Why Do I Need To Rotate My Tires?
Your tires will eventually wear out, and you will need to replace them with a new set of tires. However, if you would like to prolong the life of your tires, it's important to rotate your tires for several reasons.
Why You Must Rotate Your Tires
The front tires usually bear more weight than the rear tires. Braking and steering cause more stress to be placed on the front tires. Also, the outside edges of the front tires tend to be worn out disproportionately due to the turning of the vehicle. When you rotate your tires regularly, they will be more balanced and your car will have much better handling. Better handling is essential when you are driving on slick roads due to rain or snow.
Because of the different amounts of wear that front and rear tires are exposed to, you will save money if you rotate your own tires or if you hire a professional to rotate your tires for you. Fortunately, you do not necessarily have to pay attention to how much your tires are wearing out because the owner's manual of your car will provide advice on how frequently you should rotate your tires. Typically, you will want to rotate your tires every 5,000 miles, but, depending on your vehicle, you might be given a different recommendation.
When Tires Wear Unexpectedly
If you notice that your tires are wearing out in a very unusual manner, you might want to have your car inspected to determine if there are any mechanical problems that are leading to uneven wear. Mechanical problems can cause uneven wear and may cause other forms of wear and tear for your vehicle, too.
When You Shouldn't Rotate Your Tires
One challenge you might face is when you are trying to improve the performance of your vehicle by changing your tires. The best tires need to be placed on the rear of your vehicle. Rear tires tend to lose their grip before the front tires and this can lead to an oversteering problem. Rear tire blowouts cause a vehicle to become very difficult to control, especially when traveling at highway speeds. If your tires vary in wear, you always want to put the better tires in the rear, so don't rotate those to the front.
Even when you rotate your tires, they will eventually wear out. For that reason, it's important to pay attention to how much your tires have worn out so you'll know when it is time to replace them. When that time comes, look for high-performance tires that will help you operate your care more safely.