, actually, is the kind of tire I look for --- optimum wet performance. In the dry, on street tires, we rarely approach the limit of adhesion. In the rain, however, we are often much closer than we realize. So that is my priority.

I don't think there is such a thing as an asymmetrical tire that isn't directional.

 

[Just_Steve]

OP do you have a full size spare? Makes a difference, 4 wheel or 5 wheel rotation.

 

[Gumby]

Actually, so long as the asymmetrical tires are mounted on the wheel so the proper side faces out, they generally can roll in either direction. Directional tires are usually symmetrical - generally some sort of V-shape. To be clear, however, there are also directional asymmetrical tires.

For the OP, the best thing to do is look on the sidewall of the tire for an arrow showing the proper direction of rotation. If there is an arrow, you can only rotate front to back on the same side so they always roll in the proper direction. If there is no rotation arrow, you can cross them over.

 

[easysurfer]

OP do you have a full size spare? Makes a difference, 4 wheel or 5 wheel rotation.

No full sized spare. A doughnut spare.

Not doing my own rotating, but was just curious if places keep track of how tires were rotated last time or if they follow a certain common rotation method.

Not once was I asked what tire was where the previous rotation, even going to a shop the first time with miles on the tires. So, I assume either they follow a common system or "start over" keeping track.

 

[Gumby]

If you have directional tires - and you probably do - it is a simple fore and aft switch, so they just switch them. No real need to keep track except for total miles since the last rotation.

 

[pb4uski]

I rotate my tires at every oil change. The dealership does have a neat thing that you drive over when pulling in for service that shows a graphic of the depth of each tread on each tire. When I drove over it last week all were 5 or 6/32nds.

 

[Music Lover]

I do my own tires and swap from winter to all-season tires so I mark them when they come off and "rotate" them when they go back on the next season.

The all-season tires are non-directional and the winters are directional but I keep them all on the same side of the car switching from front to back.

 

[Telly]

I've rotated my own tires since the beginning of time. I've never owned directional tires, probably never will. Owner's manuals show what rotation pattern to use. In general, Reverse Cross for RWD, Forward Cross for FWD, when using non-directional tires.

Not surprisingly, over the years, rear tires wore quickest on RWD, front tires quickest on FWD. Rear tires on FWD would last a long long time if not rotated to front, as the rears on FWD are pretty much just along for the ride... no drive, no steering.

Since the same rotation pattern is executed over and over, I do not record what went where, with one exception... if a tire needs a repair plug towards the outer tread edge (NOT rolling into the the sidewall), I put it on rear no matter if RWD or FWD, to reduce stress on repair.

The whole purpose of tire rotation is to even up the wear over a set of tires, thereby increasing total life of the set. It does not create any magic, nor will you die if it isn't done. In fact, if a person was paying enough $$ to somebody to rotate tires, a point of financial balance would be reached where the cost of rotating starts to negate the extra life attained BY rotating.

When I DO get new tires, I'm out there watching like a hawk. Incompetence and sloppy practices abound!

 

[travelover]

I use the rotation pattern in the owners' manual. Last car swapped sides and ends, new car is just front to back.

 

[Aerides]

pfft they rotate all the time when you're driving - that's kinda how cars work

 

[Just_Steve]

pfft they rotate all the time when you're driving - that's kinda how cars work

 

[REWahoo]

pfft they rotate all the time when you're driving - that's kinda how cars work

Right. People get their tires rotated but totally ignore changing the exhaust fluid. When is the last time you had that done, eh?

 

[Ian S]

Some vehicles have different sizes of tire on the front vs rear so you can't rotate those.

 

[travelover]

Some vehicles have different sizes of tire on the front vs rear so you can't rotate those.

Yea, my Kubota was like that.

 

[ERD50]

...

Not once was I asked what tire was where the previous rotation, even going to a shop the first time with miles on the tires. So, I assume either they follow a common system or "start over" keeping track.

Why the " " ?

Look at that diagram, unless I missed it, no history is required. You just move them. Same move every time. There is no "keeping track" of anything.

Show where history affects anything. If you can't, then go back and apologize to the tire shop. They appear to know what they are doing.



edit/add: OK, so maybe you are talking about switching between 'systems'? They should do what the manual states. If you have any doubt, copy that page of the manual and hand it to them. My manual shows the upper left system on that diagram, the 'preferred' 4-tire system.


-ERD50

 

[Gumby]

Right. People get their tires rotated but totally ignore changing the exhaust fluid. When is the last time you had that done, eh?

I see many, many people who appear to be low on blinker fluid.

 

[pb4uski]

∆∆∆ Yes! There are severe shortages nationwide, particularly in Florida.

 

[jazz4cash]

No full sized spare. A doughnut spare.

Not doing my own rotating, but was just curious if places keep track of how tires were rotated last time or if they follow a certain common rotation method.

Not once was I asked what tire was where the previous rotation, even going to a shop the first time with miles on the tires. So, I assume either they follow a common system or "start over" keeping track.

No the shops don’t care and don’t keep track. It wouldn’t be too practical for them to do that. You should check the owners manual and tell them how you want it done. Newer cars with tire pressure monitor systems (TPMS) usually need to be reset so the computer knows the new location of each sensor.

 

[easysurfer]

No the shops don’t care and don’t keep track. It wouldn’t be too practical for them to do that. You should check the owners manual and tell them how you want it done. Newer cars with tire pressure monitor systems (TPMS) usually need to be reset so the computer knows the new location of each sensor.

Thanks for the clarification. Especially about shops not keeping track. Learned something new tonight .

My car has TPMS. Took a peek at my car's owners manual. As others have pointed out, rotation also can depend on type of tire. Learned something new tonight

 

[Music Lover]

Newer cars with tire pressure monitor systems (TPMS) usually need to be reset so the computer knows the new location of each sensor.

That must be model specific...when I swap my tires it changes automatically.