How to rotate direction tires?
- Thread starter mr_tinkertrain
- Start date
maverick0716
Founding Member
Yes, just rotate them back to front. It's not a great idea to cross rotate any radial tire even if it isn't directional, this is because the steel belts like to set one way. If you make them go the other way they have to set that way too. Think of a small piece of wire, what happens when you bend it back and forth a bunch of times? It breaks. The same thing can happen with tires to a certain extent.....they'll be more prone to belt separation.
bmorrisj
Member
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
Mav - I think you may be dealing with old info that has become 'fact' for some. My brother's been in the business for 30 years. They've rotated more radials than we can count such that they're rolling in both directions. It's not harmful to the tire in any way. The only thing to watch out for is if the tread is directional in design for shedding water. Even if front and rear sizes are different, all the majors recommend side to side rotation - which reverses the direction. Just to sure, I did a search on tire rotation - the tire makers/sellers recommend it with no concerns or reservations about rolling radials the opposite way.
Now there's a big debate as to how useful it is. Many 'experts' feel that unless you can get it done for free, that the cost of having it done regularly is simply not worth the bit of extra life you get out of your tires by doing it.
Now there's a big debate as to how useful it is. Many 'experts' feel that unless you can get it done for free, that the cost of having it done regularly is simply not worth the bit of extra life you get out of your tires by doing it.
super302
I'd do anything for free Bapples
Marks5.0!
Founding Member
I work at a tire shop, front to back is fine, it is actually recomended on passanger tires. SUV tires are recommended to be cris crossed, but if you keep rotated front to back and not switching sides, you will notice that the right side will wear out quicker, not that it will wear fast enough to be a problem though.
maverick0716
Founding Member
Js5ohLX said:
Why would the right side wear quicker? Can you explain this? Just curious because I've never seen that in the 3 years I've worked at a tire shop.
In my opinion I think there is no point in cross rotating tires. You won't gain anything out of it anyway. In fact if you have slightly bad wear on the tire (ex: feathering) then it will get worse if you make it go the other direction.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
The crown of the road (tilted to the right) could account for it theoretically - but in my 30-odd years of buying/rotating tires, I've never seen one side wear differently than another due to anything other than suspension misalignment, or the car having been in an accident that left things all caddywhompus. Mav - you're not alone - many people feel the little bit of extra life that comes from evening out tire wear at all 4 corners isn't worth what it costs in time/money. I rotate front to rear - mainly because it's MUCH easier to lift one side of the car and swap front to rear than it is to put the whole thing up on jack stands.
MAVRICK0716
On a NON Limited slip differential the right rear tire WILL wear more than the left rear.
Just look at any Ranger or F 150's tires that haven't been rotated in over 5000 miles and measure the tread depth on the rear tires.
For example: The fronts on a F 150 will be at 8/32nds, the RIGHT rear will be at 5/32 and the LEFT rear will be at 7/32.
Has to due with the non locking differential sending the majoraty of the power to the right rear causing the tire to wear faster.
Now on a stang you should get even wear on both rear tires if you have good diff. clutches.
On a NON Limited slip differential the right rear tire WILL wear more than the left rear.
Just look at any Ranger or F 150's tires that haven't been rotated in over 5000 miles and measure the tread depth on the rear tires.
For example: The fronts on a F 150 will be at 8/32nds, the RIGHT rear will be at 5/32 and the LEFT rear will be at 7/32.
Has to due with the non locking differential sending the majoraty of the power to the right rear causing the tire to wear faster.
Now on a stang you should get even wear on both rear tires if you have good diff. clutches.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
I don't think the phenomenon you describe happens univerally unless someone's been doing one wheel burnouts in the vehicle with the open diff. Every car I've ever owned until my Volvo has had an open diff - including a Bronco and an Explorer. Never had any uneven tire wear side to side on the rear - put 112K on the Bronco, and over 60k on the Explorer.
Now that twin I-beam front suspension was a whole different animal when it came to tire wear - hard to keep them from wearing a bit on the inside due to the rebound camber built into the geometry.
Now that twin I-beam front suspension was a whole different animal when it came to tire wear - hard to keep them from wearing a bit on the inside due to the rebound camber built into the geometry.
When you drive, statistically you make more turns in one direction than the other. That would explain for more tire wear, also yes road crown, and even more, caster. If you look at the various auto manufactors caster specs, many call for more caster to one side, causing a pulling that isn't noticeable to you, but your tires see it. I'm not saying it's a huge difference, but if you take tires that are 11 32nds new, and rotate them front to rear every 6000 miles, when they get down to 7 32nds, the rights will be 5 or 6 32nds.
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
J - Ah - the old 'it's there, but it's such a small difference that you might miss it'. Perhaps. However, I'd question the logic of "more turns in one direction than the other" over a long period of time. While the specifics of any one trip vary, most cars have a home base which from which they leave and ultimately to which they return. A point A to point B back to point A trip has about the same number of turns in one direction as the other - the trip 'coming' un-does the trip going.
No doubt about caster settings varying - many oem's build in some pull to the left to counteract road crown so the car will track more or less straight down the road.
No doubt about caster settings varying - many oem's build in some pull to the left to counteract road crown so the car will track more or less straight down the road.
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