How Often Should You Rotate Your Tires?

The standard recommendation for tire rotation is every 5,000 miles, which is an average of every six months. However, this doesn’t apply in all cases. You must consider how, where, and the type of vehicle you drive.

Tire rotation is not a new concept to any vehicle owner. It is one basic maintenance practice that involves shuffling or moving your tires from left to right and front to back.

The purpose is to ensure even wear across all four tires, which translates into an increased lifespan.

So how often should you make these swaps? What are the signs to look out for? Should you do it yourself? What is the cost of tire rotation? Continue reading to know all about tire rotation.

Key Takeaways

You should rotate your tires every 5,000 miles or every six months.
An easier way to put it is to rotate your tires after every other oil change.
When your tires' tread depth is below 2/32nds of an inch or when the rubber is firm and starts to dry rot or crack, it’s better to replace them.
You can find high-quality, cheap truck tires for sale on Discounted Wheel Warehouse—America’s trusted online store for all things wheels and tires.

Maybe you've been to a tire shop where they said you should rotate your tires every 6,000 miles, and it sounded like a sham to get you to come back more often.

However, before jumping to conclusions, you must first understand what tire rotation is about.

The way tires are rotated can differ depending on the vehicle’s drivetrain (whether it’s front-wheel, rear-wheel, or all-wheel drive).

Other factors, like having different-sized wheels on the front and back or using directional tires, can also affect how and when your tires should be rotated.

What Happens During Tire Rotation?

Tire rotation means changing the position of your front and back tires. There is the rearward cross, forward cross, and X pattern.

The best tire rotation pattern for your car depends on several things.

These things include the type of tires you have, whether your car is front-wheel, rear-wheel, all-wheel, or four-wheel drive, and if your tires are directional (designed to roll in one direction) or non-directional.

It also depends on whether the tires on the front and back of your car are the same size and if you have a full-size spare that can be rotated with the others.

For Tires That Are the Same Size and Non-Directional

Rotation Pattern 1: Rearward Cross (for Rear-Wheel Drive)

Instruction 1: The rear tires move straight to the front axle, staying on the same side, while the front tires switch sides and move to the rear.

Rotation Pattern 2: X-Pattern (for 4-wheel and All-Wheel Drive Vehicles)

Instruction 2: All tires move diagonally. Each tire goes to the opposite axle and switches sides.

Rotation Pattern 3: Forward Cross (for Front-Wheel Drive)

Instruction 3: The front tires move straight to the back, while the rear tires move diagonally to the front on the opposite sides.

For Tires That Are the Same Size and Non-Directional With a Full-Size Spare

To keep all tires wearing evenly, you should rotate the full-size spare tire along with the other four.

This is especially important for all-wheel or four-wheel drive cars, as small differences in tire wear can strain the drive train.

Rotation Pattern 1: Rearward Cross (for Rear-Wheel or 4-Wheel Drive)

Instruction 1: The rear tires move to the front, the spare tire goes to the back on the right side, and the front right tire moves diagonally to the left rear. The front left tire becomes the new spare.

Rotation Pattern 2: Forward Cross (for Front-Wheel Drive)

Instruction 2: The rear tires move diagonally to the front, the front right tire becomes the spare, and the spare goes to the back right. The front left tire moves straight back to the left rear.

For High-Performance and Directional Tires

Rotation Pattern 1: Side-to-Side (for Tires That Are Different Sizes in the Front and Back)

Instruction 1: The rear tires switch sides with each other, and the front tires do the same, but they stay on the same axle.

Rotation Pattern 2: Front-to-Back (for Directional Tires)

Instruction 2: Each tire moves to the same side on the opposite axle. For example, the front left tire goes to the rear left, and the rear left tire goes to the front left.

The bottom line is that during tire rotation maintenance, tires are removed, swapped and remounted to the vehicle.

How Often Should You Rotate Tires?

Most car makers suggest rotating your tires every 5,000 miles or about every six months. But some vehicles are different, so it’s always a good idea to check your owner’s manual.

Also, the way you drive can also affect how often your tires need to be rotated.

For example, if you drive off-road or put a lot of miles on your car, your tires will wear out faster, so you’ll need to rotate them more often.

Even though it’s important to rotate your tires regularly, there are some signs to look out for.

If you notice that your tires are wearing unevenly, that’s a clear sign it’s time to rotate them earlier than six months—even if just one tire is wearing out faster than the others.

What is the Cost of Rotating Tires?

Rotating your tires can cost between $24 and $50, though it can sometimes go as high as $120. However, you can find places that offer free tire rotation if you buy your tires or other services from them.

One example is the Wheel and Tire Package. This package will be unnecessary if your tires are in good shape and just need a simple rotation.

But if you see signs of wear or damage and want to replace and rotate the tires at the same time, a Wheel and Tire Package is a good deal.

Since the package includes rims and tires from different manufacturers, you'll get discounts on each item, along with extra free services like installation, rotation, balancing, and sometimes even free shipping.

Discounted Wheels Warehouse offers some of the best deals on wheel and tire packages for cars, SUVs, and Trucks.

Should You Rotate Tires Yourself?

You can rotate vehicle tires yourself if you have the right tools and know how to do it. The entire process will only take an hour to complete.

But should you do it? Well, it depends on how experienced you are. Remember, you have to look for any misalignment or imbalance before rotation.

Misalignment is when there’s too much inward or outward tilt of the tires when mounted, while imbalance involves having wrong weight distribution within the tire and wheel assemblies,

For peace of mind, it’s better to take your car to a technician for tire rotation. You can also use it to diagnose any possible issues around the tire and wheels.

Finally, Remember…

If you see bald spots, where the tread pattern is below 2/32nds of an inch or completely gone, it’s a clear sign your tires need to be replaced, not just rotated.

In that case, Discounted Wheel Warehouse is among America's go-to online shops for tires and wheels.

Operating out of Santa Ana, California, we’re the go-to destination for wheel and tire packages, offering a cost-effective way to upgrade your vehicle.

There are expert staff who can mount and balance your new wheels and tires, simplifying installation.

You can browse the catalog for affordable truck tires, using the matching tool to get specific recommendations based on your truck’s model year and OE tire size.