Brower Brothers Nissan 1525 Dewar Dr. Rock Springs, Wyoming
Today’s tires have become so trouble-free that many drivers ignore them almost completely, skipping critical inspections and maintenance procedures until there is a problem. Among the steps most often ignored is tire rotation.Tire Rotation Defined
Tire rotation involves moving tires from one position on a vehicle to another. A typical tire rotation would move the front tires to the rear, and the tires at the rear of the vehicle to the front.
Often in this procedure, one set of tires also changes sides. For example, the left and right rear tires would change sides when moved to the front of the vehicle, while the front tires would stay on their respective sides when moved to the rear. This cross-rotation practice is highly accepted in the automotive service community. Many in the industry call it a standard radial rotation.
There are numerous rotation patterns for different models of vehicles. They vary from front wheel drive, to all wheel drive, rear wheel drive, dual rear wheel, etc. The rotation pattern should be followed as outlined in your owner’s manual.
Typically, tire rotation is called for every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, though there are exceptions.
Why Rotate Tires
Even tire wear is also important for balanced handling. For example, failure to rotate tires on a front-wheel-drive vehicle will eventually result in the front tires having
significantly less tread than the rear tires. In an emergency, this could make the vehicle more difficult to control, especially if the road is wet.
Some cars with no suspension or alignment problems may also inflict unusual wear patterns on tires that are not rotated, shortening their life. Tread cupping, which can cause high noise levels and vibration, is one such unusual wear pattern that can be eliminated by rotating the tires.
There is one final reason for rotating the tires on a regular schedule: The tire maker may require it to keep its warranty in force.
Brower Brothers Nissan employs personnel that are trained to spot tire problems, point them out for you, and help you make sound decisions for maintenance so your Nissan runs and drives well for years to come. We will perform a multi-point inspection of your vehicle every visit to our facility, so our service experts can point out maintenance concerns including tire tread depth, tire wear, tire inflation, and the need for rotation.
Front-Wheel Drive
Tires wear differently depending on their location on the vehicle, the vehicle’s drivetrain / powertrain configuration, and driver habits such as heavy braking and cornering. Front-wheel-drive vehicles wear front tires more quickly than rear tires, since the front tires transfer power to the road and steer the vehicle simultaneously.
(Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company)
In order to correctly rotate the tires of a front-wheel-drive vehicle, our techs move the front tires to the rear and the rear tires to the front. However, when moving the rear tires to the front, they are placed on opposite sides of the car; basically we move your right rear tire to the left front, and the left rear tire to the right front. (Remember the term “cross rotate from above”)Rear-wheel-drive vehicles provide more balanced wear, since the rear tires deliver power to the pavement while the front tires do the steering. Even with this division of labor, however, the different functions, front and rear, produce different wear patterns that make rotating the tires advisable.
When rotating tires in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, we pretty much do the opposite of what we would do with a front-wheel-drive vehicle. The rear tires should be moved to the front but stay on the same side. The front tires should be moved toward the rear; we move your front left tire to the rear right, and the front right tire to the rear left.
This diagram below is typical of a rear wheel drive or 4 wheel drive vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel- or four-wheel-drive vehicles may present the strongest case for rotating the tires to keep tread wear even. In many of these vehicles, significant differences in tread depth can place an unnecessary strain on the drivetrain due to the different rolling radii of the tires.
For all-wheel-drive vehicles, Nissan recommends that the maximum variation in tread depth be kept to about 2/32 of an inch. Since many crossover all-wheel-drive vehicles are actually in front-wheel-drive mode most of the time, rotating the tires on these vehicles should be done often, since the front tires can be expected to wear more rapidly than the rear tires.
Tread wear variances of more than 2/32 of an inch suggest that the tires should be rotated more frequently. Our multi point inspections conducted each visit can allow a customer to get a long-term “picture” in mind about their tire rotation habits and make the needed adjustments. Our trained staff is readily available to answer tire rotation questions. Just ask us!
Do-It-Yourself or let us handle it?
Tire rotation can be done at home. Requirements include a hard, flat, and level work area, a suited floor jack, and jack stands. Wheel chocks are suggested to keep the car from rolling, a torque wrench is mandatory to make sure that the lug nuts are tightened properly, and a standard set of hand tools. You will need some muscle power if power or air tools are not available, and remember never to get under a vehicle supported only by a jack.
tightening specifications call for 75 to 100 pound-feet of torque, though some cars call for much more. The owner’s manual may or may not have this specification.
*** Some things to keep in mind: When Brower Brothers Nissan suggests replacing tires on your vehicle, we typically offer tires with mileage warranties. These mileage warranties (where applicable) offered by the different tire vendors that we carry DO have some specific criteria that owners need to meet in order to complete a treadwear warranty claim.
Tire rotations are mandatory for all treadwear warranty claims. Nissan suggests a 5,000 mile rotation interval for their entire vehicle line-up. Owners must prove that their tires were rotated on a regular, consistent basis. It is very important to have a documented history of tire care.
Tires that have been “run-flat” will not be considered for treadwear claims. Owners must ensure that wheel alignment has been maintained. Tires with uneven treadwear due to improper wheel alignment cannot be considered for claims.
Treadwear claims are pro-rated. A tire that does not give the mileage as stated on their warranty claim will require that the tread is measured. See the example: A credit for premature wear is calculated as a percentage representing tire life you didn’t get. Let’s say you bought a set of 80,000-mile tires but they are worn out at 60,000 miles. That 20,000-mile shortfall would qualify you for a 25 percent credit off the standard retail price for the replacement.
