WHY SHOULD YOU ROTATE YOUR TIRES – AND HOW TO DO IT
As a car owner, you’ve probably had a lot of technical terms thrown at you when getting your car serviced or maintained. There are a few things we’re instructed to do as car owners that are considered ‘musts,’ such as checking your wheel balancing and alignment, changing your oil and rotating your tires. While we’re told to do these things, we’re rarely told why we need to be doing them. This blog will explore the importance of tire rotation and how you can do it so that you can preserve and extend the lifespan of your used tyres as an Auckland driver.
The ‘Why’
Judging by appearance, your front and back wheels have the same colour and shape, and they all rotate pretty evenly. However, your front tires tend to wear out faster than your rear wheels because the front and back axle of your car perform different functions. Rotating your tires back to front, and even side to side prolongs the use that you get out of your tires and extends their lifespan, preventing the thread from wearing unevenly and your tires losing their grip and becoming smooth.
The ‘When’
Every 10 000 KMs your tires should be rotated, and you should constantly keep an eye on your tire tread. If you find that you need to replace one, it’s better to replace your entire set to encourage even wear and tear.
The ‘How’
Any tire fitment center or car service station can do a tire rotation. It’s not impossible to rotate your tires at home, but it would take a lot of time and effort to do so. Taking it to a professional is also beneficial in that they’ll know if your front and back wheels are the same sizes (in some cases, the rear axle is bigger than the front axle), and if your car is a four-wheel drive, they’ll be able to understand the strain that all your tires experience.
Tire rotations are essential, and even your car manual recommends that you rotate your tires. However, it shouldn’t be something that you need to stress over, financially or otherwise. Get the most use out of your used tires and have them rotated at Drury Tires in Auckland instead!